Acidification

Definition - What does Acidification mean?

Acidification is the process of artificially increasing the acidity of wine with the addition of acids during the process of fermentation. The process of acidification is used to balance the taste of wine when traditional methods are not invasive enough. Wines undergo acidification, usually in warm climates, to boost up its full-bodied flavor.

WineFrog explains Acidification

A wine undergoes acidification when the grapes are over-ripened and have become too sweet. The process of acidification is prevalent in warm wine regions where the grapes' natural acids tend to degrade during the ripening period. Only a few grapes produced in areas like Australia, California and Burgundy allow wine acidification. When overdone, acidification leads to an unusually sharp and acidic flavor in wines.