Disclosures

How TERROIR Earns Revenue

TERROIR earns revenue through affiliate commissions. When you click a purchase link on our site and buy from one of our retail partners, we may receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. This is one of the primary ways independent editorial publications sustain their work.

As TERROIR grows, we may introduce additional revenue streams — including sponsorships, advertising, premium content, or subscription offerings. Any sponsored or paid content will always be clearly labeled as such, distinct from our independent editorial recommendations. We will never present paid placements as editorial selections.

Our Editorial Standards

Regardless of how TERROIR generates revenue, our editorial process operates independently:

• Selections come first. Every wine we feature, every producer we spotlight, and every bottle we recommend is chosen on editorial merit alone — quality, value, and relevance to our readers.
• Commerce comes second. Only after a selection is made on its merits do we source a purchase link. If an affiliate link is available, we use it. If not, we link directly to the producer or retailer with no financial benefit to us.
• No pay-for-placement. Retailers and producers cannot pay to be featured or recommended in our editorial content. If that ever changes through a clearly defined sponsorship program, it will be transparently disclosed on the content itself.

Where Affiliate Links Appear

You will find affiliate links in sections of the site that include purchase recommendations, such as The Cellar (our monthly wine selections), Producer Spotlights, and The Cellar Archive. On every page that contains affiliate links, a disclosure appears near the relevant content stating that TERROIR may earn a commission on purchases made through those links.

What This Means for You

You pay the same price whether you use our link or navigate to the retailer directly. Affiliate commissions come from the retailer, not from a markup on your purchase.

You support independent editorial work. When you buy through our links, you directly fund the research, writing, and curation behind every piece of content on this site.

You are never obligated to use our links. If you prefer another retailer or your local wine shop, we encourage it. Our recommendations stand regardless of where you buy.

FTC Compliance

This disclosure is made in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (16 CFR Part 255), which requires that material connections between publishers and the products they recommend be clearly and conspicuously disclosed to consumers.

TERROIR is committed to exceeding the minimum requirements of this regulation. We believe transparency is not just a legal obligation but a foundational editorial standard.

Questions

If you have questions about our revenue model, editorial process, or this disclosure, reach us at hello@terroirwine.org.