Acidity 101

Discover Acidity in Wine

Acidity is what keeps wine tasting fresh and vibrant. It gives wines a tangy, sour taste, contributing to the overall balance of a wine. A great way to detect the acidity of a wine is by assessing how much it makes your mouth water. For example, think about what your mouth does right when you enjoy freshly picked raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Does your mouth water? 1. Raywell Grenache 2022, Clare Valley (Low Acidity) The low acidity in this easy Clare Valley red makes is very approachable. The Raywell wines always focus on structure and drinkability. This Grenache is a perfect example with cherry berry spice and soft, plush tannins. It's juicy, round and so easy to love, in a mode that feels like you can't stop at one glass.

More Acid Baby!

Now take that punnet of forest berries and boil them with a bit of sugar...it's become candied, rich and jammy. Again does it make your mouth water as much as the fresh berries or less so? 2. Tenuta Bellamora Nero d'Avola 2024, Sicily (Medium Acidity) Marsala, where the Tenuta Bellamora winery sits, is probably more famous for fortified wines than it is for bright, organic modern reds and whites, but it is here that we find some of Italy's greatest finds. Indeed, we stumbled across these wines at an Italian roadshow a year or so back, and we were immediately in love. A Nero here on the slightly greener, fresher end of the spectrum. This is peppery and delicious, with lovely stemmy notes, plenty of energy and primary fruit character from top to bottom. An honest wine with plenty of personality.

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Some red varieties like Pinot Noir, Gamay and Barbera are naturally high in acidity. On the other hand, varieties like Merlot or Grenache are typically low to medium. However, you can always pick any grape a bit earlier to deliver more acidity. Let's put this to the test! Try taking a small sip of wine and take notice of how much your cheeks start to roll with saliva. The more saliva you feel dropping, the higher the acidity! Now grab a napkin, for Pete's sake! 3. Hither & Yon Aglianico 2019, McLaren Vale (High Acidity) Aglianico famously makes some of the most brooding and savoury of the southern Italian red wines, and this McLaren Vale red is such a hearty black wine yet also with a real firm acid fresh tang. Powerful, a bit rustic, and seriously intense, it's a red wine of grip and grunt, tarry black liquorice and then a palate that goes for days, with the extra year or so of ageing really softening the edges. All you need is a hearty dish to match!