Spring wine

Many of the criteria for recommending wines to go with food are connected to an understanding of the French notion of terroir. On the physical side, terroir refers to the interrelationship between the micro-climate of a vineyard, the composition of the soil and the local agriculture, all of which contribute to the flavour of the wine. But the word terroir has deeper connotations, such as the notion of respect for tradition, culture and family, respect for practices handed down the century and, most importantly, a sense of affinity with, and respect for, the land and the changing of the seasons.