The Taste Sensations of Wine & Acidity

Published on: June 2, 2002

by Dennis Manuel

ACID - A compound present in all grapes, and an essential component of wine that preserves it, enlivens and shapes its flavors and helps prolong its aftertaste. There are four major kinds of acids--tartaric, malic, lactic, and citric--found in wine. Acid is identifiable by the crisp, sharp character it imparts to a wine. [Glossary of Wine Terms from THE WINE SPECTATOR]

There are four major taste sensations on the tongue. Bitterness, at the very back of the tongue; Acidity on the sides; Saltiness, just behind the tip on the sides; Sweetness, at the very tip. When you add the nose and the nuances of each sensation, you begin to get complexity.

So, you don't take a sip of wine and go, "ah ha! Acid!." All those sensations meld together. But, an experienced wine taster can identify each sensation, and how they are balanced. Too much acid and the wine is "sharp." To little acid and it's "flabby."

Think of acidity as the freshness, or liveliness of any drink. It is the prickly sensation on the sides of your tongue.

Acid is a natural occurrence in wine, but sometimes it's too much. When this happens the winemaker puts the wine through a second fermentation process known as ML, or "Malolactic." This process takes the "malo" acid, which is the stronger acid, and converts it into "lactic" acid, which is the softer acid. Most red wines go through the malolactic fermentation, and some white wines go through it.

Chardonnay is a prime candidate of malolactic fermentation. When you get a Chardonnay that has a full, buttery taste to it, it has been through a malolactic fermentation. This is a matter of taste. Some people like the full, buttery flavor, others don't. Too much malolactic, and you end up with a "flabby" wine.

Many winemakers do not use the malolactic fermentation with white wine at all, and those working with Rieslings and Sauvignon Blanc rarely do. A Sauvignon Blanc, for instance, is often described as "grassy", and "crisp", but never buttery.

In white wines, acidity is the principle element of its structure, due to the absence of tannins. Tannins are orange, amber and yellow in color, and are one of the main elements of structure in a red wine. Red or white, too much or too little acidity is readily apparent, by using the "sharp" or "flabby" taste test.

Terms used in wine tasting can be confusing. Tannins, for instance are a sensation, not a taste. Sweetness is a taste. Salty is a taste. Acid is a taste. The balance of taste and sensation is the key to good winemaking. Your personal tastes dictate whether or not the wine is appealing to you. Sugar moderates acidity. That is why a sweet wine doesn't have that liveliness, or prickly sensation on the sides of your tongue, like a crisp Sauvignon Blanc does. Neither does a Chardonnay that goes through a full malolactic fermentation.

It is also why Chardonnays that are 100% ML are so popular in the United States. Our palates are weaned on sweet syrupy soft drinks. Sugar cuts acid. So, we are not used to high acid drinks.

Think of acid as a good and necessary thing in your wine, that is easily identifiable. Different varietals produce different levels of acid, and only you know what you like. If acidity is the problem, then you can determine that on your own.

Give it the roll around your mouth taste test. If it's a Chardonnay and it's too soft or "flabby", chances are it's had too much "ML", and you should try a different grape, like a Riesling or a Sauvignon Blanc, or a different brand of Chardonnay. Same thing if the wine is too astringent, change varietal or brand.

Acidity is a good and necessary thing. It's balance is the key.

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