There are some days – after a stressful presentation at work, or in the high heat of summer – when a crisp white wine sounds like just the refreshment you need. But while you might know crisp white wine when it’s in your glass, you might not know exactly why it tastes that way. We will help you figure out what makes a white wine crisp so you’ll be ableThere are some days – after a stressful presentation at work, or in the high heat of summer – when a crisp white wine sounds like just the refreshment you need. But while you might know crisp white wine when it’s in your glass, you might not know exactly why it tastes that way. We will help you figure out what makes a white wine crisp so you’ll be able to pick it out for yourself.
Wines contain several different perceptible tastes, such as sweetness, acidity, alcohol level, and tannin. It’s the first two that will most inform whether you’re drinking a wine that might be considered crisp. The drier a wine - the more sugar is fermented out - the crisper it will taste. Think of it like drinking a soda versus drinking straight lemon juice. Though the soda actually contains a fair amount of acid, you can’t really taste it as clearly because of the high sweetness level. In your lemon juice, there’s no sugar to mask the acidic taste, so it comes through in that lip-puckering way. High acidity levels in a wine also contribute to a crisp-tasting profile. As a grape ripens, its acids are replaced with sugars - if you’ve ever eaten an under-ripe grape, you know there’s a reason they’re not picked any earlier. In the winemaking process, since all of the sugar is fermented out for dry wines, the earlier a grape is picked, the higher its acid levels, which definitely comes through in the finished wine. ...more ...less
You can find crisp white wines by looking for earlier-ripening varieties that are fermented to dryness. These wines will also tend to be from recent vintages, as they aren’t the longest agers. Though red wines can be both dry and high acid, they are not generally considered crisp, so the category belongs to white and sparkling wines (and some lighter rosés). Varieties to try include Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Albariño,You can find crisp white wines by looking for earlier-ripening varieties that are fermented to dryness. These wines will also tend to be from recent vintages, as they aren’t the longest agers. Though red wines can be both dry and high acid, they are not generally considered crisp, so the category belongs to white and sparkling wines (and some lighter rosés). Varieties to try include Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Albariño, and Grüner Veltliner. Crisp white wines are fantastic on their own, but can also go well with food, particularly anything that’s from the sea. ...more ...less
