Saltiness The salt of the wine A lot is said about sugars, but there are many salts in wine as well. They derive from the minerals present in the ground which are transferred into the berries through the sap. Saltiness is sensed on the sides of the tongue, causing abundant flow of saliva. It is chiefly found in wines from mountainous areas, which are particularly rich in mineral salts and from hills open to sea winds. This sensation is more easily found in white wines, but cannot be compared to what we normally associate with the taste of salt. When tasting a wine it is usual to talk of saltiness and taste. In general terms this is an element which gives completeness and is found in a fine wines which are pleasurable and rich in subtle tastes.