terroir

noun

ter·​roir ˌter-ˈwär 

: 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

Nowhere is that transformation more visible than at the IWSC, where tradition, terroir, and technique converge on a global stage. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

Bagels and more in Montréal Québec’s warm summers and pristine winters help create the perfect terroir for the province’s legendary culinary treasures. —AFAR Media, 2 Sep. 2025

Each batch of tequila that is produced at Tequilera Los Alambiques is made from agave that is harvested from one specific estate, an attempt to showcase terroir in tequila by highlighting the differences that the soil brings to the agave. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 16 Aug. 2025

China's multiple emerging wine regions are as diverse as its landscapes, stretching from coastal hillsides to alpine valleys and desert plains, each distinct in terroir, climate, and character. —Mei Zhang, Travel + Leisure, 30 July 2025

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
• ansar
• bazaar
• bizarre
• boxcar
• boyar
• bulbar
• cachar
• cigar