With my newfound navigator, “body style,” guiding me through the maze of wines, I began to notice that, in fact, wines did tend to exhibit their inherent body styles fairly consistently. I found, generally, that Chenin Blancs, Rieslings, Pinot Grigios and Sauvignon Blancs had lighter bodies than, say, Napa Chardonnays. For reds, I noted that Beaujolais, Pinot Noirs and Merlots were lighter bodied than Cabernet Sauvignons, Syrahs and Zinfandels. But I still needed more specifics before I could better distinguish one wine from another.

As I swirled and spilled my way through various tastings, I perceived differences that nothing to do with one being heavier or lighter bodied than another. I observed that Sauvignon Blancs, for example, had much more “zing” than, say, a Chardonnay. And further, I noticed that certain reds, especially Beaujolais and Pinot Noirs displayed, among other qualities, a livelier personality than, say, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. So why did certain wines have more zip on my palate than others? What was that lively boost, that pleasant, somewhat edgy palate tingle?

That distinguishing element was “acidity.” One noted British wine expert has called acidity “the nervous system of wine … it gives (it) purpose, life, zing, and finish.” If you’ve puckered up after biting into a Granny Smith apple, you know acidity. If you’ve ever spit out an unripe grape, you really know acidity. And if you’ve brewed yourself a cup of tea, you won’t experience acidity at all. That is, until you enliven it with a couple squeezes of lemon juice, the high priestess of acidity. Acidity in wines should be viewed accordingly.

There are several types of acid in wines, and without them, wine just wouldn’t be wine. At least not for long, because wine needs acidity to survive. The level of acidity in wines is determined by the inherent nature of the underlying grape from which it is made, as well as the geographical region where it is grown. Cool northern weather locations, in Germany for example, tend to produce higher acid wines than, say, the warmer southern vineyards of France’s Rhone valley. And while both red and white wines have acidity, it’s with the whites where it’s most important and where you should focus your palate’s attention. Wines with too little acidity are described as flat, dull, or flabby. Those with too much are lean, angular or tart. Whites with a balanced acidity level are “crisp.” Individual palates differ greatly, and one person’s soft, low acid wine may be another’s screeching, electro-shock ordeal. So, look for the ones that give you that crisp, lingering finish and refresh your palate between bites of your loved one’s latest gourmet creation.

— Tom Barras