Sugar and Acidity
The intensity of sweet and acid tastes are described
in relation to sugar content and fixed acidity.
Degree of sweetness is measured on a scale of
grammes of sugar per litre in five basic categories.
The standard Italian terms found on labels are,
Secco (<6
g/l): dry; without any perceptible sweetness
Abbocato (6-20
g/l): medium dry; with a slightly sweet taste
Amabile (20-30
g/l): medium sweet
Dolce (30-50
g/l): sweet; the taste is pronounced
but not overpowering
Liquoroso (>
50 g/l): refers to fortified dessert wines in
which the sugar predominates over the other tastes
and flavours.
A wine in which the balance is spoiled by an
unpleasant, overpowering sweetness may seem "sticky
or cloying".
The standard adjectives used to describe positive
degrees of acidity are,
Fresh (0.5-0.6
g/l typical of refreshing young wines
Crisp (0.6-0.7
g/l): for wines with marked, dry acidity
Nervy (0.7-0.8
g/l): for wines in which acidity predominates.
Around 0.5 g/litre of total fixed acids are necessary
to give balance and bring flavours to life. A
wine with less than 0.5 grammes will probably
taste "flat" or "flabbly".
Words used to describe an excess of acidity (>0.9
g/l) include "green", "sharp"
and "acidulous".
Other Tastes
Of the other basic tastes, saltiness is
barely perceptible and serves mainly heighten sweet
and acid flavours. Pronounced bitterness is
noted as a defect.
