Striking a balance

Put all these elements together in one wine, and if the result is to be a harmonious, delicious wine, balance is crucial. As a general rule, the parts of the wine that give it what is called “backbone” - tannin and acidity -need to be balanced by fruit and sweetness. A wine that is all fruit or sweetness will be flabby; one that is all tannin and acidity will be “tough” or “hard”.