You know your bandwagon's got steam when even the French hop on

[dananne]

(Keeping my head low as I offer my .02)

I believe that terroir is and will continue to be important to some consumers. It should always be important to producers (but frequently, probably, is not, as the mass plantings of ill-suited varietals in the Central Valley probably testify). Terroir does impact my buying decisions as a consumer. That having been said, however, I am probably not the typical American consumer. Most wine in America is consumed within 24 hours of purchase by folks who probably do not understand the concept of terroir, or perhaps have not even heard the term. I think most Americans purchase wine with three things in mind. In no particular order, they are price point, labeled varietal, and recognizable brand (that offers consistency and safety in purchase). I think there will always be a market for wines labeled as the French choose to label. I think, however, that the concept of terroir can be expressed on the label, though, even if the wine is labeled varietally. Take Ken Wright Cellars, for example. They put out, what, a dozen or so varietally-labeled Pinots, each with a specific vineyard designation. Year to year, those who care about terroir can likely discern differing vineyard characteristics and recognize individual elements of terroir.

What I'm trying to say, and perhaps not doing a good job of it, is that to me, terroir and varietal labeling are not mutually exclusive. Furthermore, for the entry-level mass consumer, French labels are not preferred. However, that does not mean that wines labeled the way the French do can not continue to have a share in today's market.

[This message has been edited by dananne (edited 04-05-2003).]