It Takes a Vineyard
Henri Matisse’s inspired art and life were inextricably bound to Collioure.
As we delve deeper into the story of Henri Matisse, it becomes evident that Collioure was the perfect terroir. He arrived depressed but left inspired, infusing his canvases with vibrant colors that influence artists today. When we discover our terroir we discover ourself.
Without its transformative influence, the renowned artist would have wound up as a prosperous Parisian lawyer and perhaps a part-time amateur. But Collioure transformed him into one of the greatest painters of the 20th century, a rival of Picasso and favorite of the Rockefeller’s (at the end of Matisse’s life, they commissioned his stained glass window for their family church in Pocantico, NY). Matisse without Collioure is Leonardo without Florence. Relocate the great Renaissance genius to Australia and you end up with Mona Matilda.
It was a freak accident or good luck that brought Matisse to this breathtaking corner of the world, or so he believed. Most of our extraordinary subjects attributed their success to random events and occurrences as well. But why would there be only one Matisse and yet thousands of artists who painted Collioure landscapes? Was it his talent that makes him so superior to all the others? Or was there an ineffable influence, a liberating spirit that brought out the best in him? The enduring impact of terroir cannot be overstated.
In truth, all of us yearn to unlock our true potential — where our talents, happiness, and strength will thrive. This explains why, like Matisse, we tirelessly seek the elusive ideal, serendipitously darting from one home to another, one vacation hotspot to another, speed dating Florida to California only to realize that what we truly want is Hawaii, Aruba, and until it turns out to be Ibiza.
In the enchanting coastal town of Collioure, this remarkable phenomenon wasn’t a paranormal event but a fact of life that we witnessed in countless interviews with extraordinary individuals, from Nobel Prize winners to Four Star Generals and Network TV news anchors. What emerged from these encounters was a clear pattern that shed light on the connection between greatness in life and the influence of surroundings.
We call it The Terroir Effect, and contrary to popular belief of so-called success experts, it surpasses the contribution of inherited talents, DNA, family wealth, and even intellect. A genius in the wrong terroir, Marie Curie is a smart women whom people admire. In France she wins the Nobel Prize twice.
Despite the claims made for the seven habits or outliers who achieve extraordinary success due to accidents of time and circumstance of self help bromides, the concept of place emerges as a paramount factor when digging into astonishing outcomes. Whether it’s home or a cherished memory, habitats leave an indelible impression that is so strong their power can resonate throughout our lives.
We remain oblivious to the fact that we are always in pursuit of the right place, forever searching for the ideal abode, a happy place that liberates us to be ourselves, and maintains a vigil in search of that small morsel of immortality called success. That is the magic and mystery of terroir. It is both a place and a state of mind, or as as Hemingway would call it, a moveable feast.
Hemingway’s Terroir
The Terroir Effect is a paramount factor in creating astonishing outcomes. The connection to habitat is so strong, and we are so impressionable. The places that shape our identities possess an unrivaled ability to inspire greatness in all of us. This is the phenomenon of the terroir effect. No one better exemplified the terroir effect than Ernest Hemingway’s “A Moveable Feast.”
As he enters the Paris cafe, Hemingway’s condition can be described as uncertain and contemplative. He is grappling with various emotions and personal challenges, reflecting on his life and artistic pursuits. Hemingway’s thoughts and observations paint a vivid picture of his inner turmoil and the complex dynamics of his relationships with other writers and artists in the bohemian Parisian scene.
The Nobel Prize-winning author looks back over the forty intervening years since his time in Paris with his first wife, and the echoes of the period register with him even as he writes his last memoir. He is down on his luck, writing in a six-story walk-up without heat. He has to buy coal to keep his hands from freezing. While walking home from a day of writing, he stops at a Parisian café with regulars smoking their foul-smelling cigarettes and pretty women waiting for beaus. Hemmingway orders wine and a dozen oysters, and looking back on this moment from the vantage of forty years, he writes:
“As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.”
For Hemingway and his startlingly extraordinary life and tragic death, his time here in the ’20s was a moveable feast he would take with him for the remainder of his life, turning it into one of the most remarkable memoirs ever composed.
The terroir effect makes us happy and inspires us to make plans. Once we learn to recognize it, we’ll always have it. Hemingway told his wife, “We’ll always have Paris.”
A Moveable Feast
If you discover yourself in a place that feels tailor-made, it will evoke the same sensation Matisse stumbled upon when he visited the vibrant town of Collioure. Every brushstroke absorbed the energy of his surroundings. This is the most life enhancing and productivity inspiring experience a person can have. In that moment, Matisse was transported, and his life forever transformed. This exemplifies the power of terroir — an influential force that not only shapes the course of lives but also determines the ultimate destination.
Yet, terroir goes far deeper than pretty brushstrokes. It represents our roots, the impact of our origins. It propels us to achieve greatness even when we venture from that home base. Consider the remarkable journey of Dr. Reatha Clark King, who rose from the cotton fields of Jim Crow Georgia to the boardrooms of corporate giants. Her humble beginnings remained etched in memory, serving as a constant reminder of the inner strength she possessed at age ten when she picked 200 pounds of cotton each day.
Our first encounter with terroir takes place at the kitchen table. As we embark on various paths in life — seeking love, pursuing careers, embracing adventure — our sense of belonging harkens back to that place. The kitchen table expands as our world grows, becoming a sanctuary from the pressures and stresses of the outside world. It is like the children’s game of tag and home base is the safest place on earth. However, when things start to go awry as we age, the table shrinks until we feel isolated and alone, and we can turn into desperate humans without hope, akin to Matisse’s mood when he arrived in Collioure.
Terroirs can be expansive, accommodating many. They are like interlocking Buddhist rings, exemplified by the rural town of Cornwall nestled near the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, flanked by the Hudson River and the historical efforts of the Continental Army to establish the iconic terroir of the United States. General David Petraeus held that first ring in his hand as he mounted fierce battles in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Similar to the 1,204 grapes in a bottle of Burgundy, the power of terroir is both collective in spirit and individual in action. Terroir challenges us to sacrifice aspects of our identity in exchange for a larger one, akin to a caterpillar shedding its skin before transforming into a beautiful, soaring creature.
Even when we are away, our original terroir accompanies us, like a piece of luggage holding the most precious possession. Matisse carried Collioure with him to Paris, where his exhibitions led to his discovery as France’s greatest artist and heralded the era of modernism. However, there are moments when an environment fails us, causing the metaphorical shrinking of the kitchen table, leaving no room to sit and chat. Many have experienced this, in careers or in relationships, occasionally in their country, fostering a desire for departure, change, revolt, and the search for a new sense of belonging.
Terroirs encompass a wide range of experiences, spanning moments of vibrancy and inspiration to periods of struggle and strife. These exist in harmony, much like the orbits of planets, moving through cycles of light and darkness. Each terroir phase offers valuable lessons, while others serve to rejuvenate. Some terroirs represent destinations, while others symbolize journeys. They are cycles of life, constantly evolving and repeating, as we discover, establish, and transcend different terroirs throughout our existence.
Our lives are like intricate puzzles, and even the slightest removal of a piece can cause everything to come crashing down, much like a Jenga tower. However, the reassuring truth is that the state is temporary. Each of us is faced with the daunting choices at one time or another.
Following his departure from Apple in 1985, Steve Jobs embarked on a new venture by founding a company called NeXT. In 1988, NeXT introduced a groundbreaking product that seamlessly integrated powerful hardware and software. This innovation marked a significant milestone in the technological landscape. Eventually, Apple acquired NeXT in 1996, driven by the challenges faced in upgrading the Macintosh operating system. After the acquisition, Steve Jobs initially served as an advisor, then assumed the role of acting CEO, and eventually became the CEO of Apple. NeXT’s legacy lives on as an integral part of Mac OS X. This journey closely resembles the process of founding a terroir, establishing its strengths, and then transcending it, only to embark on a new terroir once again.
Terroir is a perpetual cycle, forever evolving and renewing. It is a moveable feast.
The Terroir Effect was a serendipitous discovery, akin to stumbling upon a rare Sheffield Horse in a dusty thrift shop. It came to light as we were interviewing individuals who lead extraordinary lives. But little did we realize, it was hidden in plain sight. As we reviewed the transcripts it kept repeating itself over and lover. It was the key that unlocked the secret and answered the ultimate question.
Terroir extends beyond its association with great wine. We found that it plays a pivotal role in lives with remarkable outcomes. The connection between a person and their environment is potent, as we are highly impressionable at various stages of life. Places have the power to shape our identities and to inspire greatness. Conversely, when the environment turns sour, it leads to failure. This is why discovering or creating the right terroir is a crucial factor, and we refer to it as the Terroir Effect.
The Terroir Effect represents a vibrant and ever-changing state of place or mind, deeply rooted in the sacred traditions that have shaped it. Baron Le Roy understood this definition well, using it as the foundation of his narrative. Educating people about more than just wine, he aimed to deliver prestige in a bottle. This required a dedication to education and continuous improvement.
In our study, Warren Buffett restored his terroir; General Petraeus fought for it; Nikki Haley transformed into a governor; Michael Phelps swam for his terroir; Soledad O’Brien made hers nice; John McCain struggled in his for seven years; Grandma Moses painted hers to remember. Each created or repaired or reinvented their terroirs and it made their lives special in a way that changed everything. Terroirs turn ordinary into extraordinary.
Let’s take Champagne, for example — a realm of effervescent splendor where bubbles dance upon the tongue. It serves as an exquisite testament to the mastery of terroir. In contrast, sparkling wines may be magnificent but they lack that intangible quality that sets terroir apart.
Consider two distinguished institutions, Harvard and Haverford. They share similar sounding and boast equal levels of selectivity and educational rigor. Yet their terroirs shape very distinct identities. Similarly, why is it that we know the famous anthem in honor of the U.S. Marines but remain ignorant of a hymn dedicated to the “Merchant Marines”? As it turns out, the Maritime Hymn is called the “Song for the Unsung,” which rather makes our point about terroir.
Contrasting the two similar landscapes of Las Vegas and Atlantic City reveals the terroir effect. The sprawling oasis of Vegas is a true terroir, where dreams are won and lost like characters in a Greek tragedy. In stark contrast, Atlantic City appears soulless, lacking any distinction. Numerous such examples highlight the profound divide of terroir that extends beyond the vineyard.
Consider the enigma of two neighboring cities, Oakland and San Francisco, in California. Why do they possess such contrasting reputations? As Gertrude Stein wittily observed, “There is no there there,” referring to Oakland. One could argue that there is no terroir there either.
In the context of a vineyard, terroir represents an energy field within which grapes grow, often within the confines of a meticulously maintained enclosure. The results are not solely attributable to nature as we typically perceive it. Terroir is source that ensures the vineyard is carefully cultivated, nurtured, and protected. The magic of terroir, however, isn’t confined to the vineyard alone.
But maybe that’s the wine talking.
