A wine's acidity, or pucker power typically measured by pH levels, is what brings a delicious liveliness to a sip of wine, especially white wines. Think lemonade, vinegar, dill pickles - all acidic foods that make your mouth water and prepare for the next sip or bite. A wine's acidity comes from the grape's juice (called must) itself or as an add-in during the winemaking process. Acidity levels vary a bit, with some grapes and climates showing much higher acidity than others depending on the type of grape and location of the vineyard.


 

Why Wine Needs Acidity:

It's a food thing. Acidity brightens the flavor of virtually any food. Think a squeeze of lemon on lobster or sushi, a dash of balsamic vinegar with Parmesan cheese, or tangy barbecue sauce with baby back ribs - when paired together the flavors of each are amplified. The same holds true with wine and illustrates why wine and food are made for each other. The acidity in wine literally makes the mouth water and brings out the best in food. Interested in taking a hands-on approach to discover how a wine's acidity plays with particular foodie favorites? Then check out our beginner's guide to good food and wine pairings. 

Where to Find Acidity in Wine:

Acidity is perceived as a tart or sour sensation on the palate, typically on the sides of the tongue and cheek. While white wines are known for carrying higher levels of acidity, all wines carry some level of acidity. If you are looking for an acid rush, then scout for specific types of wine grapes: Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gruner Veltliner.

Cooler wine growing climates (like Germany, Sancerre, France, Champagne, France and Alto Adige, Italy) produce wines with greater levels of acidity because it can be harder for grapes to fully ripen and acidity hangs a bit tighter when the grape's sugar levels remain lower. 

Wine Speak - Code Words that Really Mean Acidity: 

Most wine pros steer clear of describing a wine as "acidic," it's not exactly a word that charms new would-be consumers towards a wine, but for those in the know, who realize that a wine's acidity plays a key role in food pairing bliss, there are some acid-induced buzz words to keep on the shortlist. Wine labels are full of snazzy synonyms for acidity. The most common veiled acidity descriptions include: fresh, bright, crisp, lively, tangy, tart, racy, refreshing, zesty and other equally peppy words. 

Acidity and Wine by the Numbers: 

Categorized by low, medium and high levels of acidity, all wines fall somewhere on the ongoing spectrum. Sweeter styled wines have an exceptional need for higher levels of acidity. When a wine holds a considerable amount of residual sugar and not enough acidity to balance it out, the wine will taste too sweet, sometimes called "flabby" in wine speak. 

So what specific levels of acidity are we talking about anyway? Starting with a quick chemistry review, pH can be used as a measure of the wine's innate acidity. On the pH scale, zero is completely acidic and 14 is completely alkaline. While most foods tend to lean towards the more acidic end of the scale, there are delicious exceptions. Most wines fall between a pH of 3.0 and 4.0, with whites leaning harder to the 3.0 side and reds scooting towards a pH of 3.5 to 4.0 (this is compared to other beverages like coffee with a pH of around 5.0 and water weighing in at a pH of 7.0). Lower levels of pH typically give a wine more intense color profiles and often more aromatic expression. However, all of these numbers really come into play when wine is introduced to food.

Food and Wine Chemistry 101:

When food is served with a wine that is less acidic than the wine itself, the pairing can be perfected by adding a splash of zesty acidity to the dish (this splash may be in the form of fresh lemon, pickled ginger, balsamic vinegar and the like). On the other hand, if the dish is showing itself to be more acidic than the pairing wine, a sprinkle of salt will pop the pH up and push the acidity down a bit, allowing the wine to work with the dish instead of against it. 

Tasting for Acidity: 

All this talk of acidity and really the way to understand acidity's significant influence on a wine is to taste it for yourself. A simple side-by-side tasting of two or three wines will highlight the palate differences in a flash. 

Wine #1:Sauvignon Blanc with High Acidity (choose a Sauvignon Blanc from France or New Zealand. If going for France look for place names like Sancerre from the Loire Valley). 

Wine #2: Chardonnay from California with Low to Medium Acidity (If you are not sure, ask your local wine retailer to recommend a Chardonnay that tips a little lower on the acidity scale, from one of California's warmer regions).

Wine #3: German Riesling with High Acidity and Higher Sugar Levels (Look for a German Riesling with lower alcohol levels in the 8.5% range to ensure that it is on the sweeter side. A quick sip, will show high acidity handles high sugar levels in a delicious, yin-yang sort of fashion). 

Serve all three wines chilled and work from wine #1 to wine #3, comparing aromas and taste sensations. Pay attention to which wines make your mouth water most and then shake it up and serve with food (goat cheese is a favorite for Sauvignon Blanc and anything with a hint of Asian spice brings out the best in Riesling). How did the wines handle the food? Which wine did you enjoy the most? Do you dig the acid or prefer low levels of acidity?

Acidity is really what brings the vibe to a bottle of wine. Allowing wines to pair with an astounding variety of foods, keeping the wine's color vibrant, and carrying aromatics to higher levels, a wine's innate acidity carries the core of the wine.