What the hell does Terroir really mean?

[wondersofwine]

Prefacing this by saying that I am no expert,
some examples of terroir would be the "Rutherford dust" flavor in some Napa Cabernet Sauvignon grown in the vineyards along the Rutherford Bench (a geological feature with deep alluvial soils that drain well); a cherry cola flavor element common to some Carneros Pinot Noirs; the difference between a full-bodied meaty red Burgundy from Nuits-St-Georges and a more velvety smooth (some say feminine) red Burgundy from Volnay; the flintiness of many Chablis (from the Chardonnay grape), etc.