The other day, a customer asked me , "What is terroir?" So today, I'd like to talk about terroir.
Have you ever heard of the term "terroir"? It's a common wine term, but it's not one you'd hear in your daily life.
It literally means "the characteristics of the grape-growing environment and the grape-growing region, including the soil, topography, climatic features such as rain, wind, temperature, and humidity, as well as other plants growing nearby."
That's not exactly right (laughs).
The word is originally derived from the French word "Terre," which means "earth," and there is no easy translation into Japanese, so this explanation is inevitably long.
Foreign words have a culture of their users, and if Japan does not have that culture, there is no easy translation. However, for the moment, let us roughly define terroir as the environment in which grapes are grown .
In wine culture, "terroir" is extremely important.
This is because many people believe that "wine is an indigenous agricultural product, and that the original form of wine is one that is born from the activities of the people living in that area."
In fact, many people who fall in love with wine are drawn to wines that reflect the character of the land where the vineyards are located.
For example, when you understand the connection between the place of origin and the taste, such as "red wine from Bordeaux is a rich, astringent wine," or "white wine from Burgundy is probably a mellow wine with a hint of oak," it feels like the world of wine suddenly opens up to you.
I began to realize that "wine is truly a drink that is connected to the land," and "wines that express terroir are wonderful," and, going even further, I began to think that "single-vineyard wines are unique and attractive."
When I first got into wine, I used my meager pocket money to buy wines from various regions, and I imprinted the characteristics of each region on my head, so much so that I was filling up the world wine map.
I've tried wines from Europe, North America, South America, South Africa, Oceania, and Japan, and occasionally from China, India, and Thailand.
It was certainly interesting. The world is so big. I learned that wine is made in so many different places and has so many different flavors.
However, after tasting a variety of wines, I have now come to the conclusion that, while terroir is certainly an attractive feature, wines that don't emphasize terroir can also be plenty enjoyable .
I think it's wonderful that an unadulterated culture has continued in the same place for generations.
But I also think that mixing cultures to create something new is wonderful.
I feel like both udon and curry udon are good.
"Penfolds Grange" (market price over 100,000) is said to be one of the world's best wines in Australia, New Zealand's neighbor. It collects the best grapes from various growing areas in Australia and makes wine using its own brewing techniques. It has nothing to do with terroir. But by gathering wisdom, it is possible to create something amazing.
When weighing the desire to create something pure and the desire to create something delicious, I don't think there's anything wrong with prioritizing the latter.
When you hear "blended rice," you might think of cheap rice. However, among the blended rices made by experts, there are some that are more delicious and cheaper than single-variety rice.
Mixing it, making the flavor uniform, and eliminating variations over the years is a great skill, and I think that if that skill is accumulated, it can become a culture.
When I think about it, I think that the reason I have come to think this way may be related to my own past.
My working life started with radio, then moved to food and beverage, and last year I added wine mail order. Now I have a three-way blend of radio, food and beverage, and mail order. I think it's okay to mix things together because I want to affirm my blended life.
From now on, we will need to let the blend mature so that it develops its own unique deliciousness.
This week's pairing suggestions
This week, let's start with wine.
New Zealand also has wines called "multi-regional" that are not related to terroir. They are not wines that cost over 100,000 yen like Grange, but are high-cost performance wines that can be consumed daily.
Villa Maria Private Bin Chardonnay 2020
It costs 2,200 yen including tax. It's a great deal.
This wine is made using grapes from four different regions; Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough and Waipara.
Gisborne and Hawke's Bay are in the North Island. Marlborough and Waipara are in the South Island. Gisborne and Waipara are nearly 700km apart. This is a blend of grapes from far-flung areas.
If we were to apply this to Japan, it would be something like using grapes from Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Kyoto, and Nagoya.
What's amazing about this wine is that it's a Chardonnay in this price range, yet it's barrel-aged. The rich fruitiness is complemented by the fragrant aroma of the wooden barrels. Excellent.
Choose the perfect dish from Bokumo's popular menu...
Salmon pie. Salmon and potatoes are stuffed inside the pie crust, accented with egg yolk sauce and a spice called dukkah.
This is the chef's pride and joy, so please give it a try! However, the shadow of the sunfish is slowly approaching... What will happen to me...? Tears
