Taste the Limestone, Smell the Slate
© Académie du Vin Library
Through Taste the Limestone, Smell the Slate, Professor Alex Maltman uses his background as a trained geologist combined with being a keen vine grower and wine maker for 50 years to untangle just how much bedrock influences the character of what is in a wine glass. Whilst it has become fashionable to use taste descriptors such as limestone and slate, Maltman explores (perhaps somewhat controversially) why different rock types do not actually impart a unique flavour on the resulting wines.
Drawing on a wealth of publications from the past two decades, the book is comprised of reproductions of previous journal papers, as well as some fresh material. Taste the Limestone sets the scene for those with limited knowledge of winemaking with the basics of vineyard geology, before discussing the history of the soil-wine connection. The modern-day advent of hydroponic systems, where vines grow in water with dissolved nutrients and without the need for rocks or soil, is used as a prop to question just how much geological input grapevines need.
Bringing the landscape to life through engaging anecdotes from ancient times to the present, Maltman explains why rocks as taste and aroma descriptors can only ever be used as metaphors. There are dedicated chapters on the scientific evidence and social reverence of granite; tuff and tufa; shale, slate and schist; clay; limestone; and flint impacting vine growth and the resulting wines. Geological processes are also given some attention through the effect of earthquakes on vineyards, as well as developments in knowledge of deep time and how this aids our understanding of the role of bedrock versus soil in viticulture. There are also impeccably detailed chapters charting the winescape of France’s Loire Valley and Great Britain, as well as the pioneer of Australian viticulture James Busby and the role of geology on spirits and beer, though they seemed somewhat misplaced nestled amongst the other chapters.
Those with geological knowledge may find some of the explanations simple, but the real heart of the book is in transporting geoscience principles into viticulture, something likely of interest to both those new to and familiar with the topic. Whilst Maltman clearly believes geology is used more for its marketing value than physical utility in the winemaking industry, it is an enlightening exploration of the evocative link between wine and the land and likely to provoke animated discussion.
Review by Hannah Bird
DETAILS
BY: Alex Maltman (2025) Académie du Vin Library, 305 pp. (hbk)
ISBN: 9781917084628
PRICE: £35, academieduvinlibrary.com
