Many drinks (and a lot of foods) are acidic, including orange juice, cola, beer and wine. Even red wine. We don’t always notice if the drink is also sweet. Acidity provides a refreshing note that makes a wine taste vibrant and crisp. Wines that are low in acidity can taste a bit dull and flabby. Wine generally contains naturally occurring tartaric, lactic, malic and citric acids. These have an influence on the colour, balance, taste and longevity of a wine. Along with sweetness, tannins and alcohol, acid is one of the four components in a wine.
Some wines have higher acidity than others. White wines have more acidity than red, while some grape varieties have a higher natural acidity. As grapes ripen on the vine, sugar levels increase, and acidity drops at the same time. A producer who wants a crisp refreshing wine will harvest early to retain acidity.
The most acidic wines tend to come from cooler regions. As anybody who suffers from dyspepsia can tell you, wines such as Champagne, riesling, Muscadet, and sauvignon blanc tend to have higher acidity. Both red and white wines from warmer wine regions tend to have lower acidity.
Acidity is not always obvious. Many dessert wines have high acidity to keep them fresh-tasting, but it is masked by the sweetness. Fizzy soft drinks tend to be high in acidity to balance the sweetness.
A winemaker is allowed to adjust the acidity in a wine. This can be done naturally through malolactic fermentation which changes the tart malic acid into a softer lactic acid, making the wine smoother. This is done with all red wines and some white wines. A winemaker can also deacidify by adding calcium carbonate, or increase acidity usually by adding tartaric acid or ascorbic acid. These would be added in small amounts during fermentation.
I know that some consumers see the term “acidic” as a negative in wine tasting descriptions. Yet it is part of every wine and getting the right balance of fruit, acidity and sweetness is what makes a great wine.
