terroir

noun

ter·​roir ˌter-ˈwär How to pronounce terroir (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This homage to Mexican materials and terroir was important to Casa Dragones’s CEO, Bertha González Nieves, who created the label with MTV founder Bob Pittman in 2009. Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 3 Nov. 2024 The unique and diverse terroir of these vineyards, characterized by varied elevations and proximity to the coast, imparts distinct qualities to the grapes. Noel Burgess, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024 Working on so many different wines within the varied terroir of Napa Valley has its advantages. Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2024 And the region has benefited from the cannabis industry capitalizing on the terroir that makes the wine taste so good. Maxwell Williams, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for terroir 

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

Dictionary Entries Near terroir

Cite this Entry

“Terroir.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terroir. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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