the natural attributes of a vineyard (or group of vineyards).

Natural environment includes climate, topography (elevation above sea level, slope, aspect, proximity to surface water, elevation above cold-air drainage, etc.), soil properties, geology, fauna and/or microfauna, and (surrounding) vegetation.

Some writers on this subject insist that the human element be included in the definition - that is, human 'interference' with the soil (including fertilisation and irrigation), and the multitude of different techniques and practices in viticulture and winemaking. The main argument used to support their inclusion is that these factors affect the end-product, the wine. Of course they do; but they are highly variable - at the 'whim' of mankind - and very difficult to describe and quantify. I prefer to restrict the definition to the fundamentals which the viticulturalist and the winemaker have to work with. An alternative definition could be: