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Terroir: do coffee and tea have it like wine

Terroir is one of the most important concepts in the world of wine: the taste of a place, that is the unique imprint of soil, climate and altitude on the character of a drink. But does this concept belong only to wine? More and more people say that coffee and tea have their terroir just as wine does: that a particular farm, altitude or region gives them an unrepeatable flavour. The rise in popularity of single-origin coffees and teas is in essence a terroir argument transferred to these drinks. In this cross-niche post we will look at terroir in wine, coffee and tea: you will learn the role of altitude, soil and climate, find out how place shapes the flavour of each of these drinks and whether coffee and tea really have terroir like wine. It is a journey through a concept that links three worlds of tasting with the common language of place.

What terroir is

Terroir is a French concept meaning, in simple terms, the taste of a place, that is the unique combination of environmental factors affecting the character of an agricultural product. It is made up of soil, climate, altitude, geography and the cultivation practices of a given place. The idea of terroir says that the same species of plant, grown in different places, will give a product of different flavour, because each place leaves its imprint on it. That is why wine from one vineyard tastes different from the neighbouring one, despite the same grape. Terroir is the sum of unrepeatable conditions that cannot be recreated elsewhere. Although the concept was born in the world of wine, its essence, that is the influence of place on flavour, is universal. The question we will ask in this post is: does the same principle work in coffee and tea as in wine? Understanding what terroir is is the starting point. It is a concept that explains why origin matters and why it is worth taking an interest in where our drink comes from.

Terroir in wine - where the concept comes from

Terroir was born in the world of wine and it is there that it is most deeply rooted. French winemakers for centuries noticed that vineyards differing by a few hundred metres gave wines of clearly different character, despite an identical grape and methods. From this observation grew the concept of terroir and the whole system of appellations, based on the belief that place decides flavour. The character of a wine is influenced by elements such as the composition of the soil, for example limestone, clay, gravel or volcanic ash, the climate, cool or warm, and the geography, that is altitude, slope and proximity to water. That is why wine is so strongly tied to a particular place, and the label often emphasises the vineyard or region. Terroir in wine is not marketing, but a real, centuries-old experience that the earth shapes flavour. It is from this world that the concept spilled over to other drinks. Understanding how terroir works in wine is the key to the question of whether it works similarly in coffee and tea. Wine is the benchmark to which we compare the other drinks.

Altitude - the key for coffee and tea

One of the most important elements of terroir, common to wine, coffee and tea, is the altitude of cultivation. In the case of coffee and tea altitude plays a particularly key role. A higher siting of the plantation means a cooler climate and slower growth of the plant, which translates into beans and leaves of greater density, complexity and more vivid acidity. That is why high-mountain coffees are famous for a brighter, more complex acidity and richer flavour than those from the lowlands. Similarly, the best teas, like high-mountain oolongs or Darjeeling from the foothills of the Himalayas, owe their delicacy and complexity precisely to altitude. The cold and slower ripening at altitude let aromas develop that would not form in a hot lowland climate. Altitude is one of the strongest and most easily noticeable elements of terroir in coffee and tea, often given directly on the packaging of specialty coffee. It is a striking example of how the same environmental factor shapes the flavour of different drinks according to the same principle. Altitude is a common denominator of the terroir of three drinks.

Soil and its influence

Soil is the second pillar of terroir, fundamental in wine and increasingly appreciated in coffee and tea. In wine the composition of the soil, that is limestone, clay, gravel or volcanic ash, provides nutrients and influences the character of the wine, and some famous wines, like those from volcanic Santorini, owe their character precisely to the soil. In coffee the composition of the soil provides the plant with nutrients affecting the growth and health of the bushes, and thus the flavour of the bean, with coffee particularly valuing mineral and volcanic soils. In tea the soil also co-creates the character of the brew, alongside altitude and climate. Although the direct influence of specific minerals on flavour is sometimes a matter of debate, there is no doubt that healthy, suitable soil is the foundation of quality in all three drinks. Soil is an element of terroir less visible than altitude, but equally significant. It is from it that the plant draws what then reaches the glass or cup. Understanding the role of soil shows that terroir is not only the climate above ground, but also what is below it, common to wine, coffee and tea.

Climate and microclimate

The third great element of terroir is climate, covering temperature, rainfall, sunlight and humidity. It largely decides how a plant grows and ripens. In wine the division into cool and warm climate is fundamental: cool gives fresher wines of higher acidity, warm fuller and more fruity ones. In coffee the climate, including temperature and rainfall, affects the development of sugars in the bean, which shapes sweetness and body, and coffee grows best in the tropics, where altitude, shade, rain and soil together create its character. In tea the climate and microclimate of the region also leave their imprint on flavour, from misty mountains to sunny slopes. Importantly, it is not only the general climate of the region that counts, but also the local microclimate of a particular plantation: slope, exposure, proximity to water or forest. It is the microclimate that means even neighbouring fields give a different flavour. Climate is a dynamic element of terroir, variable from year to year, which explains vintage variation. It is a common factor shaping wine, coffee and tea according to the same logic of place.

Terroir in coffee

Coffee is the drink in which the concept of terroir took hold most strongly after wine. More and more people speak directly of coffee terroir, describing how soil, altitude, climate and cultivation practices shape the flavour of the bean. Higher siting gives denser beans of brighter acidity and greater complexity, soil provides nutrients, and climate affects the development of sugars, sweetness and body. That is why coffee from Ethiopia tastes floral and fruity, from Kenya has a vivid, berry-like acidity, and from Brazil a nutty-chocolate mellowness. These differences are directly the effect of terroir: the same plant, the coffee tree, grown in different places. The specialty coffee world has fully adopted the language of terroir, giving on the packaging the region, farm, altitude and variety, exactly like a wine label. Coffee is today the best example of how the concept of terroir has been successfully transferred from wine to another drink. We write more about this in our post on coffee terroir.

Terroir in tea

Tea is an equally telling example of terroir, though less often described with that word. The character of tea is shaped by the unique combination of region, altitude, climate, soil and variety, that is the cultivar of the tea plant. That is why the same plant, Camellia sinensis, gives such different teas depending on the place: delicate, muscatel Darjeeling from the cool foothills of the Himalayas, strong, malty Assam from the hot lowlands or complex, high-mountain oolongs. Every famous tea region has its characteristic profile, being an imprint of terroir. The altitude, mist, soil and microclimate of a particular tea mountain decide the subtleties of flavour, much as in wine the vineyard decides. Tea, like coffee, fully confirms that terroir is not the domain of wine alone. The best single-estate teas, that is from one garden, are a pure expression of the terroir of a particular place. The vintage variation of tea, where the same plantation gives a different flavour in different years, is another proof of terroir at work. We write more about this in our post on tea terroir.

Single origin as a terroir argument

The rise in popularity of single-origin coffees and teas is in essence a terroir argument transferred to commercial ground. When a specialty roaster decides to sell coffee from a particular farm in a particular municipality, rather than blending it, it makes the assumption that the place itself, that particular combination of soil, altitude and climate, gives something distinctive enough to stand alone and be recognised on its own terms. It is literally a terroir argument: the claim that origin has flavour significance. The same applies to single-estate teas. The single-origin movement in coffee and tea is thus not only a fashion, but a practical recognition that terroir works in these drinks. Giving on the packaging the region, farm, altitude and variety is the same language with which wine has described its origin for centuries. Single origin is the commercial embodiment of the idea of terroir: since place shapes flavour, it is worth naming and appreciating it. It is the strongest proof that the world of coffee and tea has fully adopted the concept of terroir known from wine. We write more about this in our post on blends and single origin in tea.

Do coffee and tea have terroir like wine

Let us gather the elements of terroir in three drinks, to answer the key question:

The table shows that the answer is: yes, coffee and tea have terroir just like wine. The same factors, altitude, soil and climate, shape the flavour of all three drinks, and the concept of single origin is a common language of origin. The differences are in the details and tradition, but the principle is identical: place decides flavour.

How to sense terroir in the cup

How to practically experience terroir in coffee and tea? The best method is comparative tasting. Set side by side coffees or teas from different regions, but of the same type, for example a floral Ethiopia with a berry-like Kenya, or a delicate Darjeeling with a strong Assam, and look for differences in acidity, body, sweetness and aroma. It is precisely these differences that are the imprint of terroir. Reach for single-origin drinks, ideally with the region, altitude and farm given, because it is they that most purely convey the character of the place, unlike blends striving for consistency. Brew them with methods that highlight nuances, like a pour-over for coffee. Pay attention to vintage variation: the same coffee or tea from a different season can taste different, which is proof of terroir at work. Note your observations, linking flavour with origin. Over time you will learn to recognise the characteristic profiles of regions. Consciously searching for terroir turns drinking into a fascinating discovery of the taste of a place, exactly as in wine tasting. It is a skill that deepens the pleasure and understanding of all three drinks.

The key points in a nutshell

Terroir is the taste of a place, that is the influence of soil, climate, altitude and geography on the character of an agricultural product. The concept was born in the world of wine, but fully applies to coffee and tea too. In all three drinks altitude gives greater complexity and acidity, soil provides nutrients and character, and climate shapes sweetness, body and freshness. That is why the same plant, grown in different places, gives a different flavour: floral Ethiopia, berry-like Kenya, muscatel Darjeeling. The single-origin movement is a terroir argument transferred to coffee and tea, using the same language of origin as wine. The answer to the title question is: yes, coffee and tea have terroir like wine. Want to discover terroir in drinks and record your impressions? Keep notes in the GustoNote app. See also our posts on coffee terroir and terroir in wine.