Every successful band has an unsung hero. These artists rarely seize the limelight, but听迟丑别测鈥檙别听always working hard behind the scenes, and听迟丑别测鈥檙别听instrumental to the band鈥檚 sound.听
Examples include Rolling Stones co-founder Ian Stewart, Pink Floyd guitarist Richard听Wright听and Malcolm Young of AC/DC. They never received the public acclaim given to the likes of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, but听迟丑别测鈥檙别听the glue that held their bands together.听
Acidity plays a similar role in wine. The other听key听characteristics听-听alcohol, body,听sweetness听and tannin听-听get all the attention,听whereas听acidity rarely听enjoys听the credit it deserves. Its work is more subtle, but听颈迟鈥檚听just as important in shaping how a wine feels,听tastes听and ages.听
Many people overlook acidity, and others misunderstand it, confusing it with听bitterness or听high levels听of alcohol.听Truly understanding听acidity in wine will make you a better taster, so听飞别鈥檝别听explained how it works and why it matters.听
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Why听acidity听matters听in wine听
Acidity balances听the flavours in wine, and it ensures that no single听component听overwhelms your palate. It also听provides a refreshing mouthfeel, which stops wine from tasting flat or flabby.听Acids act as natural preservatives too, allowing fine wines to age beautifully for a decade or more.听
Have you ever squeezed a wedge of lemon onto a piece of grilled fish? The impact is drastic: it sharpens the flavours, cuts through the oil, tenderises the meat and听ultimately lifts听the dish.听
Acidity plays a similar role in wine.听滨迟鈥檚听what gives a wine its freshness and definition, that quality that makes you want to go back for another sip. When听颈迟鈥檚听too low,听a wine becomes soft and shapeless.听
Acidity plays听an important role听in every style. In sweet wines, acidity is the counterweight that stops sugar from becoming cloying. In sparkling wines,听颈迟鈥檚听the taut backbone behind those fine bubbles. If听测辞耻鈥檙别听tasting a red wine听迟丑补迟鈥檚听matured gracefully for decades, acidity allowed it to听retain听its freshness long after the fruit had softened.听
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How to听assess听wine听acidity听
All wines听contain听tartaric acids from the grape juice. All reds and many whites also feature lactic acid, which is converted from malic acid.听听
These acids are odourless, so how do you assess acidity in wine?听听听
贬别谤别鈥檚听the good news: you听诲辞苍鈥檛听need any special equipment. Acidity is assessed on the palate, and your mouth does the job remarkably well.听
Take a sip and pay attention to what happens next.听For most people, acidity creates a sharp, tingling sensation,听which is detected most strongly at the sides of the tongue.听
However,听the real giveaway is听in your saliva.听The more your mouth waters, and the longer it waters, the higher the level of acidity in the wine.听
If 迟丑别谤别鈥檚 little salivation and the wine听feels听soft and rounded,听颈迟鈥檚听likely that听测辞耻鈥檙别听tasting a wine with low acidity.听By contrast, if your mouth starts to water quickly, and the effect lingers,听测辞耻鈥檙别听tasting a wine with higher acidity.听罢丑补迟鈥檚听your mouth trying to听restore its natural balance.听
贬别谤别鈥檚听a practical tip: make sure听测辞耻鈥檝别听drunk plenty of water before tasting. If听测辞耻鈥檙别听dehydrated, your salivation response will be听suppressed, and you may then underestimate acidity.听
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Which听taste and听contextual听clues听can听indicate听higher听acidity?听
Certain flavours are often associated with higher levels of acidity.听They serve as useful clues when听测辞耻鈥檙别听trying to work out a wine鈥檚 acid profile.听
If听测辞耻鈥檙别听picking up notes of lemon, lime,听grapefruit听or green apple听when tasting a white wine,听颈迟鈥檚听likely to听have a strong acidic backbone. Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chenin听Blanc听and听础濒产补谤颈帽辞听often have high acidity. Meanwhile, Viognier and听骋别飞眉谤锄迟谤补尘颈苍别谤听are often softer and more voluptuous.听
When it comes to red wines, notes of bright red fruit like cherries and cranberries can听indicate听higher acidity. Varieties like cool-climate Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Gamay often听benefit听from听high levels听of acidity.听
Context matters too.听Wines from cooler climates tend to听retain听more听of their听natural acidity, as the听grapes ripen more slowly听in those regions.听Chablis and the Mosel are classic examples. Both regions are renowned for yielding wines with pronounced acidity and freshness.听
Warmer climates often produce wines with lower levels of acidity, but high altitude and cool night temperatures can preserve their freshness.听
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What听affects听acidity in听wine?听
Climate is the single biggest influence听on a wine鈥檚 acidity. Wines tend to hold onto more of their tartaric and malic acid when they come from cooler regions.听
As temperatures rise during the ripening period, the vine metabolises the malic acid. This can cause warmer regions to produce wines with lower acidity. The same is true of warmer vintages.听滨迟鈥檚听also worth noting that grapes picked earlier in the season should听retain听more acid,听whereas听those left on the vine for longer will听retain听less.听
Winemakers also play a key role in shaping acidity. They can use malolactic fermentation to convert sharper malic acid into softer lactic acid. This creates a听rounder, creamier wine. It often comes down to house style. If producers want to create fresh wines, they block malolactic fermentation to听retain听that bright acidity.听
Producers听can also adjust the acidity. In warmer regions, they may add听tartaric acid in powder form听if the grape acid fell too far during ripening. Meanwhile, winemakers in cooler regions can add an alkaline substance to neutralise excess acid if the levels听诲颈诲苍鈥檛听fall sufficiently during the ripening period.听
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Factors听that听can听mask or听alter听perceived听acidity听
Acidity听诲辞别蝉苍鈥檛听always make a grand entrance onto the stage, and it can be overshadowed by the other听鈥�band听members鈥�.听The most common culprit is sweetness.听
A wine with high residual sugar can taste balanced and poised even when its acidity is听very high. Think of a well-made Sauternes, which is searingly acidic,听but comes across as luscious rather than sharp.听罢丑补迟鈥檚听because the sugar and acid are听working in harmony together. Taste a bone-dry Chablis with a comparable acid level and the acidity will feel far more prominent, simply because听迟丑别谤别鈥檚听nothing to temper it.听
This is听precisely听where the听aforementioned听salivation听test earns its听stripes. Regardless of how sweet a wine is, acidity will still make your mouth water. That response听诲辞别蝉苍鈥檛听lie.听
Alcohol can also听impact听your听perception听of a wine鈥檚 acidity. Some high alcohol wines can create a burning warmth, which may feel a little like acidity.听The distinction? Alcohol produces heat,听whereas听acidity produces salivation, so focus on which one听测辞耻鈥檙别听experiencing.听
The wine鈥檚 serving temperature also matters. If听测辞耻鈥檙别听presented with a wine听迟丑补迟鈥檚听too warm, it can听seem听flat and lacking in freshness. If the bottle is chilled a little, it can display its acidity with far greater clarity.听
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Acidity in听practice听
尝别迟鈥檚听say you taste听a cool-climate Chablis alongside a warm-climate, oak-aged Chardonnay. The Chablis should show pronounced acidity, with bright citrus flavours and a long, mouth-watering finish.听The oak-aged Chardonnay, which has been shaped by听malolactic fermentation and time in听the barrel, should feel rounder, softer,听more听buttery听and gentler on the palate.听滨迟鈥檚听the same grape, but a completely听different experience, and听迟丑补迟鈥檚听largely down听to acidity.听
German Riesling takes the lesson further. If you sip a bone-dry听Trocken听Riesling from the Mosel,听测辞耻鈥檙别听likely to experience bracing acidity, which can be exhilarating. Meanwhile, a sweeter听厂辫盲迟濒别蝉别听from the same region could have a similar level of acidity, but the residual sugar will completely change your听perception听of it, as it provides a delicate balance of richness and freshness.听
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The听bigger听picture听
Acidity may not always be the most obvious characteristic you notice when tasting wine, but听颈迟鈥檚听one of the most important.听It will shape the balance and freshness of the wine, and it will play听a major role听in helping the wine pair with foods.听
The good news is that听assessing听acidity in wine听is more straightforward than you might think. Make sure听测辞耻鈥檙别听well-hydrated, sip the wine, and听consider how听much your mouth waters and for how long. Focus on what can influence acidity and what can mask it, and听测辞耻鈥檒濒听soon be able to quickly detect a wine鈥檚 acidity levels.听
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About the author
Martin Green is an experienced writer who has covered the wine trade since 2012. He was previously the editor of Drinks International and Drinks Retailing, and he also writes regular articles for Decanter.
