A Beginner’s Guide to Acidity, Tannin, and Body
If you've ever taken a sip of wine and thought, "I like it, but I don't know why," you're not alone.
Learning about wine’s structure — acidity, tannin, and body — can turn wine from something confusing into something understandable. It brings clarity.
The best part? You don’t need to be a sommelier.
You just need a little vocabulary, and you’ll start tasting with a new level of confidence.
Let’s break it down.
Acidity: The Mouthwatering Effect
Acidity is what makes a wine feel fresh, crisp, and lively.
It's the same sensation you get when you bite into a slice of lemon or a green apple — that bright zip that makes you salivate.
How to recognize acidity:
After a drink, does your mouth start to water?
Does the wine feel refreshing or sharp on your tongue?
Does it make your teeth slightly hurt?
If you tilt your head forward with your mouth open, do you drool a little?
If yes, you're noticing acidity at work.
High-acid wines feel energetic and vibrant. Low-acid wines feel softer and rounder.
What affects acidity in wine:
Grape variety: Genetics set the baseline.
Climate: Cooler climates preserve acidity; warmer climates soften it.
Harvest timing: Early harvest = higher acid, lower sugar; late harvest = lower acid, higher sugar.
Winemaking decisions: Acid adjustments and malolactic fermentation (MLF) can modify acidity.
Alcohol levels: Higher alcohol can make a wine feel softer and lower in perceived acidity.
Residual sugar: Sweetness and acidity balance each other on the palate.
Examples of high-acid wines:
Sauvignon Blanc
Albariño
Riesling (dry or sweet)
Sangiovese
Champagne (and cool-climate Chardonnay like Chablis)
Nebbiolo
Cabernet Franc
Pinot Noir
Examples of low-acid wines:
Viognier
Gewürztraminer
Marsanne
Roussanne
Merlot
Zinfandel
Syrah
Warm-climate Chardonnay
Acidity is unrelated to sweetness, although they interact closely.
For example:
A Sauternes is very sweet but low in acid — it feels syrupy, cloying, and flat.
A sweet Riesling or demi-sec Champagne is both sweet and high in acid — it feels refreshing, lively, and leaves you wanting another sip.
Acidity is especially critical in sweet wines because it keeps them balanced and refreshing.
It also plays a key role in aging:
Acidity slows oxidation, helping wines maintain freshness and brightness over time.
It allows primary (fruity, floral) flavors to linger while secondary and tertiary notes (earth, mushroom, forest floor) emerge gracefully.
Tannin: The Tea-Like Grip
Tannin is a naturally occurring compound found in grape skins, seeds, and stems.
It's responsible for that drying, slightly bitter sensation you feel in your mouth after drinking certain wines — especially reds.
Think about black tea, black coffee, dark chocolate, walnuts, pecans, or the chalky fuzziness from an unripe banana — that’s tannin in action.
How to recognize tannin:
After swallowing, do your gums or the sides of your mouth feel dry or fuzzy?
Does the wine leave a slight roughness or grip on your tongue or teeth?
Wines with lots of tannin feel firm and structured.
Wines with softer tannins feel smoother and easier on the palate.
Why tannin matters:
Tannin molecules bind to fat in your mouth and strip it away, creating a drying sensation.
The more tannic the wine, the drier your mouth feels over time — which is why food pairing is so important with highly tannic wines.
Example:
A sip of young Cabernet Sauvignon alone might feel astringent.
A bite of ribeye or Manchego replenishes fat in the mouth — the tannins bind to it instead, and the wine feels smoother and more luxurious.
Tannin also plays a key role in aging:
Over time, tannin chains polymerize (they link together into longer, softer molecules).
This makes young, aggressive wines (like Barolo) soften into elegant, silky older wines after 20–40 years.
Eventually, some tannins fall out as sediment — another sign of bottle aging.
What affects tannin in wine:
Grape variety: Natural tannin levels vary.
Growing environment: Impacts grape development and ripeness.
Ripeness: Green and bitter vs. ripe and smooth tannins.
Winemaking: Skin contact time, fermentation temperature, stem inclusion.
Oak aging: New oak can contribute additional tannins.
Bottle aging: Softens and integrates tannins over time.
Examples of high-tannin grapes:
Cabernet Sauvignon
Nebbiolo (Barolo, Barbaresco)
Syrah/Shiraz
Malbec
Tannat
Mourvèdre
Examples of low-tannin grapes:
Pinot Noir
Gamay
Grenache
Body: The Weight of the Wine
Body refers to the weight and texture of the wine in your mouth — not the flavor.
Think about milk:
Skim milk = light-bodied
Whole milk = full-bodied
How to recognize body:
Does the wine feel light and almost watery? (Light-bodied)
Or does it feel rich, coating, and heavy? (Full-bodied)
What affects body in wine:
Alcohol level (higher alcohol = fuller body)
Grape variety (some grapes naturally produce richer wines)
Climate (warmer climates → fuller-bodied wines)
Winemaking techniques (like oak aging, lees stirring)
Examples of wine by body style:
Light-bodied: Pinot Noir, Gamay (Beaujolais), Vinho Verde, unoaked wines
Medium-bodied: Merlot, Chardonnay
Full-bodied: Zinfandel, Malbec, oaked Chardonnay
Matching body with food:
Light-bodied wines = great with delicate dishes (salads, seafood)
Full-bodied wines = pair best with richer foods (steak, creamy pastas)
Putting It All Together
Acidity, tannin, and body are the basic building blocks of how a wine feels when you taste it.
You don't need to memorize dozens of tasting notes or obscure fruit descriptions — just start noticing:
Does my mouth water? → Acidity
Do my gums dry out? → Tannin
Does the wine feel light, medium, or full in my mouth? → Body
With just these three simple ideas, you'll start understanding wine the way professionals do — and you’ll feel much more confident choosing what you love and describing why you love it.
Coming Soon:
This June, Provenance will be hosting a live Masterclass all about tasting wine with confidence and diving deeper into acidity, tannin, body, and more, in a hands-on, approachable way.
Stay tuned for details.
I'd love to see you there!
