Along with bright, tangy and tart, “crisp” is often used to describe a certain style of white wine. It’s also commonly tossed at sommeliers and other wine professionals, by customers in search of bottle recommendations.
“A ‘crisp’ wine is brisk, with levity, mouthwatering acidity, verve, tension and energy,” says Sarah Looper, wine educator, owner of Loopersomm and sommelier at il Buco in New York City. Put simply, these wines are generally on the lighter side, with notes of zesty citrus, tart green apple or fresh green herbs. Some even have an enticing hint of minerality or saltiness.
If this type of wine is your jam, you’ll be happy to discover its made all over the globe, from the Loire Valley in France, and Marlborough in New Zealand, to Italy’s Alto Adige region and Wachau in Austria.
They’re often made from grapes grown in cooler climates or regions with wide diurnal swings, vinified in stainless steel and sipped while they’re young—all of which helps retain the wines’ fresh character. In geometric terms, if a rich, oaky white is round and supple, a crisp one is hard and angular. These offerings drink easily and deliver palate-prepping acidity, beckoning you back for sip after glorious sip—like the wine version of a squirt of lemon added to a dish right before serving.
And as Looper points out, the very term is onomatopoeic. “You can picture what the word sounds like and your mouth immediately waters.”
So, when wine professionals are tasked with suggesting
This Article was originally published on Wine Enthusiast
