Wine lovers may have heard the word terroir bandied about, but did you know that this term is essential to the French concept of food?

Terroir comes from the same root as “terrestrial” or “terra cotta:” the terr- prefix means “earth.” Terroir, then, is the idea that the food and drinks produced in a region are inextricable from the region itself: the climate, the soil, the air, the water… each of these elements is just as important as the variety of seeds planted to grow local tomatoes or the breed of cattle that makes a local cheese.

In France, the integrity of local terroir as it pertains to foods and drinks is often protected by a label called either AOP or AOC. You’ll often see these two similar labels emblazoned on wine bottles, cheese packaging, and even boxes of lentils. A producer who wants to put an AOP seal on his or her product must adhere to a series of rules established by his or her local AOP board to ensure that the product is consistent: things like when and where cattle can graze on local grass, or where grapevines are allowed to be planted.

The AOP protects the terroir of quite a few French products, including:

• 400 wines (like Bordeaux, Sancerre, and Champagne)
• 47 cheeses (like Brie de Meaux, Camembert de Normandie, and Roquefort)
• 3 butters and a luscious heavy cream

Discover more about terroir on our Best Bites of Paris tour – and taste a few AOP and AOC products, while you’re at it!