Acidity and food: freshness in the play

The standard

The matched acidity handling measures the wine's acidity against the dish's: it should refresh, not be outdone. The measure is whether the wine still seems fresh after the food.

Criteria

  • Wine acidity refreshes fatty and salty foods
  • The wine stays at least as fresh as the dish
  • Too little acidity makes the wine seem flat beside it
  • The combination decides the effect, not the wine alone

Distinction

Acidity ≠ pungency: acidity is a taste, pungency a nerve stimulus. The matched acidity handling seeks freshness in the interplay, not the stimulus.