About Terroir Talking

Terroir Talking® is dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of nature through our love of wine. Terroir is the French word for all the natural elements that contribute to the outcome of a wine: sun, earth, water and air. Wine is an expression of these, along with the human spirit that formed it. Taking the time to understand the relationship between where a wine comes from and what we sense reveals an inner world where humanity and the natural world meet.

Reflections are thoughts which come to mind when I am alone in the vineyards or wandering quietly in cellars. I wonder what life is like for a vine, the grapes as growing from bud to a mature cluster, changing into wine, resting in a barrel as it finds its perfect balance. Reflections are written to inspire the imagination and encourage mindfulness about the life within wine.

Spotlights feature growers and winemakers around the world and their connection with the vines. I do as much research as I can so my questions are personal and thought provoking. Then I try to fade into the background and let the person I am interviewing move through space as if I were not there.

Maybe the reason wine has played such a significant role in the history of humankind is because it has the unique ability to entice us to surrender to a deeper part of ourselves and remember that people shape nature and nature shapes our lives, too. Listen… the wine is talking®.

Enjoy this Terroir Talking video.

Elizabeth Hecker

As a graphic designer working with wineries for more than twenty years, I had the opportunity to learn about grape varieties and the uniqueness of each vineyard, from soil and climate to viticulture. Wine seemed to be magic, infused with history, culture and a sensory story waiting for me to give it form. I thought wine was guiding my journey through life. Then I realized it was actually nature talking to me—through wine.

When I first tasted a Priorat wine, a vivid image of the glistening schist landscape filled my mind’s eye even though I had never heard of the region before. I had been entertaining the idea of a cross-cultural investigation into the people of the vine, so when the time came to explore its viability, I thought I would visit the Priorat first. What was waiting for me there was not only a rich wine heritage but also a force of nature so powerful it changed the course of my life.  The result was Ethos Priorat, a 340 page book about the region which I wrote, photographed and designed. The experience was as much about going inside the nature, spirit and wine of the Priorat as it was learning about myself. It also took me around the world to learn more.

One of my favorite parts of creating stories for Terroir Talking is selecting the images that go with them. My library of images is informed by listening and learning about what is meaningful to each place and the magical moments that nature presents. Everything I learn swirls around in my head while I stare through the lens. Others images are curiosity filled experimentation that results in more abstract representations of sensations.

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