Acidity
Crisp
Definition
Clean, refreshing acid finish — palate feels snapped shut.
Why this matters in wine
Oysters, salads, and goat cheese love crisp wines.
Position inside its category
Crisp
Acidity
- ○Bright
- ○Astringent
- ○Austere
- ○Thin
- ○Lean
- ○Angular
- ○Racy
- ○Tart
- ○Edgy
- ○Nerve
- ○Zippy
- ○Zesty
- ○Lively
- ○Fresh
- ●Crisp
- ○Delicate
- ○Soft
- ○Flabby
- ○Fallen Over
- ○Flat
Position 15 of 20 on the Acidity scale.
Parent category
Acidity — Acid structure on a continuum from flat to nervy — the backbone that drives food pairing more than any other single trait.
Sibling descriptors
Opposite descriptors
Nearby on the scale
More in Acidity
Appears in
Common food pairings
- Salmon
Frequently confused with
FAQ
- What does crisp mean in wine?
- Clean, refreshing acid finish — palate feels snapped shut.
- Why does crisp matter for pairing?
- Oysters, salads, and goat cheese love crisp wines.
- What is crisp often confused with?
- Tasters often overlap crisp with zesty, fresh. Each descriptor has a distinct place in the wine vocabulary.