Acidification

A process practiced in warm wine regions whereby a winemaker adds acid to fermenting wine in order to boost that wine’s low level of acidity. Acidification is legal and widely practiced in many parts of the world, including California. Also called acidulation.

Germany and Austria share a similar lexicon in terms of how their wines are categorized. Which of the following terms is unique to Austria?

A. Eiswein

B. Kabinett

C. Auslese

D. Ausbruch

Ausbruche (the plural of Ausbruch) are high quality Austrian sweet wines that are slightly more opulent than Beerenauslesen. An Ausbruch (OWSH-brook) wine must be made from overripe, naturally shriveled grapes that may be affected by the noble rot botrytis cinerea. Ausbruche are a specialty of the eastern Austrian region of Burgenland.

“What we hear when we eat and drink—even the noises of food preparation, the rattling sounds of product packaging, or loud background music—plays a much more important role [in flavor perception] than any of us realizes. Sound is the forgotten flavor sense.”

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