One of the things many people track in a wine tasting note is a wine’s acidity.
This was something I struggled with identifying for quite a while.
With some wines, I knew I felt a tinge along the sides of my tongue, but I didn’t know just what that was… and I felt a little silly asking about it, to be honest. (Why are we so intimidated by something that is supposed to be fun?!?)
Finally I tasted 2008 Francois Labet Vieilles Vignes Bourgogne Chardonnay and I knew at first sip that tingle just had to be the acidity in the wine.
It gave the wine a nice structure and crisp quality to balance the other softer flavors.
If you are looking to identify the acidity in a wine, or actually any element or flavor, be sure you are letting the wine flow over all of your tongue.
Your tongue tastes and experiences different things in different parts, so rolling the wine over the whole surface will allow you to taste more than if you just swallowed the wine right away.
In detecting acidity, pay attention to any tingles along the sides of your tongue or even farther back in the glands along your neck. Think of a tart candy, but back it down a little and you’ll be able to identify the taste and sensation in your next glass of wine.
Have you noticed the acidity of a wine lately? How would you describe it?
