As locals well know, the Kula onion is truly one of the standout produce items grown here in Hawaii. But what is so special about Kula? And why are onions from Kula's neighboring communities not as good?

The French wine community refers to this “;sense of place”; concept as “;terroir.”; Others refer to it as “;somewhere-ness.”;

There is something unique about the soil of a region, the drainage, its microclimate, the way the sun and wind affect it, the temperature—or all of the above and then some, which manifests in a special onion, grape or even pineapple.

Having worked with pineapple for at least six summers, I recall how field workers could readily tell you which fields grew the best fruit. One could taste the difference.

In France the locals can tell you which vineyards stand out—not only in quality, but also in uniqueness. Over the decades, and sometimes centuries, these “;vignerons”; learned to respect how a specific grape could excel in certain vineyards. Their work created a synergy that produces something really special.

A French Chablis, for example, is a dry, remarkably light and crisp white wine with a fascinating, minerally, floral, seashell-like kind of character. Thanks to its terroir, nowhere else in the world will this Chardonnay grape produce these kinds of results.

AN EASY way to better understand this concept would be to buy a bottle of French Chablis; consider “;true to type”; examples like those made by Lavantureux, Savary, Raveneau or Dauvissat. Then taste it side by side with a Chardonnay from Napa Valley or Australia. You will be amazed at the difference.

Andre Ostertag, the great winemaker of France's Alsace region, once showed me two styles of his wines—“;vin de fruits”; (wine of fruits) and “;vin de pierre”; (wine of stone). His “;vin de fruits”; feature lots of fruit nuances, while in comparison, his “;vin de pierre”; clearly displayed more stony, earthy, minerally characteristics and is a more terroir-driven wine.

Still, one is not necessarily better than the other. Both styles are made by Ostertag himself; they are just different. It's totally about learning more and more about wines. This is, after all, part of the fun of it all!

Back to produce—I am not always in the mood or can afford the Kula onion, but at least I know it is there when the right occasion arises. The same is true with the Hauula tomato, the Wahiawa lychee and the Mahinahina pineapple, and the same is true with French Chablis.

”;By the Glass”; appears every second Friday in HILife. To contact Chuck Furuya, visit www.dkrestaurants.com.