It Takes a Vineyard To Raise a Glass of Wine
Exploring the Impact of Terroir, Sacred Spaces, and Success Zones
Terroir/ter’wa/noun (Cambridge English Dictionary)
- Derived from the Latin word ‘terra,’ meaning dirt, and in particular, referring to the locale of specific grapes.
- The unique character of the wine is made from the same grapes grown within a football field of another vineyard.
“The role of the infinitely small in nature is infinitely great.” — Louis Pasteur
Ed Lorenz was an ordinary scientist who got an extraordinary break — a coffee break that took less than a half hour. Those thirty minutes resulted in a climb from anonymity to the highest rungs of scientific celebrity. Even today, 60 years later, we speak of The Butterfly Effect as if it’s on the shelf next to Newton’s apple and Galileo’s telescope.
The effect was more than professional. At that moment in 1961, Lorenz’s personal butterfly wings sprouted, and shortly after he was named chairman of his department at MIT, no higher achievement for a scientist. As Louis Pasteur had similarly predicted, “The role of the infinitely small in nature is infinitely great.” Small things matter, and once again, in the unfathomable scope of our universe, a small thing made a big bang.
But why that particular moment and that particular guy in a 1960s Cambridge computer lab in the dead of winter to create an earth-shattering pivot? This was the question we pondered, much to the amusement of our colleagues who thought, “Who cares? That it happened is all that matters.”
Untrue and unhelpful we responded. Academics can be so blasé about truth in the face of cherished convictions. Ignoring the backstory, we responded, was tantamount to Lorenz throwing away his simulation because it didn’t conform to what he expected. We continued in our dogged pursuit of reason, they let us off the hook by pretending we didn’t exist.
Eventually, the Lorenz saga started to make sense. Unexpectedly profound turns of events are not unusual in the story of people living extraordinary lives. As they familiar saying goes, he was in the right place at the right time for greatness to take hold, and we set out to unravel this mystery.
Essentially, two factors were at play. Lorenz‘s thirst for good coffee certainly was one. That takes care of the right timing. But equally important was insatiable curiosity that was coaxed and nurtured. That was at the right place. Instead of using four-letter words as most of us do when facing frustrating results, Lorenz chose the three-letter variety. When faced with an experiment that others would simply brush off, Lorenz asked why? That small gesture paved the way for a breakthrough in fields as diverse as meteorology, pandemics, mass migration, and financial crises.
We were compelled to trace the origins of his ‘why’ obsession. If we could pinpoint it, the underlying principle would would become as clear as a Cambridge winter day.
Existential Question
MIT was more than an institution; it was Lorenz’s mentor, motivator, debater, and sanctuary. For the young scientist, it fostered an atmosphere that spurred remarkable creativity in meteorology, a profession at the time not recognized for unconventional thinking. For the elder meteorologist, it inspired a search for things over the horizon. Lorenz might have secured a prominent position elsewhere and possibly better coffee, MIT gave him a legacy that would endure. It was the alpha and omega of a great scientist’s existence.
When others doubted, the institution steered his research towards groundbreaking revelations. It found support when peers saw a mistake. It awarded him the leadership of his metier, making him both mentor and mate, thus assuring that more Lorenz types would rise and question, and subsequently conquer. A different institution with less dedication to science might have persuaded him to change direction to avoid costs or criticism. Instead, he was told to go for it.
It was a pattern that we began to hear often.
Our extensive five-year study of individuals that lead extraordinary lives underscored a common thread — they benefited from an environment that did for their careers what MIT did for Lorenz. Such an environment incubates greatness by providing unwavering support during times of adversity, nurtures superior collaborative efforts, champions optimal methods, challenges without demonizing, and constantly reassesses the trajectory to enable ground-breaking discoveries.
Indeed, ground is the operative word.
Common Ground
“In ‘Once Upon a Terroir’, we delve into the mystery of why some individuals soar to incredible successes, while others, despite similar talents and origins — much like grapes from neighboring vineyards — barely make their mark. At its core, it’s about discovering the environment where one’s potential can truly flourish.
What struck us was the similarity of an intriguing notion invented by the French called Terroir. It refers to a sublime blend of soil and soul, and in the food world it transcends beyond wine, influencing everything from cheese to halvah. Technically speaking, terroir enables grapes in one vineyard to produce exceptional wine, while the same grapes in a neighboring plot yields ordinary vin du table.
In the field of human endeavor, we found that a form of terroir plays a pivotal role in future success, even more than genetics or upbringing.
Searching For Terroir
These insights were continuously reinforced through extensive interviews. The findings underscored a powerful realization: people with similar starting points often end up with vastly different life outcomes, heavily influenced by the culture, environment, and values of the places where they grew and thrived. Yet, this wasn’t the surprise that it seemed to be.
Terroir is a blend of environment, heritage, values, mission, and culture that defines us in the way soil and soul define a vineyard. Approximately 350,000 years ago, Homo sapiens, our earliest common human ancestor, emerged from the first terroir, a fusion of East and South African populations. Humans sought a habitat that enabled life to be lived at a higher level, an environment that enhanced confidence in our abilities and steered us towards new talents and ways to apply them. It nourished the inhabitants with opportunities for survival, the first installment of success, and followed with the second, access to resources, and then the third, sharpening the tools of achievement.
That first set of terroirs laid the foundation for the expansion of civilization. The modern terroir exists for the same reason. It encompasses a wide range of settings, from grand institutions to humble villages, each evoking echoes of ancient paradises like Eden, Shangri-La, and Camelot. They may reflect our birthplace, an alma mater, a workspace, or a far-off land that we escape to. The effect they have is similar to MIT and Ed Lorenz. They foster confidence, encourage skepticism of established beliefs, and seek answers despite the risks.
Turning Points
Whether it’s center of excellence like Apple or the U.S. Army Academy at West Point, a storied institution like MIT, at the right time of ones life, these success zones are sacred places that coax and encourage us with a transformative power to elevate and redefine so that we become all we are capable of being, as Thomas Carlyle said.
Our study group was indeed remarkable by any definition. They included Nobel Prize laureates, Fortune 50 CEOs, Olympic athletes, University Presidents, Four Star Generals, Heads of State, and a few billionaires sprinkled in for metric purposes. They were handpicked from diverse backgrounds, encompassing various nationalities, ages, genders, ethnicities, races, and fields of endeavor. We recorded their compelling narratives, used them to illuminate the driving forces behind achievements, and then tried to parse what did — and as importantly, didn’t contribute to success.
As physicist/mathematician/philosopher Nicolas Nassim Taleb tells us, “Take the long road. Life admits no shortcuts.” Our mission was to peel back the layers no matter how long it took and how far from our beliefs the findings led us, in order to get to the bottom of what sparks an extraordinary life.
Their stories were a revelation; we believe they’ll inspire you too:
For Steve Jobs, Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center), where he discovered the MAC user interface and the mouse, lit his innovative spirit and inspired him to craft his own laboratory called Apple.
To Warren Buffett, the flame was ignited by Wall Street, but it would only burn brightly once he relocated himself back to Omaha.
Jeff Bezos’s stint at the University of Florida’s Student Science Training Center during his teenage years revealed his highest potential.
Mark Kelly’s passion took flight amidst the disciplined corridors of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.
Nikki Haley, emerging from a lineage of Sikh immigrants, sharpened her negotiation skills as business manager for her mother’s dress shop in South Carolina.
Michael Phelps discovered his love of the water at North Baltimore Aquatic Club, propelling him to Olympic glory.
And John McCain endured the harshest adversities at the Hanoi Hilton, where he took invaluable lessons on collaboration, unwavering loyalty, and the sanctity of ethics.
Mystery Revealed
First, a bit of terroir lore to help guide us on down this path.
You might believe the concept of terroir is consistent with the first evidence of wine drinking, dating back to as early as 6000 BC in Georgia and a few thousand years later in Greece. Not really. Terroir is a fairly recent addition to the glossary of viniculture. The twist in the tale doesn’t come until the 19th century when the French wine industry grappled with a devastation called the phylloxera louse. A tiny pest brought about the ruin of nearly 80% of France’s vineyards, compelling French vignerons to graft American rootstocks onto their vines as a defensive measure against the louse.
But once the disease was contained, the wine growers faced a more daunting challenge — how to restore Gallic pride while French vines stood on the shoulders of American stumps? Over the next few decades the wine market veered back and forth, pleased to be rid of their louse, but facing new and equally frustrating challenges. In 1935 the state of the industry became intolerable.
This time it was stiff competition in the form of more pocket-friendly Algerian wines (a colony of France at the time), to make matters worse, dubious wine sellers adulterated their products, adding sugar and alcohol to artificially enhance flavor. The authorities turned a blind eye because it was good for business, but not for the French wine business. Most alarmingly, the average consumer remained unperturbed. After all, the wine was economical, plentiful, and palatable. What more could one ask for?
The problem wasn’t the government, the winemakers realized, it was that wines were from France but were not French. They lacked a characteristic French essence. It led to the creation of a new kind of wine — no longer just wine of France — but French wine, a distinction no other country could offer.
And so, terroir was born.
The prevailing market trend preferred inexpensive wines ready to be relished shortly after buying. The art and science of aging remained an elitist worry, and even for those in the know, cellars were a rarity. Desperate for a change, local vineyard owners united and sought the counsel of a rising winemaker named Baron Pierre Le Roy de Boiseaumarié, who had acquired his vineyard through marriage. He also happened to be a lawyer with a profound legalistic mind that understood the nature of sustainable organizations.
The choice was inspired.
The future of Châteauneuf-du-Pape summoned the courage to visit the Baron (he inherited his vineyard through marriage). He immediately understood the predicament. If you took the trouble to make great wine, you could not make a living by competing against table wine. But how could they get the consumer to care about quality?
Baron Le Roy believed the key lay in educating, teach how to discern and savor quality wine, and then associate it directly with the unique attributes of the vineyard’s locale. He agreed to help them overcome the challenge with one inviolate principle, “I will do this, but a condition is that you all give the example of honesty and discipline.”
Le Roy’s Rules
While ‘terroir’ might evoke images of grand estates, its essence is fundamentally about the soil. Derived from the Latin word “terra,” meaning “earth,” ‘terroir’ refers to both the soil nurturing the grapes and the foundational experiences shaping our lives. In French viticulture, ‘terroir’ symbolizes a magical blend of heritage and innovation, turning ordinary grapes into exquisite Grand Crus.
It was a revolutionary idea, tantamount to branding the entire wine industry based on geography, and for that reason, it was an equally hard sell. If that wasn’t enough, he also instituted unpopular rules that emphasized cultivation — only 13 grape varieties that thrived in the region were permitted; yield restrictions — strict guidelines mandated 5% of the annual yield was culled to assure quality; alcohol content was standardized — wines had to have a minimum of 12.5%. These rules paved the way for the mystique of terroir.
Fascinatingly, we discovered that ‘terroir’ also resonates with human experiences. Perhaps this isn’t so surprising, given that grapes and humans share about 25% of their DNA.
The 5Ms of Success
The concept of protecting the vines by limiting and cultivating, inspiring the grape pickers and practicing the most advanced methods, passing on the learnings from generation to generation, and measuring the impact through the metric that mattered most, revenues from the sale of the wine, Le Roy believed he could turn an industry around by changing the wine making culture of France.
With Baron Le Roy’s guiding principles in mind: mentors paving the way, mates upholding the tradition, mantras or guiding beliefs reflecting fundamental values, methods detailing the best strategies, and metrics evaluating progress — the renaissance of the French wine industry took root.
Le Roy’s rules were also the driving force behind the esteemed French classification system, appellation d’origine contrôlée or AOC, which the French speak about with poetic enthusiasm. It has significantly impacted the global wine market, a regime deeply intertwined with the notion of terroir. It is the reason you pay five hundred times more for a bottle of Chateau Haut Brion than a delightful but non-terroir red table du vin.
At its heart, terroir revolves around harmonizing the five elements to nurture, preserving the distinctive attributes of wines, making imitation impossible. Though the term may conjure visions of majestic chateaux, at its heart, it’s really about the soil. Before Le Roy, wines were from France, but not especially French in spirit.
Failure Zones
Every terroir, whether it feels like a haven or a prison, including those that are lodged in our mind, is anchored by the 5Ms or the five fundamental pillars: established priorities, clear governance rules, a common ethos, time-tested best practices, and concrete success indicators. When any of these is compromised or unduly dominates, the equilibrium is disrupted, leading to catastrophe.
Throughout history, a familiar narrative emerges from every catastrophe. Whether it is the tragic sinking of the Titanic (mentors with obsolete guidelines and mates with inadequate methods), the horrors of Nazi Germany (unethical mentors and passive mates), the global financial crisis (superficial metrics and outdated methods), or the pervasive pandemic (untested methods and self-serving mentors), each event highlights the dangers of an unbalanced system where one of the 5Ms dominates over others.
Mapping of Human Terroirs
“The things that I learned in a small town, in a very modest home, are just the things that I believe have won the election.” — Margaret Thatcher
Our exploration led us from Warren Buffett at the iconic Berkshire Hathaway headquarters in Omaha to trekking across continents, meeting figures such as FW de Klerk in South Africa, Nelson Mandela’s ally in dismantling Apartheid. Our footsteps echoed in elite corridors from Davos to the hallowed halls of Stanford and Harvard Business School. We navigated landscapes as varied as the scenic greens of Augusta National, the glinting escalators of Trump Tower, and the grandeur of a Governor’s mansion. We glimpsed Emmy trophies in an NBC news anchor’s office. We engaged with financier Michael Milken amidst the luxurious ambiance of his Santa Monica residence, where philanthropy intertwined with venture capitalism.
Our quest was not without its challenges and thrills. We even found ourselves evading looming threats from Russian operatives during a clandestine meeting with Putin’s number one enemy, who had been released from a Russian gulag, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, in a covert hideaway accessible through concealed backstairs
We didn’t just focus only on individuals who experienced success. We also turned our attention to those who faced setbacks, even colossal, tragic reversals. Some, in the judgment of their adversaries, found themselves incarcerated (three individuals), or in a POW camp (one person), or cast aside by their institutions (two people). Yet, they managed to make a comeback. It was as important to establish how that happened as it was to explain why a Matisse benefitted from a vacation in the south of France.
It was enlightening to also discover that attractive environments weren’t the only path; sometimes, immersion into challenging circumstances had a similar effect: it refined the mindset and honed surivival capabilities, enabling them to emerge more robust and resolute.
With this perspective as our compass, our research sought to underscore the deep-seated impact of ‘place’ — be it home, community, educational institution, or workspace — in bolstering and guiding our subjects when faced with life’s hurdles.
In the following chapters of this book, we delve into the intricate interplay between individuals and terroir — the very essence of their surroundings that unlocked their potential. Like terroirs of grapes that impart unique qualities, certain places resonate deeply within our souls, leaving an indelible imprint on our character.
Once Upon a Terroir: The Stories of Remarkable People and The Transformative Power of Place” is a book that delves into the captivating exploration of the impact of place and environment on the lives of remarkable individuals.
- Prologue: Anchorman. The connection to Walter Cronkite gave the authors a profound insight — that the path to success began in a place.
- Introduction: The Butterfly Effect, in which a modest MIT meteorologist was the first to discover that minor events in life can have monumental ramifications.
- Part I: The Born Identity and the Birthplace of Inspiration. Just as terroir shapes the characteristics of grapes, it also shapes the outcomes of individuals. We delve into the lives of a famous billionaire philanthropist, Warren Buffett, and an eminent mid-century primitive artist to show how ‘birth’ terroirs profoundly impact potential.
- Part II: The Nurturing Terroir of Family: Just as wine-making practices are passed down to preserve the unique qualities of a terroir, families are keepers of cultural traditions to maintain our identity and values. Dr. Reatha Clark King’s story encompasses home and hearth, heritage, traditions, and values passed down through generations of her African enslaved ancestors: trees, Easter egg hunts, Indian burial grounds, Hindu chants, and Muslim prayers.
- Part III: Grapes of Wrath — Realms of Resilience: Just as terroir shapes the hardiness of grapes in chalky soil, a human terroir influences our resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity. From the stories of Alfred Hitchcock to Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s ten years in a Russian gulag to John McCain’s seven years in a North Vietnam prison camp, bonding with mates under extreme adversity encourages perseverance and problem-solving to navigate setbacks.
- Part IV: Clusters of Excellence — Terroirs of Triumph: The idea of terroir also resonates with environments where ‘success zones’ significantly influence their opportunities, access to resources, and overall trajectory. For instance, Steve Jobs’s 100X culture at Apple, General David Petraeus’s ethos of West Point, Lloyd Blankfein’s partnership culture at Goldman Sachs, and Michael Crow’s Ivy League inspiration at ASU fostered personal growth likely to achieve exceptional success.
- Part V: The Soul of a Community — United We Swim: Terroir’s influence extends to the community. A nurturing environment provides a strong support network that profoundly impacts society. Taking the example of Irish Tidy Towns, the story of Olympian Michael Phelps, Ambassador, and Governor Nikki Haley, we look into the phenomenon of collaborative transformation.
- Part VI: The Cultural Terroir: The influence of culture on personal and national identity can be seen just as wines from different terroirs grown by other vignerons have distinct flavors. This section illustrates how the stories of Ralph Lauren, Walter Cronkite, Soledad O’Brien, Malcolm Forbes, and the artists of Lascaux reshaped our cultural heritage.
- Part VII: The Scent of Transformation — Brave New Terroir: A terroir can shape our thinking about the future and introduce radical innovation and change to a community, company, industry, or country. Leadership is a vision for the new values that will shape our decisions and inspire others. The stories of the revolutionaries of 1964, Jeffrey Immelt’s palace revolt at GE, FW de Klerk and Nelson Mandela remaking anti-apartheid South Africa, Elon Musk and the creation of Tesla, and Jeff Bezos and the inner city.
- Part VIII: Brave New Terroir: The right terroirs expose people to diverse cultures and ideas, inspiring creative thinking and problem-solving. This is the story of two simple World War II pilots who were saviors of over 120,000 Iraqi refugees in a desperate race for survival.
Through stories mainly based on personal interviews, the book delves into the lives of extraordinary achievers, revealing how the unique places along their journey significantly shaped their destinies.
