VASCM: a scientific perspective on terroir

[Nick de Sieyes]

A recent article in Vines and Wines attempts to begin "defending the
concept of terroir by clearing out the vast acreage of pre- and
non-scientific underbrush that has grown up around it". A handful of
leading viticultural experts (Smart, McGourty, etc.) are asked how much
modern science supports old viticultural adages, and I found the results
pretty interesting.

*"What passes for viticultural wisdom in the old-fashioned terroir mindset
is a series of platitudes about grapevines, mainly about aspects of
grapegrowing outside human control. Vines need deep roots (which they grow
themselves) to express terroir; vines need to be dry farmed (with whatever
rainfall happens to show up); vines have to be old (while you sit and
wait), and so on. There is a lot of fatalism in this version of
grapegrowing; terroir just happens in special places, and the rocks get the
credit."*

Read more at:
http://www.winesandvines.com/template.cfm?section=columns_article&content=131924&columns_id=24
Copyright © Wines & Vines

Best,
Nick

-- 
Nick de Sieyes
Postdoctoral Scholar
University of California, Davis
Department of Land, Air and Water Resources
831.688.1190 (office)
805.403.6820 (cell)
nrdesieyes at ucdavis.edu
"
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