Acidity

A wine that tastes “crisp” has high levels of acidity; one that tastes weak and flabby has low levels. Acidity is one of the elements that preserves wine while it ages; young whites, in particular, which are destined for long bottle ageing, can seem extremely high in acidity when they are young. Acidity levels do not fall with time, but wines gradually begin to taste softer and rounder as the edge is taken off. The higher the residual sugar in a wine, the more acidity it needs to make it balanced.