Acidity

There are three main elements in a wine: acid, fruit and tannin. Acidity measures how tart the wine tastes. Minimal acidity will lead to a smooth or even dull and flat wine. An abundance of acidity makes a wine too sour, which can be called acrid or sharp. A balanced amount of acidity allows a crisp and mellowly-tart taste to prevail. In addition to affecting the taste of a wine, acidity helps the wine stay fresh.

Wines can contain both the natural acids from the grapes as well as acids that result from the fermentation process. The natural acids of a wine grape are citric, malic and tartaric. Common acids that arise from fermentation include acetic, carbonic, lactic and succinic.

Tartaric acid is the biggest player to bestow the crispness and longevity that acid brings to a wine. When a wine is chilled, the tartaric acid can create (harmless) crystal-like drops in the wine and on the bottom of the cork. The second biggest natural acid, malic acid, gives the wine a bit of fruity flavor (think Granny Smith apples). Citric acid is the smallest acid donor of the three natural acids; as you may expect, citric acid brings a lemon taste to a wine.

Acetic acid, when present in a wine in a relatively large amount, makes a wine taste like vinegar. Carbonic acid is prevalent in sparking wines. Lactic acid is a result of Malolactic Fermentation, during which the malic acid, a harsh acid, turns into lactic acid, a smoother-tasting acid. Yes, it is the same lactic acid associated with milk. Succinic acid contributes more of a salty bitter flavor to a wine.

Acidity can sometimes be found on the wine label. Less than 0.6% acidity will lead to a dry wine, while greater than 0.6% indicates a sweet wine.