Tag: terroir

Terroir is a word closely associated with wine. Terroir represents the environment in which a particular wine is produced, including the climate, soil and topography. Each of these elements shapes the final product and are all considered when discussing a wine's terroir. Here are three wineries worth a visit representing three different unique terroirs.

Mike Sinor
ANCIENT PEAKS & SINOR-LAVALLEE WINES
The wineries are just five miles on average from the ocean, so the prevailing marine conditions are very pronounced, giving the fruit a lot of time to develop rich, full flavors while maintaining structure, complexity, and balance. I have a unique opportunity to work with grapes from two distinct terroirs within this region: Ancient Peaks’ Margarita Vineyard, at the northernmost border where it’s warmer, and Sinor-LaVallee’s Bassi Ranch Vineyard, just 1.2 miles from Avila Beach.

The wines of Hyland Estates in Dundee, OR, provide a taste of history. Its story begins more than 40 years ago, when four families worked together to plant winegrapes in the remote eastern foothills of the Coastal Range, replete with volcanic Jory and Nekia soils. It didn’t take long until the match made in heaven between the terroir and grape was achieved: at the 1985 Burgundy Challenge in Paris, judges could not differentiate between Oregon and Burgundian Pinot Noir. In 2011, the vineyard had grown to 204 acres and Hyland Estates was born. Today, after providing award-winning grapes to Oregon’s top echelon producers for more than 40 years, Hyland Vineyard is one of Oregon’s oldest and largest vineyards.

In 1978, Pine Ridge Vineyards was founded on a steeply terraced hillside flanked by a dramatic ridgeline of stately pine trees in the Stags Leap District. The founder was convinced that the Napa Valley was an ideal growing region for Cabernet Sauvignon and other noble Bordeaux grape varieties. Since then, 35 years have passed and this conviction has certainly proven to be true. As Napa Valley’s reputation has grown, so have the reputation and acreage of Pine Ridge Vineyards. Today, the esteemed winery is a showcase for exquisite Cabernet Sauvignon with nearly 200 acres planted in 12 prime vineyard sites: four in the Stags Leap District; two in Rutherford; three in Carneros; one in Howell Mountain; and one in Oakville.

Winemaker Amy Thorn and her husband, Jack, traveled 3,000 miles from their native Pennsylvania in search of the perfect terroir to establish their winemaking business and ?Thorn Hill Vineyards. "Good winemaking begins in the vineyard, nurturing the grapes to cultivate fruit imbued with the flavor and nuances of the terroir," Amy says. "The terroir—encompassing location, climate, soil, drainage, and perfectly matched clone selection—is imperative in crafting a quality wine."

With a Napa Valley winemaking history that dates back to 1948, the Trinchero family has gained an exceptional international reputation for producing fine small lot wines. Through the years, they have acquired a series of small vineyard sites in specific areas of the Napa Valley, targeted for their uniqueness. Trinchero Napa Valley in St. Helena, California now draws its grapes from seven distinctive vineyard sites in five of the valley’s designated appellations, and produces its wines in a new estate located just north of downtown St. Helena. The wines are showcased in a remodeled farmhouse, which dates back to the mid 1800s. It honors its founder, Mario Trinchero, who laid the foundation for what is now one of the nation’s most successful family businesses.

The founder of WillaKenzie Estate knows that wine is all about terroir. Bernard Lacroute was born in a small village in Burgundy. After a successful career in high tech, he decided to return to his roots and start a winery in Yamhill, Oregon, which is—according to Bernard—the best place (after Burgundy) to grow Pinot Noir.

WillaKenzie Estate was named after the sedimentary soil on which most of the estate vineyards are planted. The second site, Jory Hills Vineyard, is also named after the soil, which is volcanic and imparts different characteristics to the wine.