terroir

noun

ter·roir ˌter-ˈwär

: the combination of factors including soil, climate, and sunlight that gives wine grapes their distinctive character

Examples of terroir in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The vibes are in the terroir, the region where the grapes are grown and harvested. —

Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 1 Sep. 2024 The terroir coaxes a unique expression from Cabernet Franc. —

Johnny Noakes, Hartford Courant, 11 Aug. 2024 The county is home to 40 wineries along the Monticello Wine Trail, which offer a taste of the innovative practices that make this area and its terroir something to savor. —

Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2024 Indeed, for centuries, salt was a distinctly local product, an expression of both terroir and technique—Hawaii’s blood-red crystals, for example, or the gray, pebbly salt of France’s western coast. —

Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 27 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for terroir

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'terroir.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, land, country, stretch of land in reference to its agricultural features, from Old French tieroir, from Vulgar Latin *terratorium, alteration of Latin territorium

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of terroir was in 1863

See more words from the same year