Merroir

A play on words, merroir combines the idea of terroir with mer—the French word for sea. Oysters, for example, grow in many different merroirs. As such, the flavor of any given type of oyster is highly influenced by the environmental conditions of the waters in which it grows. Since oysters clearly reflect their provenance (merroir), many experts believe they taste best with wines that also reflect their provenance (terroir), such as Chablis.