Definition: the combination of soil, altitude, climate, geography, and agricultural practices that gives a crop its distinct attributes.

Context: During recent years the businesses of tourism and high quality food and wine has experienced a dramatic change: the number of food and wine quality certifications has increased as well as the demand for quality and terroir food products and tourist destinations linked to food and wine (Sidali et al. 2011).

Context: The specific attributes of a terroir are shaped by natural factors such as the soil, climate, and adaptation of plant varieties to the environment, and by human factors related to history, culture, know-how and tradition (Lenglet 2014).

Context: the best foods admittedly come from specific regions or terroirs of France, yet the best cooks perfect nature’s wares with their art and technique, making food edible, safe, and enjoyable (Parker 2015).

Sources:

JACOBSEN, Rowan. American Terroir: Savoring the Flavors of our Woods, Waters, and Fields. Bloomsbury USA, New York, 2010, 272 pages.

LENGLET, François. "Influence of Terroir Products Meaning on Consumer's Expectations and Likings." Food Quality and Preference 32 (2014): 264-270.

PARKER, Thomas. Tasting French Terroir: The History of an Idea. University of California Press, Berkeley, 2015, 248 pages.

SIDALI, Katia Laura, Achim SPILLER and Birgit SCHULZE, Editors. Food, Agri-Culture and Tourism. Linking local gastronomy and rural tourism: interdisciplinary perspectives. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2011, 197 pages.

TOMASI, Diego, Federica GAIOTTI and Gregory V. JONES. The Power of the Terroir: the Case Study of Prosecco Wine. Springer Basel, 2013, 248 pages.

TUNICK, Michael H. The Science of Cheese. New York: Oxford University Press, 2014.