WineEnthusiast provides associates these words with minerality in wine: gunflint, wet stone, chalk and asphalt. Is it an aroma, a flavor, a mouthfeel? Perhaps, all of the above.
Minerality in Wine – from WSJ
Let’s explore this concept today.
The Term Minerality
Wine-Searcher tells us that “Minerality is perhaps the wine industry’s most overused, underwhelming, and misunderstood descriptors of them all.”
The flavors and aromas in wines that are described as minerality are more associated with white wines, due to their higher acidity, less prominent oak use, and production from lesser ripened grapes.” The lesser ripened grapes implies colder climates.
Is Terroir Involved?
The concept of terroir (the environment where the vineyards are grown) indicates that a soil’s composition, including the minerals, contributes greatly to the flavors of wine. For the time being, though, the science behind how any of this happens is very limited. Is it the deep roots that absorb the minerals or the shallow roots? Do microorganisms break up minerals differently, depending on how hungry they are? Does the plant itself absorb anything? Does moldiness in the winery play a role?
Nobody knows for sure. For now, there are many well-reasoned theories eagerly awaiting research funding.
A Final Thought
My personal philosophy is that wine is a very individualized experience, with no right or wrong tastes. So, if there is some vaguely unidentifiable “je ne sais quoi” in your wine, neither fruity nor flowery, perhaps it is minerality you are experiencing. Trust your senses and enjoy the discovery!
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Betty, thank you very much for researching this for me! As we discussed, I love minerally-tasting wines. They seem somehow – um, healthy – if that makes any sense. It almost feels like I am getting my essential amino acids and other good stuff while I sip my favorite beverage! I like the fact that it is hard to know exactly how the mineral taste gets into the wine. A little bit of mystery is a delightful virtue in a wine!
Very well said. I completely agree. There is something so wholesome about those minerally tastes. Thanks for your comments!
Actually it’s my first time to heard and read about these Minerality in Wine. Maybe it’s define by how people usually define or judge it. It’s all in the wine tasting caliber.
I agree with you, especially without a clear-cut definition of minerality, there’s a lot of room for subjectivity. And that’s okay 🙂
Had never heard of this, but it is very interesting! I am going to pay more attention in the future and see if I can detect any of that mysterious “minerality” going on! That is great that you did the research, and intriguing that it is a subject inviting further exploration and definition. I trust you will write more blogs about this as the mystery begins to be revealed!
Donna, thank you as always for your great comments. I’m definitely going to keep my eyes on this space. I think there will be a lot of good information coming out over the next few years.