Abstract:
While currently topical, the concept known as terroir is not a new concept. Terroir refers to the natural and cultural features of a geographically delineated body of land which interact to create a unique set of conditions that in turn confer specific characteristics on the wines produced there. Key factors include climate, topography, geology, soils, varietal selection and wine-making practices. In many countries, the identification of viticultural terroir is undergoing serious study, due in part to an increasing demand by consumers for knowledge and understanding of the origin of each wine produced. However, in many newer viticultural production areas in the New World, terroir areas default to, and are defined by, political borders as opposed to any real homogeneous natural or cultural features.
This practice is becoming increasingly problematic for wine producing areas having to compete in an ever-increasing globalized market. The marketability of over-generalized products is decreasing rapidly in an industry where specific wine description for specific regions and specific vintages has become the norm. The Virginia wine industry faces just such challenges in its modern history. Having grown successfully and rapidly for three decades, it likely will begin to stagnate soon due to increased competition and 'false' terroir labeling, leading to consumer confusion about what it means to be a 'Virginia wine.' This paper provides an analysis of geographic delineation of the wine regions in Virginia; their past, present and future potential; and how the industry may already be irreparably damaged by losing its geography.
