Nutrients not the cause of minerality

11th March, 2013 by Patrick Schmitt

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Minerality in wine is most likely to stem from volatile thiols or esters and not directly from nutrients in the soil, according to this month’s edition of the drinks business.

Research shows that it’s impossible to get so-called “minerality” in a wine directly from the nutrients in the ground

In an article written by Sally Easton MW in db‘s April issue, she highlights research to show that it’s impossible to get minerality in a wine directly from the nutrients in the ground.

Having spoken to Professor Alex Maltman of the Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences at the University of Wales, she explains that mineral elements in a wine are not only minimal but also tasteless.

“Potassium rarely exceeds a few hundred parts per….

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4 Responses to “Nutrients not the cause of minerality”

1. Clark Smith says:

   March 12, 2013 at 4:13 pm

   These assertions are incorrect. Potassium is a very important element in wine taste, as we demonstrated in sensory trials at Napa Valley College. This is why premium wineries hate to over-cold stabilize their wines. Potassium contributes to the perception of body and flavor persistence in the finish.

   There’s a lot we don’t know about minerality, and much confusion about what the term means. It’s reasonable to suggest that esters or sulfur compounds are involved in the “wet stone” aroma, but in the case of soil minerals we are talking about an effect in the mouth, and it is certainly possible that potassium contributes to this. Wines are quite high in potassium, generally over 1,000 mg per liter, and wine is a significant source of dietary potassium.

   Grapes by themselves lack the ability to take up complex nutrients. It is not impossible for grapes to import soil nutrients when they are grown in “living soil” conditions which foster the symbiosis of mycorrhizal fungi which have been shown to facilitate transport. In my view, this is why these wines taste different, and it certainly appears that wines grown on limestone, shist or decomposed granite exhibit similar effects.

   For a fuller discussion, see my article Nov 2010 article in Wines and Vines.

   Reply
2. John Casey says:

   March 13, 2013 at 1:46 am

   Professor Maltman is mistaken about the concentrations of the major cations in wine. They are variable in the following ranges: Potassium, 400-1600 mg/L, Magnesium, 80-120, Calcium, 40-120, Sodium, 20-120. Although not a factor in the perception of ’minerality’, the inorganic cations and their salts do contribute to the taste of the wine. The presence of several g/L of salts changes the acidity qualitatively as well as quantitatively and is a significant factor in the difference between red and white wines, and between wines from different regions.

   Reply
3. David Lefebvre says:

   March 19, 2013 at 9:19 am

   Inorganics cations, not only potassium, change the perception of sugar, of alcohol, and of tannins to…

   Reply
4. Phil Cooke says:

   February 11, 2017 at 1:34 pm

   As an experienced wine taster I always struggle when colleagues say a wine has minerality. I have never managed to figure out what they are tasting. And I have tried hard.
   However I am also experienced in cooking, and familiar with adjusting the salt content of say a soup. One tastes, perceives that there is something missing and adds some salt: and it then tastes better. But if the addition of salt becomes evident in a salty taste, the soup is ruined. So the conclusion is that an experienced plate can tell if there is a lack of salt, and one needs enough, but not too much.
   I wonder if this is the case with the phrase mineralogy in wine. i.e.something that the experienced plate can sense to be missing, and when it’s there its said to have minerality. Just an idea

   Reply