With only twelve short weeks remaining before the two-day Court of Sommelier course and exam, we have settled into a daily routine of reading, research and relentless quizzing. I asked Tammy to name the five ‘First Growths‘ of Bordeaux–and her answer (correct by the way) was followed by a question regarding viticulture. Specifically, the question was about terroir. As with most of these discussions, the conversation quickly evolved into all things viticulture.

Viticulture is known in sommelier circles as the “art” and “science” of vine growing. This ideas expands far beyond my average knowledge of traditional farming. Each topic covered in the introductory course and exam study materials seems simple and straight-forward, but after a few paragraphs you quickly realize how much there is to learn. Viticulture was no exception. Tammy’s question was about terroir, and that conversation lead into all of the factors of production important to viticulture.

The factors of production go beyond soil condition, terrain, climate and elevation. It extends far beyond the processes used to cultivate, grow and harvest. In fact, viniculture’s factors of production blend a rich history of best practices with strict standards and regional guidelines. The result provides consistency while protecting the well-earned reputation and rich history of the world’s best regions.

Matching soil and climate to a specific varietal may seem like common sense, but there are some very interesting wines produced by winemakers not bound by regional wine laws. This entire process of reading, reviewing and discussing all of the region-specific factors of production has given me a stronger curiosity and desire to taste the really obscure lesser-known wines.

So much left to learn and understand!

Next article in the series: Enthusiast to Sommelier: A New Appreciation

First article in this series: Enthusiast to Sommelier: Getting Started