It's becoming evident to me that (along with waves of periodic publicity,
and different interpretations of the term) "terroir" as a subject of
discussion evokes a variety of assumptions or "baggage." Below, summary of
an ongoing discussion:


1. MS, 13Nov03: "French grapes struggle with bad weather, no irrigation,
hungry crows. California grapes are pampered with water, sun, heat. There is
no question why French wines have more local personality than California
wines."

2. RR, 27Mar06: "According to [posting above], French wines will always be
superior to Californian because they're, well, French."

3. MH, 12Apr07: "I don't read [comment above] to claim French wines are
'superior to' California wines ..."

4. RR, 12Apr07: "Hmm. So bad weather, dryfarming and crows only exist in
France?"

5. MH, 12Apr07: "I don't take the comment that way at all."

6. RR, 12Apr07: "It is a pretense that only France 'suffers' and therefore
experiences more 'character' in her vineyards."