Extracts from some of Roger's articles...on terroir, Boomers vs. Millennials & more on the next page!
Photos © Roger C. Bohmrich

"The search for the factors accounting for the taste characteristics of wine, and particularly for the subtle yet observable differences between wines of the same region and commune, produced with essentially the same grape varieties and techniques, is one of the most intriguing unsolved mysteries in the world of wine."

 

Quotation from my article entitled Terroir: Competing Perspectives on the Roles of Soil, Climate and People, Journal of Wine Research, 1996, Vol. 7, No. 1, p 44. This article is still cited in the Oxford Companion to Wine (4th edition, 2015) nearly two decades from its original publication. It can be obtained from the publisher by typing "tandfonline.com/bohmrich/terroir" into your browser.
"On the simplest level, terroir refers to the natural environmental parameters that define the agricultural potential of a zone or unit of land, with the implication that these conditions cannot be easily modified by human intervention. Yet, terroir can come to life and be expressed in a finished product only through the management provided by winegrowers and winemakers. Site and process are thus symbiotically intertwined, yet separate."

The Business of Wine - An Encyclopedia (Greenwood Press, 2009)

"Surely one must be able to taste the terroir if it truly exists, and indeed some may be able to, both in a global and local context. A good, reasonably informed taster can identify the difference that climate alone can bring to wine of the same grape variety.

Think of Chablis as compared to Upper Hunter Chardonnay to see how cool compares with hotter origins, or Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma contrasted with Sancerre. This is the taste of terroir in a rather obvious way. More skilled and experienced tasters may detect differences that stem from one vineyard site compared to another nearby. This lesson can be learned by tasting the new vintage from barrel from sites such as Combettes, Champ Gain and Pucelles in the same grower's cellar in Puligny-Montrachet; or by experiencing Riesling from Rangen de Thann, Brand and Herrenweg with a vintner in Alsace. We sense that there are unique attributes that must originate with the vineyard because the handling, vinification and maturation are the same.

Yet, we have to say that tasting is inherently fallible unless performed under the strictest conditions with qualified tasters who have been carefully screened. Otherwise, much of our judgment remains intuitive and subjective, and prone to suggestion and expectation. We may identify differences in aroma, concentration or acidity, but do we know with scientific certitude whether these come about because of soil and subsoil, or age of vines, clones, rootstocks or other factors?"

The Next Chapter in the Terroir Debate, Wine Business Monthly, January 2006. The full article together with original graphics can be viewed by searching with my name and the title at winebusiness.com

"Several reports released early in 2016 that detail wine consumption trends provide valuable insight into the continuing evolution of generational purchasing habits in the United States’ wine market. While there is a wealth of new data for marketers to ponder, the finding that Millennial wine drinkers have surged in significance has taken center stage.
This conclusion comes as no surprise to those who see it as axiomatic that this vaunted generation has become the most important consumer bloc in the U.S. for many, if not most, products and services. Those who hold this view likely also believe that Baby Boomers, once unrivaled, no longer have the economic impact they once did. But do these suppositions hold up under close scrutiny of data from the wine sector and the economy as a whole? The question of the relative importance of Millennials and Boomers has far-ranging implications for the industry, influencing current marketing campaigns as well as strategic planning efforts."

Millennials or Boomers: Who Really Controls the Wine Market?, Wine Business Monthly, June 2016.
"Here once more, a judging with a familiar outcome – French classics smacked down by New World wines, this time from – New Jersey! On the surface, the results “prove” that humble, if not completely unheralded wines are every bit as good as glamorous icons commanding prices many times higher. It all started with the Judgment of Paris in 1976, a shock to the judges themselves and the world of wine at large. Napa was the major beneficiary at a time U.S. wines certainly needed an ego boost. After their credible showing against Bordeaux and Burgundy at the Judgment of Princeton, New Jersey winemakers must be beating their chests with pride. What further proof is needed of the ascendancy of the Garden State, now recognized as an epicenter of fine wine?"

The Judgment of Princeton - What Have We Really Learned?, Wine Business Monthly, October 2012.