Term
Volatile acidity
VOL-uh-tul
Nail polish, vinegar, a little life
Acetic acid and ethyl acetate. A touch can lift aroma (some Burgundies, some Ports). A lot smells like a salad-dressing factory.
All wine has some VA. The legal limits are higher than the threshold where most people get annoyed. Natural wines, long macerations, and oxidative styles run closer to the edge.
Nail-polish remover is ethyl acetate; vinegar is acetic acid. Together they are 'VA.' If the fruit is still there and the lift is exciting, you may be in the acceptable zone. If it is all you can smell, send it back.
It does not reverse. Cooking with a VA-heavy bottle is how you make VA-heavy sauce.
