Definitely a newb here. Longtime beer advocate and enthusiast trying to learn more about wine.
I’ve found that I love wine that has high tannins and high, high acidity. I am looking for common wines available that have the most acidity - red or white. I live in Baton Rouge, LA. I’ve found I enjoy Pino Noir, Cab Sav Blanc, Chianti, and some blends.
The more tart the better! Shoot me some recommendations please and take it easy on my ignorance please!
I love tannins and high acidity as well. Some recommendations right of the bat:
Reds:
Barbera for high acidity
Nebbiolo, Lagrein and Aglianico for high acidity and tannins
Ramisco (Colares) for searing acidity and high-ish tannins
Tannat (Madiran) and Sagrantino for high-ish acidity and ridiculous tannins
Xinomavro and Plavac Mali for high-ish acidity and high tannins
Nerello Mascalese (Etna Rosso) for high acidity and high-ish tannins
Whites:
Riesling, Melon de Bourgogne (Muscadet) and Petit Manseng for very high acidity
Savagnin and Albariño for high acidity
But based on what you listed as having liked I am not sure that you want high tannin and acidity without knowing more about what specific wines you have had. Lets use the Pinot Noir as an example. I don’t find most of them to have high tannin and high acidity. They are generally not deficient in either but I generally don’t consider them high. In my opinion, the best examples show remarkable balance where neither the acid or the tannin is perceived to be excessive or missing. But it really depends on which wines as some obviously have way more than others. Cooler climate wines will generally have more acid than those grown in warmer areas. And I have had some very ripe Pinot Noir that comes in with high alcohol (14.5% or more) that can be downright acid deficient.
I’d suggest you find a Nebbiolo or Aglianco and try it, the younger the better, to really see if you want high acid and high tannin or if you are really looking for wines that are balanced and not deficient in either.
Thanks, Brian, for the detailed response. I’m enjoying the learning process. I think, though, maybe in order to find what I am looking for I will speak in layman’s terms of wanting something very tart - or sour over the requirement of high tannins and high acidity. Do you think the Nebbiolo or Aglianco would satisfy that?
I think we can ignore my previous interest in Pino Noir, Sav Blanc, etc., as I have not had one in a while to be able to tell if it is what I am looking for. However, I did have Rioja last night that I found was pretty tart or acidic on the back end. I enjoyed it very much. Now, if it was even more tart, I would have definitely enjoyed it more. Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva | Total Wine & More. From what I have read, that wine is low in tannins - so maybe we can scratch that I like high tannins haha. Maybe acidity is more what I am looking for.
See if you can find an Etna rosso and a muscadet for a red and a white to try. Don’t spend the money for a single vineyard Etna, just a basic rosso. I think you can still find basic rosso under $20/btl.
I don’t know the exact wine, but I had a glass of Furmint Sec (dry white) one time and it had bracing acidity. I shockingly liked it for the experience although it felt like a teeth whitening exercise with the acidity. Defer to others here on Furmint Sec, but I think the wine was https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/kiralyudvar-furmint-sec which is ~$15.
For whites, dry Mosel Rieslings in that price range are probably near the top. I’d look for Maximin Grunhaus QbA Trocken, or really most others. This will be vintage dependent, but they always tend to be pretty brisk. Also, look for some Hunter Valley Semillon. They’re extremely acidic. Brokenwood’s entry level is around $20 and one of the better values I’ve found in the category.
For reds, I would definitely suggest getting some Nebbiolo. Produttori Langhe Nebbiolo and Vietti Perbacco are two nice values. You might even find Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco in that range, or at least very close to it. Also, Travaglini Gattinara. All of these will have lots of acidity and lots of tannins.
the two types of wine you definitely need to get your hands on are Nebbiolo and Nerello Mascarese. Love the suggestion for Produttori Barbaresco and also look for wines from Etna like Passopisciaro and Cornellison. You may also enjoy wines from Cote Rotie
Just curious, why the recommendations for barbaresco over gattinara/ghemme/lessona as nebbiolo suggestions? Are these latter wines not considered to be higher in acidity with requisite tannin, at similar price point?
While there certainly are some very tannic Alto Piemonte reds, on average if you grab a random Barbaresco and a random Alto Piemonte red, the Barbaresco is going to be more tannic.
But on the other hand, the Alto Piemonte reds are - as you point out - going to be higher in acidity, definitely.