Minerality in Lodi wines

Assyrtiko—a grape known for minerally, sometimes briny qualities—harvested in Perlegos Family's Thera Block, in Lodi's Clements Hills appellation.

Let’s talk about minerality, something a growing number of consumers look for in their wines. 

But why? Because many wine lovers have grown tired of the very qualities which have made American wines—particularly those of predominantly warm Mediterranean climate regions such as California (over 80% of wines produced in the U.S. are from California)—so popular for well over the past 50 years: Fruitiness. That is, predominantly fruity qualities in both aromas and flavors of wines.

Many of the consumers who are tired of fruitiness are turning to wines expressing some degree of minerality. As a sensory descriptor, it alludes to what the word suggests: Perceptions that suggest minerals, stones or an earth-related component in a wine's nose or palate feel, often in the presence of subdued fruit, floral or oak-derived sensations. 

Minerality as a nuance is associated more with white wines and rosés than red wines because the winemaking process of the latter (fermentation with skins and oak aging) tends to veil mineral-related subtleties. 

There is, however, no real consensus among scientific quarters in the wine industry regarding the origin of mineral sensations, especially since this is a sensory, and thus perception-based, construct, and hence, a vinous equivalent to "slippery slope". 

Calcareous soil in France's Chablis region: A pH-related factor, combined with a cold climate terroir, producing Chardonnay based whites with tart and minerally components.

For wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, for instance, minerality is often associated with the presence of sulfur-containing compounds identified as thiols (an organosulfur); thus, winemaking methods that increase the positive quality of thiols are now commonly employed to increase a complexity suggesting both fruit and minerals in Sauvignon Blancs grown all over the world. 

Increasing weight is also given to the premise that minerality is closely associated with wines higher in acidity. Yes, the taste of acidity in wine is tartness, like the sharpness of lemon, not the perception of minerals. Yet it is no coincidence that cold climate grown Chardonnay based whites from places such as France's Chablis, or Rieslings grown in the coldest regions of Germany such as the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, are higher in mineral sensations than comparable wines from warmer regions, made from grapes with generally lower acidity.

Ergo, minerality is more likely to occur in high acid wines.

High acidity resulting from cold climate viticulture, however, is not a prerequisite. Minerality is also associated with grape varieties such as Vermentino, Kerner, Piquepoul, Inzolia and often Albariño, Assyrtiko and Grüner Veltliner—grapes which tend to retain mineral qualities even when grown in warm Mediterranean climate terroirs such as Provence, Sicily or Lodi, but are picked early enough to retain high natural acidity. This suggests that the phenomenom of minerality is pH related, whether grapes are grown in warm climates or cold climates.

Kerner grapes in Lodi's Mokelumne River AVA; a lesser known varietal known for its low key fruit profile with moderate degrees of minerality.

A common misperception, though, is that mineral sensations are a direct result of minerals, or the geological composition, of soils in vineyards. If anything, it is now universally agreed that mineral sensations are not the result of uptake of mineral components directly from the soil; which is to say, the geology of a given vineyard does not necessarily factor in a wine's sensory profile, even if a wine's taste strongly suggests minerality. 

Indirectly, however, that geology may be conducive to favorable factors such as low pH in grapes (generally considered more possible in high-pH soils, such as limestone), or even more indirectly through impact on grapevine canopy growth favorable to production of volatile thiols during the eventual winemaking process. 

To put it simply: If a soil type is conducive to higher acidity in grapes, the more likely the possibility of minerality in resulting wines. It does not mean, though, that minerals in wines come directly from minerals found in soils. Winegrowing doesn’t work that way. If you read articles online that say minerals in wines come from minerals in soils, don't believe a word of it.

That said, let’s talk about four Lodi grown grape varieties that are known for sensory components perceived as minerality.

Albariño harvest in Bokisch's Terra Alta Vineyard in Clements Hills, a terroir that fosters smaller canopies and grape clusters leading to a style of wine with elevated acidity and mineral components.

Albariño

Albariño—a grape variety native to Spain's Rías Baixas region, and also grown in the neighboring Vinho Verde region of Portugal—is far from the most important white wine cultivar in California. Not when there is over 126 times more Chardonnay planted in the state. Yet among the wineries based in California's Lodi appellation, Albariño has emerged as one of the most important of white wine varieties. There are more producers of Albariño in Lodi than there are brands of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio (a.k.a., Pinot Gris). 

Lodi, in fact, grows and produces more than a third of all the Albariño in California. Why? Simply because Albariño grows so darned easily in Lodi's warm, dry Mediterranean climate, despite the fact that Rías Baixas and Vinho Verde are located alongside the Atlantic Ocean rather than the Mediterranean Sea.

On a sensory level, Lodi Albariño has proven to be a consistent "what's-not-to-like?" grape: Yielding light to medium bodied dry white wines with refreshing natural acidity. In Lodi, fruit and mineral components tend to vary according to levels of sugar and acid in harvested grapes. 

Earlier picked Albariños tend to be lighter in alcohol, higher in acidity, mildly mineral and citrusy in fruit profiles. Albariños picked from riper, lower acid grapes are less tart and more fruity than minerally, falling in varietal fruit spectrums ranging from stone fruit (from apricot to peach), crisp fruit (apples and pear) to tropical fruit (pineapple or guava). But whether fruit-driven or not, Albarños tend to be high enough acidity to retain as least a smidgen of notes suggestion minerals.

Oyster beds adjacent to France's Picpoul de Pinet appellation, home of the largest plantings of the Piquepoul grape in the world.

Picpoul Blanc (a.k.a., Piquepoul)

Why is the Piquepoul grape—normally bottled as Picpoul Blanc—a more important varietal category than ever? Mostly, it is because it produces a white wine that meets trending consumer preferences for lighter white wines (typically, alcohol levels barely reaching 12% ABV) that are outwardly tart, with as much or more mineral character than outright fruitiness. Something, you might say, of an “unChard."

The other factor is climatic: Piquepoul thrives under warm to hot conditions, such what you find in Lodi's Mediterranean climate zone—or in the grape's native region in South-West France's Picpoul de Pinet appellation—while retaining all the acidity in the world. Hence, the name of the grape itself, which in French translates as "lip stinger." The varietal’s sensory signature is its lip smacking tartness.

In today's rising global temperatures, Piquepoul's importance looms larger than ever. Thirty or forty years ago practically no American had ever heard of Piquepoul or Picpoul Blanc, unless they happened to have once passed through Picpoul de Pinet in their travels along the Mediterranean coast, going through Southern France on the way to Spain. This is changing. 

And it may change even faster if some of today's more respected climatologists' predictions come true: That cooler climate regions, such as West Sonoma Coast or Santa Barbara in California, or Willamette Valley in Oregon, will soon average the same amount of growing season heat units (i.e., GDD, or growing degree-day) as what is currently found in regions such as Lodi in California, Provence in France, or much of Spain, Sicily, Greece or North Africa. Global warming is changing the make-up of wine regions as we speak.

Harvesting of generously sized Piquepoul grapes in Acquiesce Vineyard, Lodi's Mokelumne River-Lodi AVA.

Lodi growers have been cognizant of the industry's soon-to-be pressing needs. There are currently just over 35 acres of Piquepoul grown in the appellation that we know of, split among half-a-dozen growers. This may not seem like a lot, but keep in mind that's more than all the acres of Chardonnay existing in California up until the 1940s.

It is no coincidence that France’s Picpoul de Pinet, where you find over 3,000 of acres of Piquepoul cultivated right along the Mediterranean coast, nestles up to an inlet called Étang de Thau, where some 2,750 oyster beds are cultivated by some 750 independent businesses. Each year, some 13,000 tonnes of oysters are consumed with, naturally, the local wine. There is nothing better than raw oysters washed down by light, tart, mineral laced Picpoul de Pinet.

Over the years we have presented Lodi grown Picpoul Blancs to visiting sommeliers, journalists and other wine professionals in blind tastings alongside bottlings of Picpoul de Pinet from France. Almost none of them can tell the difference. Most of them, in fact, mistake the Lodi Picpouls for the French because the Lodi products are just as tart and minerally, if not more, than the French. 

The grape is a perfect example of minerality being as much a byproduct of grape typicité as any other factor.

Assyrtiko grown in Greece's wind-swept Santorini (top) compared to Assyrtiko grown on more prolific trellises in the Perlegos family's Clements Hills-Lodi vineyard (below).

Assyrtiko

There is not a lot of Assyrtiko (pronounced ah-SEER-tee-koh) grown in Lodi. At this writing, 6.5 acres. It is a white wine grape indigenous to Greece, where winegrowing has been dated back as far as 6,500 years ago. Lodi, and California in general, has a lot of catching up to do when it comes to this grape.

This year (2025), the Kapiniaris family of Stama Winery expects to harvest its first commercially viable load of Assyrtiko (just 8 or 9 tons) in its recently planted west side Mokelumne River-Lodi vineyard. In Lodi's Alta Mesa AVA, 3.5 acres of Assyrtiko, planted by Silvaspoons Vineyards, will come to full fruition in 2026.

Jeff and John Perlegos, who like the Kapiniaris family are of Greek descent, probably qualify as Lodi's resident experts on Assyrtiko on the basis of the three vintages of the varietal already grown and produced under their Perlegos Family label. A far more widely proclaimed brand known as Sandlands has also produced two vintages of Assyrtiko, sourced from the Perlegos brothers’ blocks located in both the Mokelumne River and Clements Hills appellations of Lodi.

The taste of Assyrtiko, whether grown in Greece or in Lodi, is unique and distinct. Case in point: The 2023 Perlegos Family Thera Block Clements Hills-Lodi Assyrtiko, fragrant with wildflower, lemony citrus, a perceptible drop of honey, and a distinct minerality reminiscent of sea salt in both the nose and its crisp, lively, upbeat medium-full body (weighing in at 13.8% alcohol). 

The 2023 Perlegos Family Assyrtiko, which finishes bone dry, was half-fermented in neutral French oak to help round out the grape's naturally high acidity, while the stainless steel fermented half helped the varietal retain its intrinsic minerality and crisp, mouth watering, exuberantly honeyed fruit qualities. A mineral inflected mineral wine tailor-made for warm climate winegrowing!

Grüner Veltliner harvest in Lodi's Mokelumne Glen Vineyards.

Grüner Veltliner

Many wine buffs might be surprised that Grűner Veltliner is even cultivated in a Mediterranean climate zone such as Lodi’s. Especially since the grape is associated with the largely Alpine regions of Austria, where it is that country's most widely planted grape, 

Unlike Albariño, which Lodi growers have been cultivating since the late 1990s, Grüner Veltliner is a fairly recent phenomenon in Lodi. Most of the regions 7 or so acres have been planted within the past 10 years.

Although the cultivar is still too sparsely planted for us to make any blanket statement about its “Lodi” profile, bottlings of the varietal have been yielding significant mineral components. Late last year, for  instance, the 2023 Markus Wine Co. Lodi Grüner Veltliner was ranked #24 in one major wine critic's list of "Top 50 Wines of 2024," while garnering this concise description: "Brightness, austere, lifted aromatics of white peaches.”

This past spring LangeTwins Family released a pure stainless steel finished 2024 North River Vineyard-designated Grüner Veltliner, which is even edgier in natural acidity than the Markus Wine Co. bottling, and has all the citrus and crunchy/tart pear/apple qualities associated with the varietal. In the opinion of LangeTwins Family Director of Winemaking Susana Vasquez, "Lodi's warmer climate only seems to enhance the varietal's signature freshness while retaining a saline minerality... alongside classic Grüner notes of lime zest, fresh herbs, yellow peach and citrus blossom.”

Then there is the 2024 Mokelumne Glen Vineyard grown Grüner Veltliner released by Lodi's Christopher Cellars just last month which is as minerally as it is tart, while positively exuding lemon/grapefruit/orange zest acidity and perfumes. In fact, it is just as silky, minerally and zesty in acidity than most comparable bottlings imported from Austria, despite four months spent in neutral French oak to help tame a ferocious level of natural acidity.

In short, Lodi grows a variety of wines with enough minerality to appeal to the most discriminating consumers of “unfruity” wines.

Grüner Veltliner harvested in Lodi, where the grape ripens with as much acidity and minerality as regions of Austria.