Grapes growing on an old vine. Illustration by Chris Gregori for Opening a Bottle.

Vineyard Stories

Terroir is the Holy Grail of wine. As a concept, it is simple and easy to embrace: can the totality of elements at a single vineyard express themselves through wine? This includes the influences of soil, sun, rain, hail, topography, and even culture. From my experience, terroir is real, but much more rare than the wine industry would have you believe.

In the stories below, we profile where terroir — both natural and cultural — has revealed its mysterious hand to us.

Illustration by Chris Gregori.

The terraced vineyards of the Bianzone commune in Valtellina, Lombardy, Italy.

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