One word we don’t seem to like when buying wine – acid.

Acid is however, very important in wine. It gives structure, balance and adds a refreshing quality; without it a wine can be described as ‘flabby’ (flat and dull) and will not age well. If acid is too high, the wine will taste sour. 

Wines from cooler regions can have higher acid levels which may not be to one’s taste, however many dessert wines have high acid too; the acid is needed to balance the often high levels of residual sugar in the wine. Acid should make a wine balanced, fresh and appealing, but we shouldn’t necessarily overtly detect it.

A climatic factor which gives a wine ‘good’ acid levels is altitude.  In many parts of the world, altitude offers cooler temperatures, giving vines a respite from otherwise searing temperatures, in turn making a wine more elegant and complex. Altitude enables grapes to ripen slowly and therefore protect delicate aromas and flavours. This is true of many famous areas, from the Douro Valley for Port to southern France for Muscats; this is repeated the world over, for many styles of wine.

Salta, Argentina - highest
vineyards in the world

For those of you who are studying this or like to get your science geek on, this is an interesting blog that explains acid thoroughly.

Here are some perfectly scrumptious wines, all from areas of altitude.  Don’t be wary of acid; embrace what it adds to your wine. Along with sugars, tannins, aromas and flavours, it is all part of the delicate balance of art and science needed to be a winemaker.

New World

Currently the highest vineyards in the world are in Salta, Argentina; at nearly 10 thousand feet high, towering over our European equivalents. These high altitudes help the winemakers produce consistent wines, with white grapes like Chardonnay, Semillion, Viognier and Torrontes all faring well. Santa Julia Chardonnay (Waitrosedirect.com) is a snip at £7.49. The grapes ripen slowly allowing for good tropical fruit flavours with perfectly balanced acidity, giving a crisp finish to the warm, tropical fruit. This is kept fresh and bright by avoiding oak which usually is best for wines which are not fruit forward and made for drinking young.

Old World

The highest vineyards are located on Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy, at around 3,600 feet; small fry compared to the heights of the New World! Nevertheless, the effect is the same and not only that, old vines are a key feature; which show concentrated and powerful flavours that make the wines so beautiful and moreish.  This wine is a perfect example (Laithwaites, from £13.99). A grape that may be new to you, Nerello, is indigenous to this area, often blended to add its robust qualities to a wine.  Altitude gives a fresh acidity balanced with cherry and other red fruit flavours.  This example is also aged in a barrel for a year adding a toasty character.