Appears in
Oxford Companion to Wine

By Jancis Robinson

Published 2006

  • About

acidity is a general term for the fresh, tart, or sour taste produced by the natural organic acids present in a liquid and one of the primary tastes sensed by tastebuds on the tongue (see tasting). Wines, together with most other refreshing or appetizing drinks, owe their attractive qualities to a proper balance between this acidic character and the sweet and bitter sensations of other components. All refreshing drinks contain some acidity, which is typically sensed on the human palate by a prickling sensation on the sides of the tongue.