Terroir: A Reflection For Wine Lovers...And Those Who Appreciate The Miracle Of Agriculture

Jesus said, "I am the vine...abide in me as I abide in you." - John 15: 1 and 4, the gospel reading for the Fifth Sunday of Easter

This reflection is inspired by Diana Butler Bass in her blog post for today from The Cottage. Her entire post can be found at this link: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzGxSttzrLtDsgzMqfJspFMtzXWR\

About ten years ago, Cindy and I were considering how we might reinvent and enliven our marriage as we found ourselves in the “empty-nest” chapter of life. At that time, we both enjoyed bicycle riding and an occasional glass of wine, though we knew very little about different varieties and blends of wine. Somehow, we found a way to merge those two activities and we developed a new “hobby,” bicycling through vineyards. Some of our favorite places to do this are the north shore of Long Island, the north coast of Lake Erie in Canada (now almost directly across the Lake from us!), and Ashtabula County, Ohio, on the east end of Lake Erie. All of these areas have multiple, family-owned wineries with safe bicycle trails nearby or connecting them. We have also discovered wine country east of Boise, Idaho (yes, there are numerous wineries there that are along the Snake River), in Albequerque, New Mexico (distinctive, earthy wines) and the Willamette Valley and the Hood River area in Oregon. We have Traverse City, Michigan on our bucket list as we know there are multiple wineries and great bicycle paths in that area too.

In today’s gospel reading from John 15, we read about vines, branches, vinegrowers, and fruit (we may presume, grapes). Jesus commands His followers to abide in Him, using the grapevine as a metaphor. Just last week, while visiting our youngest daughter and her husband in Portland, Oregon, Cindy and I made a trip to the Hood River wine growing region to do some wine tasting. We literally sat among the grapevines as they are sprouting their first leaves of the growing season. Vineyards, in my estimation, are peaceful and blessed places in God’s Creation! Even more blessed with the majestic, snow-capped Mt. Hood in view at this time of year! The grapevines that are showing their first blooms now, we know will be flush with abundant clusters of grapes next fall….and wine to follow!

It is not hard to imagine and appreciate Jesus’ metaphor. As we are “planted” (abiding) in God’s Word and open to God’s Spirit, as we live into Jesus’ teachings and commandments, we too will bring forth an abundant harvest in our lives. This is not only a commandment from our Lord, it is also a promise. Just as there are numerous varieties of grapes and each one produces a distinctive varietal wine, there are also numerous spiritual gifts that each of us receives from God, and each of those gifts contributes to the common good and the Kingdom.

In our visits to wineries and in conversations with winemakers we have come to appreciate that location makes all the difference in the world when it comes to the quality and flavor of wines. Climate, rainfall, sunshine, temperatures, soil condition, latitude, and topography all matter. The word to describe the local conditions for growing grapes is “terroir.” Diana Butler Bass explains how terroir fits into today’s gospel reading:

The French actually have a word that combines vines and abodes into a single idea: terroir. Terroir means that the characteristics of a habitation — geography, climate, geology — make their way into the wine, fruit, milk, cheese, vegetables, and herbs that grow in that particular location. Quite literally, terroir is dirt. The soil of a place produces a unique fruit which bears the “taste” of the very ground itself. 

Vines and abodes. Not a mixed metaphor at all. Rather, this is the organic mutuality upon which we depend. Vines and abodes are the story of Genesis, the story of our beginning.

The Gospel of John often spiritually echoes Genesis. John draws from the story of the first creation to unfold a vision of the new creation that was birthed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. This is the Easter story that began when Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, the first witness, in a garden and as a gardener.

After many wine tasting experiences, Cindy and I have an ability to distinguish the taste of a number of varietal wines, especially red wines. This requires a palate that is sensitive to sight, smell, taste, and feel of the wine. Humbly, I would suggest that we are “amateurs.” Cindy’s palate is better than mine, nevertheless, we are amateurs. One of the things that amazes us is that expert grape growers and winemakers can actually distinguish the difference of grapes, even in the same vineyard! Yes, the terroir can be that distinguishable from one end of a vineyard to the other end! The mineral composition in the dirt may be different, the location on the slope of the topography may be different, the sunlight may differ, the temperature may vary slightly, and the amount of precipitation could differ. Of course, the weather in one given year could be dramatically different than the next year, and that too, will significantly affect the taste of the wine. (If you ever come across a bottle of wine produced in 2013, be aware that that was generally a very good year for wine production!) Each of these characteristics alter the taste of the grape, and accordingly, the taste of the wine.

Let me share a brief, humorous story about one of our wine tasting escapades. Pre-Covid, we were visiting wineries in the Ontario Wine terroir, N42° (Amherstberg on the north shore of Lake Erie). As we entered each winery, Cindy would hold up fingers for the number we had visited. On the third day of tasting, we entered a winery and Cindy held up nine fingers. The sommelier asked what she was doing. She explained that we were counting the wineries that we had visited. With a look of surprise, the sommelier asked, “You mean you have visited nine wineries?” Cindy said, “Yes, my husband is a Lutheran pastor. We are tasting for Communion wines!” The sommelier had no further comment and dutifully poured out tastes! (By the way, N42° is a great latitude for growing grapes including Oregon, New York Finger Lakes, Spain, and Italy.)

At this point, I may have shared more about grapes and wine than you care to know. But consider how Diana Butler Bass appropriates and interprets the metaphors of abiding and grape vines. I think this is poetic genius on her part!

God abides here. With us. And we abide in a holy habitation. We are the terroir of the sacred. Vines and abodes invite us to taste and see that the Lord is good.

We are the terroir of the sacred! Isn’t that beautiful? Each of us is unique “soil” producing a unique, and may I add, flavorful variety of “wine.” I was reminded of this in a powerful way today. Cindy and I became members of Trinity Lutheran Church, Vermilion, this morning, along with eight other people. I commented to the congregation that while I had not asked the new members, I presume that each of them came to Trinity with a faith history in other congregations. In Cindy’s case, four other churches. In my case, three other churches. I would guess that most of the other members had memberships in even more congregations than we did. Each of those churches was a “terroir” in which a grapevine (i.e., new member) was growing, being pruned, and bearing fruit. Likewise, Trinity Lutheran Church is a “terroir.”

We have only been attending Trinity since last September, but already I have some sense of the varietal of grape that is grown in this congregation. Since I like dry, earthy, deep-bodied, bold red wines, I’ll say that Trinity is a Sangiovese, Montepulchiano, or more familiarly, a Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, or Syrah wine. This morning, the terroir of Trinity changed because there are new minerals and fertilizer (organic, of course) that was added to the soil. And those of us who joined Trinity are branches grafted into that vine, so of course, our nourishment will come from that vine, and we, too will be changed.

All of this is for the good. As I have always said when new members join the church, it is my hope and prayer that the church will be a blessing to the new members and the new members will be a blessing to the church. In other words, the vine becomes more fruitful as it grows and the gospel is proclaimed to the world.

In the words of our beloved hymn, “Taste and see, taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”

From Diana Butler Bass’ blog post today, enjoy this poem about terroir:

Terroir
an expression of place
enhanced by organic practices
soil enlivened from extensive cover crops
breathe flavor and intensity into fruit.

Terroir
vineyards surrounded by gardens
the complexity of arugula,
Padrón peppers,
ripening tomatoes,
sunchokes
to the bane of the farmer,
the chicken,
lending to exactness of flavors.

Terroir
the expression of the views
the owl sees
in the morning light as it perches
in an olive tree.

Terroir
explosion of flavor with each sip of wine
that defines its origin.

Terroir
chickens the bane of the farmer
let loose in the vineyard hopping up
to steal a sugar-laden berry.

Terroir
exudes life
life in the soils
life in the flavors
of Stone Edge Farm.

Terroir
the expression of the roots
embracing the alluvial stones
bringing minerality to the wine.

Terroir
the cool bay breeze in the evening
after ninety-degree days
that brews the development of ripe flavors.

Terroir
the flavor of soils defined by respect
not by abuse.

Terroir
flowers blooming year round
inviting bees and beneficial insects.

Terroir is controlled or enhanced by humans,
we don’t control it
we guide it
to an expression of flavor.

Terroir
the decisions we make
daily in the vineyard
how we prune
how we train
how we thin the crop so each cluster hangs with integrity
ripening in dappled sunlight.

Terroir
the decision to harvest
the grapes
send them to the winery.

Terroir
let the alchemy begin.
— Phil Coturri, “Terroir is an Expression of Place”

Finally, speaking of wine, Cindy and I recently purchased some bottles of a limited edition, novelty wine from Ferrante Winery in Ashtabula, Ohio to celebrate the solar eclipse on April 8. I will not vouch for the quality of this wine, but another aspect of wine appreciation is the labels. This label will have a special place in our wine cellar because the eclipse has a special place in our memory! Taste and see that the Lord is good…in the majesty of an eclipse…in the taste of fine wine…and in all Creation!