“The global tea industry is not driven by romance, but by paperwork.”
~ Vernon, quote of the month for April in Un Chapeau, Cinq Moustaches
“Modern society has not only imposed its will on the production of our food; it has also influenced decisions about its point of ripeness. Mass distribution requires foods to have sufficient ‘shelf life’. The solution has been to harvest them early, before they have fully ripened. And this does not come without consequences.”
~ Peter Klosse, The Essence of Gastronomy
The complexity of the pages in the Journal has reached a point where the challenge is no longer what topic to address, how to approach it, or which section to place it in. Lately, the difficulty has been deciding how to begin, among so many possible opening phrases that seem relevant to the subject.
As has become customary, while revisiting the pages of the Journal, something curious stood out. Although a wide variety of topics have been covered, from historical matters to market-related aspects, in my view, the writings in From Kiddo to Orchestra Director lacked “substance”; or rather, they felt too basic, only scratching the surface.
However, I could not have been more mistaken.
Because the real issue was not there.
What I discovered instead was a gap I have been carrying for some time, one that has persisted in the Q&A section, and even in The Flavor Trail, since the early days of the Journal with The Alchemist of Oolong and his Elixir, has remained incomplete.
And this is not something new. Since 2023, fragments of this idea have been shared on social media through a section that appeared only once in a publication: Cultivar List.
So, going back to the origins, as happened with The Alchemist of Oolong and his Elixir, I will now present some of the topics intended to be explored in this and future writings:
Terroir and locations
Designations of origin
Cultivars and varieties
Section: varieties in the world of tea
Tea production processes: focus on tea
History and agricultural models
Agrochemicals and DDT
Conventional agriculture
Biodynamic agriculture
Natural agriculture
Labeling and commercial sustainability
Review of “commercial sustainability”
Extremes of sustainability
Shades of sustainability
Doing business and marketing: the end does not justify the means
Of course, it is worth noting that the nature of this Journal is not to overwhelm the reader with information, formulas, and dates as a signal of expertise. Instead, the intention is to simplify topics as much as possible to create a starting point that allows complexity to be gradually added, provided the basics are understood.
The word “terroir” often sounds invented or used merely to appear sophisticated; however, that is not the case. Although there is some debate and differing perspectives across sectors, some even argue that it is nothing more than “marketing.”
Setting aside preconceptions or stigma, the term “terroir,” in French, originates from terre (land).
Terroir is a complex concept with multiple possible meanings. While it comes from the French word for land, it is not limited to soil alone, as is sometimes assumed in the wine world. Some claims link wine aromas to specific rock types in vineyard soils, but there is no scientific evidence that wine directly absorbs flavors from geological substrates. In simple terms, terroir can refer to the cultivation area of the vine, although this remains a limited definition. Other authors describe it as a combination of plant, territory, identity, and commercial value factors (Charters, 2010).
Charters (2010) explains that terroir is a multifaceted concept that extends beyond soil or the physical location where grapes grow. It includes climate, terrain, cultivation methods, and the cultural and historical identity a region builds around its wine. Rather than functioning merely as a marketing tool, terroir serves as a framework for understanding a product from its origin. It helps explain why wines from nearby locations can still differ significantly, even when produced using similar methods, since each environment contributes its own nuances.
Over time, the concept has also been used to protect and classify wines by origin, linking perceived quality to geographic origin. However, its meaning is neither fixed nor purely scientific; it is a blend of perception, tradition, and culture. Rather than treating it as a marketing label, terroir can be better understood as a lens through which wine is interpreted in context: its land, its people, and its history (Charters, 2010).
Although the discussion above specifically refers to grapes and wine, the concept of terroir has been adapted to other sectors, such as coffee and tea. With this adaptation have also come debates and controversies, including claims that certain flavor notes, such as banana, are caused by nearby banana plants. However, the purpose of introducing terroir here is not to encourage speculation, but rather to understand how a combination of natural, cultural, and historical factors shapes a product's final characteristics.
Take, for example, Yan Yun tea, known for its notably mineral profile. Interestingly, its origin lies in soils rich in minerals such as iron, zinc, and selenium, derived from volcanic and sedimentary rock formations. These elements influence the tea plants and contribute to a distinctive, mineral-driven flavor profile.
Of course, terroir cannot be considered the sole factor behind this. Microclimates, processing methods, and other conditions must also be taken into account.
In keeping with the philosophy that a lesson should be long enough to spark curiosity but short enough to maintain interest, we will end here for today. In the next entry, we will complete this first block by discussing locations (including microclimates and place-specific characteristics) and the well-known designations of origin: what they are and why they matter.
“Soil can be more or less fertile, but that does not necessarily mean that rich grounds are always to be preferred over less fertile ones. In fact, if vineyards are planted on rich soils, the plants will grow vigorously and mostly produce new sprouts and leaves rather than fruit. It is on the less fertile soils that the best grapes are grown.”
~ Peter Klosse, The Essence of Gastronomy
Until next Time ~
References
Charters, S. (2010, Feb 8). Marketing terroir: A conceptual approach. Academy of Wine Business. http://academyofwinebusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Charters-Marketing-terroir.pdf
Klosse, P. (2013). The Essence of Gastronomy: Understanding the Flavor of Foods and Beverages. CRC Press.