Low Acid Red Wine: What Is It and Where to Find It
There is acid in everything! That’s why we have a pH scale, to show us the levels of acids in drinks, household cleaners, and more, so we can gauge how our bodies and our environments will react.
Because we have had a rise in the number of people with acid reflux in recent years, low acid red wine has come up as a potential option for those who love red wine but suffer from imbibing.
The pH Scale
A Danish chemist by the name of Soren Sorensen invented the pH scale in 1909 as a convenient way of expressing acidity, also known as the negative logarithm of hydrogen ion concentration.
The goal was to be able to gain a firmer grasp of definitions and measurements in terms of electrochemical cells.
Understanding pH can help us work with and manipulate the availability of nutrients, biological functions, microbial activity, and the behavior of chemicals.
Whether we’re talking about water or waste, pH tells us about the quality of what we work with as well as identifying where we need to make changes, additions, or subtractions.
The pH scale measures from 0 to 14, with 1 being more acidic and 14 being less acidic. 7 is neutral. In general, the lower the pH, the higher the level of acidity.
Acid in Red Wine
Wine is acidic because grapes are acidic, and the longer the grapes are allowed to sit on the vine and ripen, the less acidic they become, which is why warmer climates usually produce lower acid grapes, and by extension wines.
Cooler climates find that some grapes never fully ripen, which is why grapes from locations like Germany, France, and the UK will produce highly acidic wines.
On average, red wine has an acidity level of 4, with a range of 2.5 to 4.5, and is known to be generally lower in acid levels than white wines as, in general, red grapes tend to ripen longer than white grapes before they are plucked for wine.
Because with red wine, in general, the skins, stems, and seeds are allowed to sit for much longer in the must, the acid, tannins, and sugars all come into balance more completely, creating a lower acid environment than with white wine, where the grapes are almost instantly filtered out after crushing.
Thus, if you are in search of a wine with lower acid, you are almost always going to be better off with a red wine.
If you want to take it even further, you could seek a sweeter red wine, as the sugar brings the acid levels even further into balance.
What Makes Acid Good or Bad
However, it is important to note that drinking a wine with lower acid will not necessarily save you from acid reflux or gastrointestinal problems.
Humans have a very tight acidity level between 7.35 and 7.45, with an average of 7.4, and if that acidity level rises or falls, it can cause serious health problems.
Various organs in the human body require very specific acid levels in order to function optimally. For example, our stomachs need to be more acidic to break down food, but our intestines need to be lower in acid, or alkaline, to perform well. And any change in the pH levels of our blood can cause severe disorders.
As a result of the rising rate of the population with poor metabolic health, usually linked to larger waistlines, we also have more people with gastroesophageal reflux disease, and acid reflux, where the stomach, already an acidic environment, sends the contents of the stomach back into the tube connected to the mouth.
This disorder will worsen when more acid from food and beverages are added.
Because all wines are acidic, you are likely to suffer from acid reflux no matter how low the acid levels are, because for your body, they might still be too high.
How to Make Low Acid Red Wine
However, maybe you just don’t like the taste of higher acid wines.
If this is the case, you’re already in good shape with red wine, as they are lower in acid than white wines, but if you are aiming to produce a nice, low acid red wine for your winery, your best approach would be to start with the terroir.
The soil in which the grapes are grown contributes enormously to the acidity of the grapes.
Aim for warmer climates, like California, for example, and longer harvests, allowing the grapes to fully ripen before plucking them.
In addition, you can choose yeast with a lower alcohol tolerance in order to preserve more of the sugar in your wine, another element that will balance out the acid.
Finally, you can add potassium or calcium carbonate to the wine after fermentation to help remove still more of the wine acids.
Low Acid Red Wines to Try
In general, cabernet, merlot, grenache, and malbec are all higher on the pH scale, bringing in less acid, and if you are hoping to sample some specific wines, look for:
- Carmenere – A light, medium body wine with blackberry flavors and cocoa notes.
- Cinsault – Another medium-bodied wine, this one is grown in Argentina and the acid is balanced well with fruity notes.
- Dolcetto – Rich in taste and low in acid, this wine is called the “little sweet one” for a reason.
- Pinotage – From South Africa, you will love the fruity and earthy characteristics of this wine.
- Tannat – Pairs well with barbecue and grilled meats thanks to its vanilla and chocolate flavors.
In the end, it is always a good idea to experiment with what is already on the market before deciding how to manage your own low acid red wine, for yourself or for your customers.
Fortunately, there is plenty out there to try.
Cheers!
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