Minerality: Loose Rocks or Loose Terminology?

A tasting term, specific elements in the soil and grapes, and even geological elements and rock types; the term minerality in the context of wine has taken up a rather broad usage.  Robert and Peter explore a bit of the science, the use of the term as a tasting descriptor, and how the industry has used minerality as a sales tool.  Listen to grasp a hold on how the term is used and what it is used for. 

Detailed show notes: 

• Minerality as a wine term started in the 1980s
  • A tasting term - related to flint, matchstick, chalk, saline characters
  • Mineral elements - e.g. - potassium, phosphorus, calcium, etc…
  • Geologic elements - e.g. - quartz, limestone, etc…
• As a style of wine
  • Minerality is like a macro tasting term, like “fruity”
  • Can have sub-elements to the category, e.g. - reduction/sulfur related compounds, stone related, saline / salty related
• As a flavor, it is not from the actual minerals in the rocks in the soil
• Minerality could be a positive term for the absence of fruity and floral flavors in a wine
• It comes from a combination of terroir and winemaking
• Wines generally associated with minerality
  • Whites: Chablis, Sauv Blanc (e.g. - Sancerre), Gruner Veltliner, Alvarinho, Chenin Blanc, Rieslings, Assyrtiko
  • Reds: Pinot Noir, Cab Franc
• Using minerality as a sales tool
  • Some wineries have labels that specify rocks/soil types
    • E.g. - Didier Dagueneau’s Silex; Mullineux’s Schist, Granite, Iron; Dr. Loosen’s Blue / Red Slate Rieslings
    • But, these wines may not necessarily be referring to minerality in the wines
  • Sommeliers and restaurants tend to enjoy minerally wines and may have sections on their wine lists for them
  • Retail stores that are organized by wine style do not yet use the term, but may in the future
  • Randall Graham of Bonny Doon experimented with infusing rocks into wine, but that led to higher levels of other trace materials and was shut down by the government

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