What is a wine acidity regulator?
In oenology, as in many other fields, finding the right balance is a real art! To help winemakers achieve the perfect balance between acidity and sweetness, they can rely on wine acidity regulators: citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid and tartaric acid (naturally present in various fruits), and calcium sulphate (a mineral element). It is through careful dosage, according to the colour and character of a wine, that these pH regulators bring out a wine’s full flavour. Read on to find out more.
The purpose of an acidity regulator is to balance the taste of a wine without altering its personality. This balance between sweetness and acidity is essential to ensure that wine lovers enjoy a pleasant tasting experience. It is also essential for ensuring a wine keeps well over time.
More specifically, in the composition of a wine, most acidity regulators (citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, calcium sulphate) increase its natural acidity and support its freshness.
Lactic acid, on the other hand, gives the wine a softer acidity, enhancing its creamy or buttery aromas.
How do acidity regulators work in winemaking?
Acidity regulators work in the same way for red, white, rosé and sparkling wines. They increase the acidity of a wine by lowering its pH. The closer this is to 0, the more acidic the wine. Of course, these pH regulators are carefully added by the winemaker or oenologist at the time of vinification, according to a strictly regulated dosage.
Note that this dosage may be higher or lower depending on the vintage (for example, in particularly hot years, which make the grapes sweeter, and therefore less acidic), or the grape varieties selected.
What are the different acidity regulators that can be used in wine?
Most of these acidity regulators are acids of agricultural origin (fruit in this case), or even winegrowing origin (derived directly from the grapes themselves). Calcium sulphate is a mineral wine additive.
Citric acid (E330)
As its name suggests, citric acid is an organic molecule found mainly in citrus fruits (such as lemons or oranges).
Malic acid (E296)
An organic compound derived from apples, malic acid is also one of the main acids found in grape juice – and therefore in wine!
Lactic acid (E270)
This other organic compound is found in certain fermented foods, including yoghurt. In wine, it is produced naturally by malolactic fermentation, which transforms malic acid into lactic acid.
Tartaric acid (E334)
Naturally present in grapes (as well as in apricots, cherries, peaches, strawberries, etc.), tartaric acid is one of the most important acids in wine.
Calcium sulphate (E516)
An exceptional acidity corrector, calcium sulphate is a mineral consisting of calcium (as its name suggests!), sulphur and oxygen. You can only find it on the label of a liqueur wine bottle.
Where else do these pH regulators appear, apart from their oenological use?
As well as being an input in wine, acidity regulators are very often used as ingredients in the food industry, in various types of food: dairy products, jams, jellies, beverages (fruit juices, soft drinks, beer), bread, pastries, tofu, etc.
And there you have it, in a nutshell: a good wine requires perfect aromatic balance, and acidity regulators are an invaluable aid to wine producers in this respect! In fact, these oenological products are part of the winemaking equipment at their disposal (just like the various stabilisers, packaging gases and wine preservatives) to give you the best possible tasting experience.