Soil type is the big factor in choosing wine by ‘terroir’

One fascinating trait of classic wines from the Old World is "somewhere-ness." The French refer to this quality as "terroir."

A brief explanation: Take the Kula onion. For some reason, the area of Kula on Maui grows a unique onion that is distinct from onions grown in neighboring towns. Is this because of soil? The wind? Maybe it’s the drainage, the altitude, genetics — or a combination of factors?

Likewise, the Old World (this includes France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Austria and other places) has had centuries to find special plots of land conducive to growing grapes. In these instances, top wineries feature the area’s unique qualities in the finished wine.

What I find intriguing are wines from grapes grown in marine-influenced soils. These include land dominated by sand and limestone. When done well, they showcase minerality that not only adds interest but also helps to buttress the wine’s acidity. This enhances the lightness and buoyancy of the wine.

A classic that illustrates this concept is French Chablis. Chablis is a geographically delimited wine region in France. For a wine to be called Chablis, it must come from approved vineyards within this area and must meet regional governmental restrictions, including exclusive use of the chardonnay grape variety.

Because of the high limestone content in the soils, coupled with rather extreme growing conditions, the resulting wine is distinct from chardonnays of other regions of the world — and it’s all due to terroir. Reflective of its ties to marine-influenced soil, Chablis is typically light, full of minerality and refreshing.

California has jumped on the terroir bandwagon, resulting in an increase in these types of wine. For the Hawaii wine scene, this has meant greater accessibility in recent years.

Here are four good wines out of California that showcase minerality, lightness and food-friendliness. The residual benefit of trying these wines, I believe, is about exploring a new dimension in the wine world as well as gaining better insight into wines that have a broader affinity for food.

» 2011 Alta Maria Sauvignon Blanc "Santa Ynez Valley" (about $17 a bottle): This soil-driven Californian Sauvignon Blanc comes from two vineyards, one planted in 1972 and the other in 1986. We love its minerality and its crisp and refreshing qualities. Served chilled, it’s perfection on a hot, humid day.

Try this wine with vegetable-oriented dishes or fresh, herbed seafood.

» 2011 Melville Chardonnay "Santa Rita Hills Estate" (about $28): Melville is one of the top wineries out of the Santa Barbara appellation. They own two vineyards, in Los Alamos and the Santa Rita Hills appellation (SRH, as I refer to it) farther south.

The SRH Estate, where the winery is located, is amid the rolling sand knolls. Mixed with bits of seashell, this marine soil was at one time underwater. That translates to this wine, in which you can readily smell a seashell-type aroma. This is a wine of the soil rather than of the grape variety.

Furthermore, a cool climate and extreme conditions created by fierce winds contribute to a wine with refined, elegant presence.

» 2012 Neyers Chardonnay "304" (about $24): I am a huge supporter of this winery and its efforts to seek out more heirloom grape selections as opposed to fandango clones that are being developed because they are in fashion. I also respect that these folks are passionate about farming sustainably.

Finally, I love how the Neyers wines have well-rounded character as opposed to just fruit and oak nuances, and how seamless, well-textured and impeccably balanced they are.

Here is the perfect wine to show you what I mean. Like the 2010 and 2011, the 2012 comes from a smattering of challenging Carneros parcels, each featuring the Shot Wente Chardonnay selection. The resulting wine clearly depicts the rocky soils with its abundance of vitality and a refreshing deliciousness that is great to sip with or without food.

» 2011 Lieu Dit Chenin Blanc (about $28): I recently recommended this wine on an Internet wine publication, calling it an interesting pairing for lobster. I would continue that thought to also include crab, scallops and other seafood.

This wine has lushness and understated complexities, and its minerality and crisp acidity interacts with seafood just as a squeeze of lemon would.

Lieu Dit is a project of Eric Railsbach (former sommelier of San Francisco’s acclaimed RN74 restaurant) and Justin Willett of Tyler Wines. The vines were planted in 1981 and therefore add much dimension to the wine because their roots are so deeply buried.

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Chuck Furuya is a master sommelier and a partner in the DK Restaurants group. Follow his blog at chuckfuruya.com.