What are tannins?

Tannins are plant-based tannins. They are found in white and red grapes. To be precise, mainly in the seeds and stems. If you ferment the wine on the mash, i.e. the entire stem structure and not just the crushed grapes, the tannins are released along with the colorants. The level of tannin content depends on the grape variety.

white wines are also first gently pressed and then only the juice is fermented. This means there is less tannin in the wine and it is lighter and fresher. This also explains why white wine chilled and red wine less. If you chill heavy red wines with a lot of tannin, they quickly become bitter and scratchy.

What do tannins taste like? How can I tell if a wine has tannin?

Do you try a red wine and after the first sip you have a velvety feeling on your tongue, then that is tannin. The furrier and more bitter the mouthfeel, the “younger” the tannin. The more velvety and softer the wine feels, the “mature” the tannin.

A heavy red wine matures In the bottle over the years, the small, short-chain tannin molecules combine and become longer and longer. The longer these tannin molecules become, the rounder and smoother the wine tastes.

If you feel a little pulling in the back of your mouth, this is called astringency. This describes the tightening of the mouth due to the bitterness. Another technical term when it comes to tannins.

Which grape variety has a lot of tannin?

Examples of red wine grape varieties with high tannins:

• Tempranillo
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Shiraz

Examples of red wine grape varieties with moderate / low tannin content

• Pinot Noir
• Cabernet Franc
• Merlot

The tannin content depends on the grape variety

Hopefully I was able to give you a little insight into the world of tannins! I look forward to receiving your feedback and suggestions at theresa@vioneers.com! Cheers!