Displaying items by tag: minerality

Summary: 

This seminar explores the history, evolution and application of ‘minerality’ in wine tasting notes. In the rich lexicon of wine terms that have developed in the modern era, few have proved more important, and more divisive, than this one.

Justin conducted a content analysis of more than 20,000 tasting notes published in the UK’s Decanter magazine from 1976-2019, to chart for the first time the possible origins of the term, how and when it is used, and also which wine characteristics are most associated with ‘minerality.’

The presentation is derived from the findings in Justin’s Master of Wine dissertation, which was awarded the Quinta Do Noval Award for the best MW research paper of 2021.

Presenter: Justin Martindale, MW

Justin is an educator, consultant and wine judge based in Edinburgh.

After studying for a music degree at Leeds University, followed by a brief stint as a classical musician, Justin joined the wine trade with Majestic in 2008. He worked across some of London’s busiest stores whilst studying for his WSET Level 3 certificate, for which he was awarded a distinction and the Cálem Port Award scholarship. Since 2010 Justin has been based in Scotland, studying the WSET diploma during his time at Majestic, and winning the Derouet Jameson Award Scholarship which set him on the road for MW studies.

Justin became an MW in 2021, scooping the coveted Madame Bollinger Award for the best tasting paper, and the Quinta do Noval Award for best research paper.

Summary:

In this webinar I will address some of the intriguing questions you submitted. Varied they were, but many had a common thread: what is it about a particular soil that is so important for certain wines? I will look at some general ideas about such claims, and then consider some specific examples, such as slate in the Moselle and Priorat, granite and diorite in Beaujolais.

What exactly is the difference between granite and gneiss, and what does it mean for wines, say in South Africa’s Cape region, and in France’s Muscadet? And what about limestone? How does it lead to wines with finesse and edginess; how can its alkaline soils yield wines with marked acidity? (Ah, but do they?) How do chalk and marl fit in, and what are they exactly? Is it true that most of the world’s limestone is around the Mediterranean?

In addressing such questions in the webinar I hope to provide plenty of food for thought, and to shed some light on the wondrous world of wine and soil.

Presenter: Professor Alex Maltman

Alex Maltman is Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences at Aberystwyth University, in Wales, U.K., with a long and decorated career in university teaching and research.

In addition, for over forty years Alex has grown vines and made wine, his scientific curiosity prompting questions about why things were done in certain ways and, inevitably, to the much- mentioned relationship between wine and vineyard geology.

This has led to numerous publications, in both the popular press and academic journals, and to international lectures.

Alex has advised on the geological content of a number of wine books, including the Oxford Companion to Wine and the forthcoming 8th edition of the World Atlas of Wine.

He is the author of the much acclaimed “Vineyards, Rocks and Soils, a Wine Lover’s Guide to Geology” (Oxford, 2018).

Summary:

Minerality is now the single most widely used wine descriptor, yet its meaning remains elusive. Are we talking about a smell, a mouthfeel, a taste, or what? Does it depend on the grape varietal or wine style? It’s all very debatable, and in this webinar I will summarise studies illustrating how opinions vary.

There are various suggestions on what may be prompting minerality but many commentators invoke a direct connection with the minerals in the vineyard ground. It’s a seductive idea - and very useful in marketing – but I will explain how any such link has to be highly indirect and complex.

Presenter: Professor Alex Maltman

Alex Maltman is Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences at Aberystwyth University, in Wales, U.K., with a long and decorated career in university teaching and research.

In addition, for over forty years Alex has grown vines and made wine, his scientific curiosity prompting questions about why things were done in certain ways and, inevitably, to the much- mentioned relationship between wine and vineyard geology.

This has led to numerous publications, in both the popular press and academic journals, and to international lectures.

Alex has advised on the geological content of a number of wine books, including the Oxford Companion to Wine and the forthcoming 8th edition of the World Atlas of Wine.

He is the author of the much acclaimed “Vineyards, Rocks and Soils, a Wine Lover’s Guide to Geology” (Oxford, 2018).

Summary: 

Get a thorough view of Alsatian Riesling from an expert on Alsace! This grape variety with the highest reputation in Alsace can produce wines with an incredibly wide range of styles, from dry to sweet. This session will also explore the mineral dimensions of all Alsace terroirs. Learn about the supposedly famous and typical petrol aromas, about what is a truly dry Riesling, and discover how a famous producer's Riesling style may be better explained by its distinctive terroir of origin rather than by its winemaking style.

Presenter: Thierry Meyer

Thierry Meyer was born and raised in Alsace, France. He began writing about wine in 1999, using the newly-emerging internet wine forums to share tasting notes and insights into the wines of Alsace.

In 2001, Thierry started his signature dinner series, dedicated to pairing Alsace wines with fine food. He founded LOenothque Alsace in 2006 and launched the website oenoalsace.com, one of the most comprehensive websites dedicated to Alsace wines. At the same time, he started to promote a program of structured Alsace wine masterclasses and dinners.

From 2007 to 2011, Thierry was contributing editor of Le Guide Bettane & Desseauve des Vins de France, the influential French wine guide.

In 2014, Thierry started to lead the new Alsace Master-level education program for the Wine Scholar Guild, the leading provider of French wine study and certification programs internationally.

Study Alsace wines in-depth with our Alsace Study Trips. Learn more about French wines with the French Wine Scholar study & certification program.