Terroir is a French word used to describe the unique symbiosis and combination of climate, soils, viticulture and also sometimes the relationship between man and nature. Usually, the term is used to describe why one vineyard, or even smaller plot, gives a certain taste or style in comparison to another plot.
Now that was the very short version! Terroir is a word that can, and has been, interpreted without limits.
At Binivista we like to strike the perfect balance (as always!) between facts and romance when it comes to things like these. Terroir for us is a very visible thing in many ways.
Let's look at the soil first of all. This picture here below very clearly show differences in soil color in our vineyards. This is due to soil composition; more limestone in the whiter parts and more iron oxide in the clay in the darker redder parts. It's also a structural thing, as our soils differ vastly in compactness and amount of rocks across the entire estate.
All this directly affects the plants due to mineral composition in the soil, water retention and conditions for developing a strong root system.
Secondly let's look at our climate. Those beautiful mountains there, from which our wines take their names, and the very reason why we chose "Binivista" as our name, play an enormous role when it comes to our particular "micro-climate". The mountains protects us against the cold winds from the North. They also act like a wall somehow, keeping clouds, and thus rain, away from us. Our location, more or less in the middle of the island also has something to say. We do get slightly cooler nights in the centre of the island than at the coast and the mountains also act as "cooling" factor with their altitude.
All factors that very logically influence on our vines and thus, our wines.
Now to the more romantical part of things. The symbiotic relationship between man and Nature... Well, this is harder to explain, and somehow these things should probably not even be explained, but all we can say is that Søren's heart and intuition led him to this place, to Binivista. Decided to name it after those mountains and to plant some very special grape varieties on specific plots of those 30 hectares.
To us at Binivista, that's what "Terroir" means...
