Acidity (aka freshness) is the sour taste in wine and food. Acidity is a component of great wines-and champagne-that are in balance with their other fundamental traits: sweetness, alcohol, and tannins. In champagne, it is the acidity that gives its pleasant and refreshing crispness. Acidity also contributes to the aging ability of wine–the higher the content, the longer the wine will be able to age before tasting flat and dull. Given its natural high acidity, champagne needs to age at least 15 months by law for non-vintage champagnes and 36 months for vintage champagnes. This way, the initial high acidity drops, while champagne can developing new aromas and thinner bubbles. The majority of champagnes also undergo malolactic fermentation to soften its natural high acidity.
If you want to learn more about the Champagne terroir and production process, and about the best Champagne houses and wines, check out my new Champagne Guide on Amazon.
