Comments on: Winning the Hearts and Minds of Terroirists http://www.bloggle.com/2007/07/winning-the-hearts-and-minds-of-terroirists/ Coffee & Commentary Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:50:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: deCadmus http://www.bloggle.com/2007/07/winning-the-hearts-and-minds-of-terroirists/#comment-20366 deCadmus Sat, 07 Jul 2007 03:37:48 +0000 http://www.bloggle.com/2007/07/winning-the-hearts-and-minds-of-terroirists/#comment-20366 My thinking is this: coffee is wine for those sober of mind. And far easier on the pocket-book, too. P.S. You're stealing my thunder for Part Deux. ;) My thinking is this: coffee is wine for those sober of mind.

And far easier on the pocket-book, too.

P.S. You’re stealing my thunder for Part Deux. ;)

]]> By: Brian http://www.bloggle.com/2007/07/winning-the-hearts-and-minds-of-terroirists/#comment-20354 Brian Fri, 06 Jul 2007 16:54:27 +0000 http://www.bloggle.com/2007/07/winning-the-hearts-and-minds-of-terroirists/#comment-20354 Wine writers seem to be like sports commentators - to keep earning their pay they have to find some way to spice their descriptions each year even though the thing they are describing only changes in the subtle nuances. That leads some of them into flowery nonsense. In my circles terroir and micro-climate are synonyms. However, just as any gardener knows, poor growing practices can waste good conditions and highly skilled growers can coax success from the least likely places. Likewise, the vintner is like a cook. He has little chance of success with poor quality ingredients but even very good grapes only provide opportunity for greatness. Wine, and coffee, are products that showcase the place they were grown and the skill of their preparation. When done right the finished product is much more than the sum of it's parts. That is why attempts to analyze or describe them by reduction work so poorly. Wine writers seem to be like sports commentators - to keep earning their pay they have to find some way to spice their descriptions each year even though the thing they are describing only changes in the subtle nuances. That leads some of them into flowery nonsense.

In my circles terroir and micro-climate are synonyms. However, just as any gardener knows, poor growing practices can waste good conditions and highly skilled growers can coax success from the least likely places. Likewise, the vintner is like a cook. He has little chance of success with poor quality ingredients but even very good grapes only provide opportunity for greatness.

Wine, and coffee, are products that showcase the place they were grown and the skill of their preparation. When done right the finished product is much more than the sum of it’s parts. That is why attempts to analyze or describe them by reduction work so poorly.

]]>