Terroir [tair=WAHR] French for "soil" and used in the phrase gout de terroir ("taste of the soil") to refer to the earthy flavor of some wines. Terroir not only refers to the type of soil (chalky, claylike, gravelly, sandy), but also to other geographic factors that might influence the microclimate encompassed by an area of land including altitude and elevation, amount of sun received by the growing area, fluctuation of both day and night temperatures, wind, amount and timing of rainfall, and water drainage. These geographic conditions, along with the winemaking savoir-faire all contribute to the personality of the wine produced by a region's terroir.
LOCATION
In the San Francisco Bay appellation, 30 miles east of San Francisco. Both the Livermore Valley and San Francisco Bay appellations are within the larger Central Coast appellation.
APPELLATION
Livermore Valley boasts one of the original U.S. appellations granted by the BATF way back in October, 1982. This designation was largely based on the unique, gravel-based soils and the marine winds that are drawn into the valley every afternoon from San Francisco Bay.
GEOGRAPHY
The Livermore Valley has an east-west orientation, making it unique among northern California winegrowing regions. It is 15 miles long (east to west), 10 miles wide (north to south), and surrounded by coastal range mountains and foothills.
CLIMATE
The east-west orientation of the valley allows the coastal fog and marine breezes to come in from the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco Bay and cool the valley's warm air, resulting in warm days and cool nights ideal conditions for producing fully-ripened, balanced fruit.
SOIL
Primarily gravel with excellent drainage, a soil type that reduces the vines' vigor and increases flavor concentration in the grapes.
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