terroir

noun

ter·​roir ˌter-ˈwär 

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

The unique Andean terroir … provides Bolivian winemakers with … a unique product as the result.

—Marianne Perez-Fransius

also : a similar combination of factors that affects the characteristic flavor of other beverages or foods or their ingredients

As with wine, terroir can influence the taste of tequila.

—Lauren Hubbard

Examples of terroir in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For a crash course on the region, its terroir, and what’s causing the bubbles in your glass, start at Pressoria, an interactive, sensory-focused journey that takes place in Pommery’s former pressing center that also ends with a tasting. — Lane Nieset, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Aug. 2026

At The Lobby Bar, assistant bar manager, Alessandro Vaira uses the gin’s botanical composition as a way to introduce guests to the uniqueness of the Tuscan terroir. — Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Top 5 Can’t Miss Discover how the Okanagan’s varied landscapes, climates, and terroir shape its wines, tasting samples along the way. — Vivian Chung, Travel + Leisure, 1 Aug. 2026

So began a lifelong exploration of the relationship between wine and place that amounts to one of the more comprehensive explorations of terroir of any grape producer in California. — Patrick Comiskey, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026

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

Rhymes for terroir

• adar
• afar
• ajar
• alar
• alvar
• bazaar
• bizarre
• boxcar
• boyar
• bulbar
• cachar
• cigar