The Earth's Gift: Terroir and why it matters

If you have ever hung out with a wine geek you will hear words like dirt, leather, mineral, wet rocks, crushed gravel, chalk or any number of things that at first glance don't sound so yummy. One word that will always come up with a cork dork is terroir. Terroir a French word that has no direct English translation, but is most commonly translated to "sense of place". This simple phrase does not do the term justice but it is a start.

This past Friday I attended a seminar hosted by one of my favorite importers, Terry Theise. Mr. Theise is an importer of German, Austrian and Champagne wines. He is one of the most passionate wine professionals in the business, and has been one of my idols since my humble beginnings as a stock boy at Central Market in Austin, Texas. The seminar was titled "Why Terroir Matters" and was a conversation and tasting with Mr. Theise and four growers in his portfolio: Johannes Hirsch of Hirsch (Kamptal, Austria), Christine Saahs of Nikolaihof (Wachau/Kremstal, Austria), Johannes Leitz of Leitz (Rheingau, Germany) and Helmut Donnhoff of Donnhoff (Nahe, Germany).  These four growers represent some of the best wines from their respective regions and each lives by the auspice that their role is only that of caretaker and not a manipulator. Their role is to foster the terroir from the vineyard and ensure that each wine is the best example of where it comes from.

Mr. Theise sees terroir as a "...cause and effect relationship between soil and the wine.", meaning that from the wine one can see, smell, feel, and taste what the earth is trying to express at that moment in time. Though the lecture/tasting was given to the "choir" there were certain moments that made me take a step back and truly evaluate my position as a buyer. It made me promise to myself that I will always seek those wines that are real and speak of where they are from.  Mr. Theise said, "Wine is the way the Earth gets to speak to us.", I was blown away by this, as I had always thought this and known it but could never express it.

Why is this important to the "average" consumer of wine who just wants a wine to taste good and not cost an arm and a leg. Well, it may not be important to everyone but as one explores the world of wine it is reassuring to find wines from throughout the world that taste like that place, that taste different, that make your remember where you are. If wine becomes ubiquitous we will lose our sense of place. As you taste wine begin to look for specific traits about that wine or region. It is useful to try a group of wines from the same vineyard or region and notice the similarities and constancies that speak to the place where the grapes are grown.

The tasting component of the seminar was amazing. Each producer presented three to four wines and was given time to discuss the vintage, the soil and why terroir matters to them.

Tasting 1: Johannes Hirsch of Hirsch Kamptal, Austria

It was very interesting to see the difference between the vineyards and the vintages. 2003 was an very hot vintage. The two vineyards are on two different soil types but are quite close together. The geologic differences produce strikingly different wines. The Heiligensteins (Primary rock formations: volcanic, sand, feldspar) are more linear, laser like and take time to become more accessible .The Gaisberg (Crystalline forms of brown earth) wines were broad, rich and more approachable. Different but both beautiful.

2006 Riesling Heiligenstein

2006 Riesling Gaisberg

2003 Riesling Heiligenstein

2003 Riesling Gaisberg

Tasting 2: Christine Saahs of Nikolaihof, Wachau/Kremstal, Austria

Nikolaihof has been one of my favorite producers for a long time. I have always found these wines to be great examples of terroir driven wines. The estate is one of the oldest wine estates in Europe. It has been producing wine continuously for 2,000 years! In addition to being terroir driven wines the wines have been farmed bio-dynamically since 1971. Ms. Saahs presented three wines all from the same vineyard, Steiner Hund. It was amazing to see that, despite the vintage differences and vine age there was always a consistency within all the wines that could only suggest they be from one place. The wines are grown on primary rock and are all intense and gripping wines.

2003 Riesling Steiner Hund Reserve
2002 Riesling Steiner Hund Reserve
2005 Riesling Steiner Hund Jungfernlese (young vines)

Tasting 3: Johannes Leitz, of Weingut Josef Leitz, Rheingau, Germany

Johannes is a very passionate man and works hard to make sure his vineyards express themselves to the fullest extent in each wine. The wines of Leitz are focused, classic, and beautiful examples of Rieslings greatness. They represent the sublime, the elegance, and intensity of fruit grown in extreme conditions. The vineyard of Ber Kaisersteinfels has 80 year old vines grown in rock and is ridiculously steep. Each of the below three wines showed the brilliance of their vineyards and the nuance of different geologic formations that create the soil in which the vines live.

2007 Riesling Rudesheimer Berg Kaisersteinfels Alten Reben (old vines)
2007 Riesling Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg Spatlese
2007 Riesling Rudesheimer Berg Roseneck Spatlese

Tasting 4: Helmut Donnhoff, of Donnhoff, Nahe, Germany

Though Mr. Donnhoff was unsure of his English, he was certain of his wines ability to express the beauty of their terroir. The wines of Donnhoff are some of the most brilliant wines I have every tried. Each wine was so specific, so mesmerizing, and so  gorgeous it was hard to concentrate on the words he was saying. Honestly, he need not say anything and just let the wines speak. The Nahe is a very small valley and within in 10 KM there are hundreds of soil types, in one vineyard Brucke there are five soil types alone. Each soil adding its own mark to the wine. These wines define terroir in all its beauty and glory. If you wish to explore what terroir is, Donnhoff is a great place to start.

2007 Estate Riesling
2007 Riesling Oberhauser Leistenberg Kabinett
2007 Kreuznacher Krotenpfuhl Spatlese
2007 Oberhauser Brucke Spatlese - this wine is un-real! It blew me away as it is near perfection

 

 

Comments

[Jill]

Jeff,
I love your passion! I just wish I could find the wines you are talking about. I want to try what you suggest. If you were my wine store owner down the street, I would buy everything you thought was wonderful (and matched my palate, of course!). Any tips?

love ya,
jill