Terroirism

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Dr. Goodword
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Terroirism

Postby Dr. Goodword » Fri Oct 25, 2013 10:24 pm

• terroirism •

Pronunciation: ter-wah-rism • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun, mass (no plural)

Meaning: I'll bet you thought we misspelled terrorism, didn't you? No, this good word refers to the flavor and bouquet that a grape—and the wine made from it—acquires from the earth it grows in. It is a simplification of the French phrase goût de terroir "taste of the soil".

Notes: The terroir [ter-wah(r)] is the soil of the vineyard, but the vineyard's drainage and the angle of the sun also influence the flavor of the grape. You needn't fear a terroirist attack since everyone agrees that the terroir influences the taste of at least some types of wine. The terroirist believes that it is the dominant factor. The counter-terroirist, of course, thinks that the dominant determinants of the taste and bouquet are the yeast, the fermentation, and the casks.

In Play: Until the movie Sideways appeared, this Good Word was, admittedly, peripheral. But if you want to talk wine with Miles Raymond and Maya, you will need today's word: "I can't stand being in the presence of Guy Noir's wife, Bette; not only does she drink Merlot, but she is a militant supporter of terroirism." Now that lines have been drawn, how long will it be before the conflict assumes a more ominous cast: "Someone said that the barrel-makers and yeast manufacturers have formed a counter-terroirist task force to protect Americans from the threat of terroirism."

Word History: The root of this Good word, French terroir, originated in Latin terra "dry land". It is related to torrere "to burn", from which we derived both torrid and torrent, meaning, oddly enough, "gushing water". Terra is found in terra firma "solid ground", terrace, and in Mediterranean "middle earth" from medi "middle" + terra "earth, land" (Tolkien fans take note). The same ancient root, ters- "dry", ended up in English as thirst. There is no relation with terror, which comes from a different root meaning "shake".
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LukeJavan8
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Re: Terroirism

Postby LukeJavan8 » Sat Oct 26, 2013 11:52 am

This word I will use. I have a large grape arbor which
provides awesome shade over my patio, as well as
grapes loved by birds and squirrels. Fits me today.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

sardith
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Re: Terroirism

Postby sardith » Sat Oct 26, 2013 12:09 pm

Terrific word, Doc. Made me smile.
Thanks,
Sardith :mrgreen:
“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.”
~Mark Twain, [pen name for Samuel Clemens], American author and humorist, (1835-1910)~

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Re: Terroirism

Postby Perry Lassiter » Sat Oct 26, 2013 3:18 pm

Guy Noir also inhabits the outskirts of Lake Woebegone. He's played by Garrison Keilor and is a private eye, searching for the meaning in life.
pl

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Slava
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Re: Terroirism

Postby Slava » Sat Oct 26, 2013 4:43 pm

Does Guy Noir have a sister named Penelope, "Pen"?
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

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Re: Terroirism

Postby MTC » Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:48 pm

This from a wine blog about the search for "The God Particle of Wine" and a leading Terroiriste.

"Through minute analysis of the vine and geology, Croser and a generation of oenological scientist (sic) from Universities in Australia, Bordeaux, California, Santiago, Chile and Germany have essentially unravelled the wine equivalent of the exploration of the world of sub-atomic particles.

Finding the right place to plant Cabernet Sauvignon for example is now, under this methodology a game of science not art.

This has meant that Croser personally pioneered the shift from the, its only dirt and if we irrigate and fertilise we can grow anything anywhere school into a genuine scientific terroirism.

Croser is often called a Terroiriste, and does seem to enjoy the title."

http://tomasclancy.wordpress.com/2013/0 ... erroirism/

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Re: Terroirism

Postby Slava » Sat Oct 26, 2013 8:10 pm

The Doctor mentions the movie "Sideways." There is another wine-oriented movie that could perhaps serve as a rebuttal to terroirism, "Bottle Shock."

A France-based wine seller, played by Alan Rickman, organizes a tasting competition between French and Californian wines. Care to guess who comes out on top? 8)
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

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Re: Terroirism

Postby MTC » Sun Oct 27, 2013 12:47 am

Not having seen Bottle Shock, I looked it up on Google. Mum's the word. You'll have to find out for yourselves.

I can tell you this. Two public personalities share the same name. Here's a clue:

Though their names are the same,
They play a different game.
One threw forward passes,
The other drinks wine from glasses.
One knew about face masks
The other fine wine casks
One talks about racking
The other a sacking

Who are they?


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