When it comes to discussions surrounding terroir, one of the most important factors – human influence – is frequently omitted.
Though often romanticized as a nature-exclusive, even "magical" notion, considering the unique places from which grapes come without ever mentioning human impact is simply impossible – and a number of seasoned industry professionals agree.
Natural, human or both?
When asked if human influence plays a role in the notion of terroir, the response amongst industry professionals is pretty unanimous.
"Absolutely. I firmly believe that the human element is an essential component of terroir," says Kelli White, director of education at The Wine Center at Meadowood. White states that although many industry folks tend to simplistically say that wine makes itself, that the notion isn't necessarily true. "There's really no way to divorce the actual taste of a wine from the human decisions that went into making that wine," she says.
Paul Wasserman, co-director at Becky Wasserman & Co, formerly stood in the camp of "nature first, nature only", when defining terroir. However, his definition has since evolved. "Humans absolutely have an influence on terroir," he affirms. Similar to Wasserman, California-based geologist Brenna Quigley prefers a definition that includes both humans and nature. "I like to think of terroir as the whole system of factors that makes a place unique, as opposed to just one or two elements," she says.
Quigley notes that although geology and soils tend to get the most attention, mostly because they are the parts of the system that are essentially immovable or unchangeable, that the real magic of terroir is showcased when all factors interact with each other – including how geology shapes the topography of a region, as well as the human presence. "How a farmer works with soil to increase interactions between the soil and the vine, or to increase the life of the soil, [plays a role]," she explains, adding that, on the other side, geology can also impact climate and weather patterns, as well as human migrations.
Human impact via farming
White says that viticultural choices made by humans can deeply play into the depiction of terroir, whether in highlighting or obfuscating it. "Blasting a vineyard with systems, over-irrigating, over cropping, picking too early or too late... any of these things can distort or diminish terroir expression,”" she explains. Though on the contrary, White also notes that farming with sensitivity and respect – as well as relying on less interventional treatments in the cellar – can help to highlight the terroir of a given place.
Wasserman agrees, stating that farming definitely plays into the notion of terroir, specifically through the maintenance of it. He cites hedging and deforestation as two of the main means of human influence changing terroir. "On a micro level, acts like cutting the trees off the top of certain hillsides in the Côte d'Or have definitely changed conditions, specifically the air currents," he explains, revealing that many winemakers blame the now regular presence of hail in Burgundy on the deforestation taking place on the tops of the region’s hillsides.
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