When tasting wine, balance is often a background thought. It’s natural to focus on the flavors or the wine’s body, but the overall balance is just as important. Balance refers to the mix of sweetness, alcohol, fruitiness, acidity, and tannins – all things that can be tasted and felt in the wine. Finding balance is tough and can make the difference between a average wine and a great one.
To achieve balance in wine chemistry, all components need to work together. A wine with too much acidity or tannin can overpower and leave a sour taste.
On the other hand, too much sweetness can make the wine too cloying and hide other flavors. The right balance makes the wine harmonious and pleasing.
The place where wine is tasted can also change the feeling of balance. For example, a wine with a good balance of tannins and acidity may taste too acidic in a hot, humid environment, or too tannic in a cool, dry one.
Food can also affect the perception of balance. For example, a wine with high acidity goes well with fatty, creamy dishes as the fat balances out the acidity. Similarly, a high-tannin wine goes well with dishes with high salt, as the salt softens the tannins. So, when choosing food to go with wine, it’s important to think about the wine’s components and how the food can enhance the balance for the best pairing.
In short, balance is crucial for good wine. Finding balance in wine chemistry means all components are balanced, while the environment and food can also affect the perception of balance. The goal is to create a blend of flavors that will leave the taster feeling refreshed and satisfied.
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“Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance.” – Benjamin Franklin
