KJ Collage - dry teeth

[summa]

Hi Lizzie, a bit ago I posted something I'd read on the net here in the novice section...
the thread is "Speaking of "plonk"..."
Please don't revive a dead thread, but you may want to read it. It's at 08-06-01.

Also, I'm a bit confused about tartric acid being in lemons, as I'd thought it was found only in grapes, I think lemons contain citric acid.

I also feel that spice can be found in the grape, not just the oak, for many Rhone varietals, as mentioned above, and Australian Shiraz,(which is of course the syrah grape), as well as California Zinfandel and Petite Sirah.

So far as tasting notes as a generality, when you discuss red wines, you usually discuss tannins or structure, with these two terms being roughly interchangeable. When you discuss white wines,you usually discuss acidity or crispness (acidity does provide structure for white wines, but the term is not usually used), so usually you don't discuss acidity for reds nor tannins for whites. With red wines the acidity is still present but just seems to take a back seat.
With whites, the wine is processed differently, as tannins come from the skins and stems of the grapes, and these are removed very early in the process of making white wines, tannins are not present to any noticeable degree in white wines.

Also, the tannins in red wine and the acidity in white wines are what give these wines their longevity, their ability to age.

[This message has been edited by summa (edited 09-29-2001).]