Leitz Eins Zwei Dry Riesling, Rheingau, Germany 2012 (£14.25, Philglas & Swiggot) A bizarre claim has been doing the rounds online lately that adding a little salt to red wine will improve its texture and flavour. The idea, which as far as I can gather seems to originate from an interview given by a wine-loving former Microsoft executive to Bloomberg, is total nonsense. I gave it a go at home and even the tiniest grain overwhelmed the palate like I'd been over-zealous with the blue sachet in a packet of Salt 'N' Shake. But the exercise did get me thinking about those salty flavours that are sometimes naturally found in white wine, and which I for one crave. German Rieslings, for example, often have a salty-mineral quality that, in Leitz's version, adds a moreish seasoning to the lime refreshment.
Pazo de Senorans Albarino, Rias Baixas, Spain (£16.95, Berry Bros & Rudd) Where does that salty flavour and feel come from? As with any mineral, as opposed to fruity, flavour in wine, most winemakers suggest it has its origins in particular soils. But the process by which a Mosel Riesling comes to taste of slate and salt or a Chablis of the fossil and mineral-rich kimmeridgian clay is perhaps best thought of metaphorically: a vine can't literally suck up those flavours from the ground, but something in the soil yields wines that remind us of those elements. You'd say the same about the air in Rias Baixas in Galicia: it wouldn't stand up to scientific analysis, but the salty twang in Pazo de Senorans' gorgeous herby, peachy and citrussy Albarino can't help but remind me of the sea-spray of the nearby Atlantic.
Marks & Spencer Manzanilla Pasada, Spain NV (£7.95, 37.5cl) The most reliable wines for satisfying salty cravings are the sherries made in the coastal town of Sanlucar de Barremeda in Andalucia. Like the finos made in the bodegas of the nearby sherry capital Jerez, the manzanillas of Sanlucar age under a layer of yeast known as flor. But the proximity to the sea and the more humid, salty maritime air makes the flor's growth more vigorous, and gives the wines an even more pronounced iodine tang. Made by the consistently good house of Lustau, Marks & Spencer's Pasada has been aged a little longer than normal and offers a big hit of salt and Marmite but feels fresh, nimble and ready for equally salty seafood.