What Is Acidity in Wine? Understanding Wine Acidity

When an expert says that a wine is acidic, what exactly do they mean? While it’s often overlooked, the acidity in your favorite Chablis or Pinot Noir is crucial in shaping the wine’s taste. Think of acidity as the backbone of wine—it punctuates the fruit flavors, adds structure and gives a refreshing finish. This “zing” means every sip is balanced—not too sweet or flat. Put simply, acidity helps bring your wine to life.

What Is Acidity?

Acidity refers to the tart, crisp or slightly sour tastes you sometimes experience when you take a sip of wine. It’s one of the fundamental elements of wine that shapes its flavor profile, mouthfeel and overall balance. A wine’s acidity comes mainly from the grapes themselves and can vary based on the type of grape, the climate of the vineyards and when the grapes are harvested.

Three main types of acid contribute to a wine’s acidity: tartaric, malic and citric acid.

Tartaric acid is the most dominant and contributes to the wine’s tart taste.
Malic acid is commonly associated with the crisp sourness of a green apple and brings a refreshing aspect to the wine.
Citric acid is the least prominent acid in grapes. To increase the wine’s acidity, it can sometimes be added in small amounts during winemaking.

But how acidic is wine, exactly? Wine typically falls between a pH of 2.5-4.5, leaning towards the acidic side of the pH scale. To put that into perspective, it’s less acidic than citrus fruits like lemon (with a pH of around 2) but slightly more acidic than black coffee (with a pH of around 5). The lower the pH, the higher the acidity and the sharper the taste; the higher the PH, the rounder and softer the mouthfeel.

Is Red Wine Acidic?

Yes, red wine has a certain level of acidity. However, the acidity levels in red wine tend to be slightly lower than in white wine. Acidity is important in red wine as it helps to highlight the fruit flavors and create a refreshing finish. The exact level of acidity can vary depending on several factors, such as the grape variety, the climate in which the grapes are grown and certain winemaking processes.

Is White Wine Acidic?

White wine is typically more acidic than red wine. This acidity is what gives white wine its refreshing and crisp qualities. The acidity balances out the fruit flavors (and any sweetness) in the wine, enhancing its complexity and making it more enjoyable to drink.

How to Detect Acidity in Wine

The acidity of wine shapes your sensory experience, influencing flavor and mouthfeel. High acidity gives wine a crisp, tart taste—a little like biting into a freshly picked apple. Low-acid wines, on the other hand, tend to feel softer and rounder on the palate, providing a smoother, softer drinking experience.

A good way to check a wine’s acidity is by observing how much saliva it generates when you take a sip, similar to how a crunchy apple can make your mouth water. After taking a small sip of wine, open your mouth wide and pay attention to the feeling in your cheeks. If you notice that your mouth produces more saliva than usual, the wine has high acidity. The less your mouth waters, the lower the wine’s acidity. This interaction between tartness and the mouthwatering response is crucial for wine tasting and appreciation.

Why is Acidity Important in Wine?

Acidity is a vital characteristic of wine, contributing to its unique flavor and appeal. Here’s why:

1. Acidity Balances the Flavors in Wine

A wine’s acidity helps to offset its ripe fruit flavors, preventing it from seeming overly sweet or flabby. Similarly, it balances the heat of the alcohol and the dryness of tannins, ensuring that neither of these elements dominate the wine. This helps to maintain a balanced flavor profile.

2. It Primes the Palate for Food

The effect that acidity has on our mouths makes wine a perfect food companion. The mouthwatering sensation of a wine with balanced acidity prepares our taste buds and enhances our food’s flavors. It also makes for a refreshing contrast to rich, hearty dishes. This is why high-acid wines are often recommended for pairing with creamy or rich dishes.

3. It Gives the Wine Character

Acidity can help to breathe life into a wine. The tart, zesty element gives the wine a brightness that makes it more enjoyable. If you’ve ever described a wine as “crisp” or “fresh,” this was probably down to its well-balanced acidity.

4. Acidity Helps Wine to Age

Wines with higher acidity levels are known to age well because their flavors evolve and deepen over time. The acidity acts as a natural preservative, helping to maintain the wine’s integrity as it matures in its bottle.

5. It Contributes to the Wine’s Complexity

A wine with high acidity will gradually reveal layers of taste and aroma. The tart taste gives other elements—like fruit, alcohol and tannins—a backdrop to make themselves known, which allows for a more rounded and expressive wine.

Where Does Wine Get Its Acidity?

The acidity in wine comes primarily from the grape, and these two factors can have an important influence on how much acidity a grape contains:

Climate—This plays an important role in determining the level of acidity present in a grape. In cooler climates, grapes ripen at a slower pace and maintain their acidity better than in warmer climates. So, wines produced in cooler regions, like Champagne in France and Mosel in Germany, tend to have higher acidity. In warmer climates such as Napa Valley in California or Barossa Valley in Australia, grapes ripen more quickly, often leading to lower acidity levels and a fruitier, bolder taste profile.
Winemaking—The winemaking process can also affect a wine’s acidity. One common practice that winemakers employ is “malolactic fermentation” (MLF), a process whereby harsh malic acid in the wine is converted into softer, creamier lactic acid by lactic acid bacteria. This process reduces the overall acidity and contributes to a smoother, rounder mouthfeel, and can also introduce buttery, creamy notes, as well as aromas and flavors of toasted bread and nuttiness. It’s often used in wines like Chardonnay and certain reds to provide more body and complexity.

Managing acidity is a delicate balancing act. Too little can leave a wine tasting flat and lifeless, while too much can lead to an overly tart wine. This is where the winemaker’s skill and artistry come into play—they must strike the perfect balance and ensure the resulting wine is delicious and enjoyable.

What Grapes and Wines Are Known for Their High Acidity?

Both red and white grape varieties are known for their high acidity. Examples of high-acidity grapes include:

White grapes

Sauvignon Blanc—This grape, especially in cooler climates like France’s Loire Valley or New Zealand, produces wines with crisp acidity. These wines often have refreshing flavors of citrus, gooseberry and sometimes distinctive grassy notes.
Riesling—German Rieslings are known for high acidity and a wide range of sweetness levels. The acidity helps balance the sweetness in off-dry styles, while dry versions are zesty and refreshing, often with flavors of green apple, lime and mineral complexity.

Red grapes

Pinot Noir—Typically cultivated in cooler climates like France’s Burgundy region and Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Pinot Noir has a bright acidity. This enhances its complex aromas of red fruits (like strawberry and cherry) and earthy undertones.
Sangiovese—This Italian grape, the primary grape variety in the wines of Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino, has a vibrant acidity. It complements the wine’s red fruit flavors and herbal notes, creating a balanced profile that shines when paired with food.

Certain wine styles known for their high acidity include:

Chablis—Chablis is a Chardonnay-based wine made in northern Burgundy, France. It is known for its crisp acidity and mineral notes. It often has flavors of green apple, citrus and what’s often described as “wet stone.”
Champagne—The world’s most popular sparkling wine has high acidity levels. This gives Champagne its refreshing quality, balancing its flavors of citrus, green apple, nuts and stone fruit that develop through the traditional method of secondary fermentation in the bottle.

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