Have you ever tasted chalk in wine? It seems like something that shouldn’t be in your wine glass. I mean do you really want to taste something like this in your wine? For some, tasting chalk in wine is actually something they want to taste.
You might have found chalk or chalky in a wine’s description and wondered what this is. But it is one of those weird wine terms that doesn’t make a lot of sense right? So let’s unpack this concept so you know what it means and whether it is actually a good thing to find in your wine glass.
What is chalk in wine?
Chalk is one of those things that divides people. It sits within the minerality family, and because of this, this term opens a serious can of (wine) worms as to whether you should be tasting it there or not. Much like tasting wet stones, which we unpacked here.
There are two main ways for tasting chalk in wine. The first is a flavour, and the other is a texture.
Chalky flavour sits in the minerality category which is a term that wine experts love to use. Like flint, slate, granite and wet stone, chalky is a term that is used to describe the taste of minerality that comes from stones. Now although you may not have licked a stone lately, you may have smelt stony ground after rainfall. The memory of that smell gets conjured up when you sip the wine. Often chalky and other mineral flavours are actually more aromatic than specific flavours. These aromas evoke savouriness in the wine which can balance out fruity flavours.
Chalky is also described as a mouthfeel or texture. Think of what it would be like to lick a wet stone or some chalk, and that is what you might find in the glass. This can be connected to tannins where powdery or grainy tannins might be described as chalky.
Where does tasting chalk in wine come from?
The can of worms around minerality all stems from where this taste comes from. Scientists have declared that although wine lovers are certain they are tasting minerals in wine, the minerals simply do not exist in wine at a level we can taste or smell. It has been proven time and time again that the minerality in the soil does not lead to a flavour in the wine.
So where does tasting chalk in wine come from? Well, this is where it can get confusing as we don’t really know. It’s most likely those flavours are produced by yeast in the fermentation process. All we know is that it doesn’t come from chalky soil, and you are not literally tasting chalk in your wine.
Ultimately minerals don’t really taste like much, so what your tasting in the wine is simply perceived. This doesn’t stop this wine term from being used by wine lovers!
Where you’ll find it
There are plenty of lovers of tasting chalk in wine, so where will you find it? Generally, you’ll find this term used to describe white wines with high acidity from cool climates and stony soils. Although, you can also find some tannic reds that might be described as having chalky tannins!
If you’re looking for chalk in wine, focus on these grapes and particular wine styles:
- Chardonnay, particularly Chablis from France
- Sancerre from France which is Sauvignon Blanc
- Some Rieslings
- Champagne
Is tasting chalk in wine a good thing?
So is tasting chalk in wine a good thing? As a texture, chalky tannins leave your mouth dry and some don’t like this texture. It can also mute fruitiness in a wine, particular if the grapes haven’t reached full ripeness. However, some people like tasting chalk in wine as it provides minerality to the palate.
Whether you love it or hate it, tasting or feeling chalk in wine can happen. Just remember that it doesn’t mean you’re tasting literal chalk! At the end of the day, if you feel like the wine has this note, then you may as well use it to describe the wine!