WHAT IS ACIDITY IN WINE?

SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT POINTS

• The principal acids of wine are tartaric and malic.
• Volatile acidity (undesirable) is due to acetic acid (vinegar).
• Cool climate grapes have high acid and low sugar.
• Warm climate grapes have low acid and high sugar.
• The malolactic fermentation can be used to lower acidity of wine.
• Total acidity is reported as grams of tartaric acid per 100 mL of wine.
• Table wines generally have a total acidity of 0.6 to 0.7%.
• Sweet white dessert wines generally have a total acidity above 1% to balance the sugar.
• pH is a measure of “active” acidity.
• The lower the pH, the higher the acidity; the higher the pH, the lower the acidity.
• Table wines generally have a pH between 3.3 and 3.7.