Climate change, biotechnology and the fading concept of terroir: rethinking the role of geographical indications from a socio-cultural perspective

As designations of origin, geographical indications ( GIs) play a significant role in communicating to consumers the essential link between a product and its place of production. Yet, the strength of the link between place and product can vary widely among GIs, depending on whether the connection in question is quality-based or purely reputational. This article posits that the links which GI-denominated products have with the environmental and micro-climatic conditions of their place of origin (also known as terroir) are at risk of being weakened by three sets of destabilising forces: doctrinal developments, climate change, and biotechnology. This article argues that links to terroir need to be more rigorously defined, especially for GIs whose connections with a place of production are purely reputational, in order to restore doctrinal consistency to the regulatory framework for GIs.