Terroir 2020 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 International Terroir Conferences 9 Terroir 2020 9 History and innovation of terroir 9 A research agenda for terroir: an empirical, international expert study

A research agenda for terroir: an empirical, international expert study

Abstract

Aim: Terroir is a French concept relating the qualities and quality of agricultural products to their physical and socio-cultural place of origin. It is increasingly used by business and policymakers as a marketing technique to provide economic benefits (e.g. Lenglet, 2014; Wine Australia, 2015), and to potentially preserve cultural heritage (e.g. Bauer, 2009) and the environment (e.g. Bowen, 2010). The rising interest in this interdisciplinary and sometimes controversial concept (e.g. Bosker, 2017; Matthews, 2016) presents an opportune time to consider important future directions for research and collaboration. The aim of this expert study was to develop a research agenda for future terroir studies, informed by academic, industry and government experts, which is interdisciplinary and international in scope.

Methods and Results: This project employed a Delphi approach, an iterative framework for eliciting expert views and building consensuses (Dalkey and Helmer, 1963; Hasson et al., 2000; Rowe and Wright, 1999). The first round of the project consisted of 40 interviews with academic, business and policy experts to identify important research priorities for terroir. Experts were selected on the basis of publication counts and seniority for academics, and global influence/recognition for industry members and policymakers, as well as ensuring a balance of geographic regions and genders. A confirmatory survey asked experts to rank priorities identified by two or more experts in interviews, to identify the most promising areas for future terroir studies. 

Conclusions: 

The final list of identified research priorities will be presented at the conference. Preliminary priorities identified from the interviews are:

  1. terroir’s economic and marketing advantages for business and regions;
  2. consumer views of terroir;
  3. taste, flavour and terroir;
  4. terroir’s meaning and use in different products, cultures and places;
  5. social issues and terroir (e.g. succession planning, gender inequity);
  6. the plant–place biophysical relationship;
  7. climate change effects and adaptation, for agriculture and more broadly;
  8. terroir as a dynamic concept, changing through time; and
  9. terroir’s connection to environmental sustainability.

Significance and Impact of the Study: The research areas and agenda identified provide a basis for future work on terroir, to ensures its relevance and significance for researchers, industry and policy, as well as cohesions as an area of research. The research agenda may also provide valuable ideas for new project development, including for research students. 

Download the PDF

DOI:

Publication date: March 23, 2021

Issue: Terroir 2020

Type: Video

Authors

Guy Leedon1*, Patrick L’Espoir Decosta1, Gary Buttriss1, Vinh Lu1

1The Research School of Management, College of Business and Economics, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia

Contact the author

Keywords

Terroir, research agenda, research priorities, expert study

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2020

Citation

Related articles…

GC-O and olfactoscan approaches to reveal premature aging markers in Chardonnay wine

Molecular markers of wine oxydation, such as sotolon or Strecker’s aldehydes that induce respectively nut or curry and boiled vegetables or wilted rose odors, can be percieved as a default by consumers. These volatile compounds are especially formed during the premature aging of wine, but it is likely that several contributing compounds are still unknown as is their combined contribution. This study was carried out to identify the markers of oxydation in Chardonnay wine by Gas Chromatography Olfactometry (GC-O) and to study the impact of these markers on the complex wine aromatic buffer using the Olfactoscan approach.A Chardonnay wine (2018-vintage), taken after malolactic fermentation without sulphites addition, was submitted to an artificial oxidation to simulate more or less prononced premature oxidation. Volatile compounds were extracted by Solid-Phase Extraction (SPE) and analysed by GC-O with a panel of 13 trained subjects. The same extract was also submitted to a second analysis based on the Olfactoscan technique, which allowed to evaluate the impact of each volatile compounds on the complex aromatic buffer of a non-oxidized wine delivered as background odor. Preliminary results revealed three types of behavior. On the one hand, several odor zones appeared only with the background odour, suggesting a synergy effect induced by the compounds in the aromatic buffer. Conversely, odor-active compounds could not be perceived within the background odor suggesting a masking effect. Finally several compounds were found to contribute as key odorants for wine oxydation once mixed with the aromatic buffer. These compounds are still to be identified using complementary techniques.

Read More

Identifying wild Vitis riparia Michx clones as a source of rootstock to mitigate vigour and acclimation/deacclimation cycles of the scion

Grapevine rootstocks have traditionally been chosen in order to manage scion vigour, soil pests and soil conditions. Riparia Gloire de Montpellier (RGM) has been in use since the turn of the 19th century, over 100 years and still a remarkably stable source of phylloxera (Daktulosphaeria vitifoliae Fitch) resistance. The original source material was probably collected near the Missouri/Mississippi river confluence, a mid-continental but more southerly location in the United States. It has been hypothesized that more northerly selections of V. riparia Michx might improve both fall acclimation rate and depth of the scion, thus mitigating late fall frost and midwinter freeze damage.

Read More

Simulating single band multispectral imaging from hyperspectral imaging: A study into the application of single band visible to near-infrared multispectral imaging for determining table grape quality

To be accepted by the market and consumers table grapes need to meet certain requirements in terms of physical and chemical quality parameters.

Read More

Use of glutathione and a selected strain of metschnikowia pulcherrima as alternatives to sulphur dioxide to inhibit natural tyrosinase of grape must and prevent browning

The enzymatic browning of grape must is still a major problem in oenology today [1] being particularly serious when the grapes have been infected by grey rot [2]. Browning is an oxidation process that causes certain foods to turn brown, which often leads to them being rejected by consumers [3]. This is a particular problem in the case of wine, because grape must is very vulnerable to enzymatic browning [4].

Read More

Appliance of climate projections for climate change study in Serbian vineyard regions

Climate projections considered here are for two periods in the future throughout two IPCC scenarios: 2001 – 2030 (A1B) and 2071 – 2100 (A2) obtained using Coupled Regional Climate

Read More