A Sense of Place – Nick’s take on terroir

2nd September 2026 by Nick Hoyle

You’ve probably noticed when in the wine shop that some bottles clearly state the grape variety – Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay etc. while other wines are a bit more mysterious and just give a wine name and/or region. Why is this you may ask. The main difference is largely due to a combination of tradition, regulations and marketing Traditionally European wine regions such as France, Spain, Italy and Germany identify their wines by their place of origin rather than by the…

You’ve probably noticed when in the wine shop that some bottles clearly state the grape variety – Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay etc. while other wines are a bit more mysterious and just give a wine name and/or region. Why is this you may ask. The main difference is largely due to a combination of tradition, regulations and marketing Traditionally European wine regions such as France, Spain, Italy and Germany identify their wines by their place of origin rather than by the…