What Are Tannins?

Tannins and red wine go hand in hand, and I’m sure you’ve heard the word thrown around as a descriptor - and perhaps you’ve used it as well. But do you really know what tannins are?

You can think of tannins as the backbone of red wines, similar to how acidity is the backbone of white wines. Tannins allow a wine to age longer - although as they mature, the tannic structure will break down in the bottle, creating sediment. Unless you’re drinking super old bottles or collecting them, this isn’t likely something you have to worry about. 

In the chemical sense, tannins are polyphenolic compounds that are found in grape skin, stems and seeds, as well as in some oak. And during the winemaking process, the longer the period of maceration (grapes resting with it’s skins), not only will there be more colour extracted from the grapes, but there will also be more tannins in the finished wine.

Tannins produce that mouth drying sensation when you drink the wine. A lot of people liken it to a sandpaper feeling on your gum or the feeling of having a gauze in your mouth sucking up all the moisture. Because tannins can be so powerful, especially in wine made from thicker skinned grapes (ie. cabernet sauvignon, sangiovese and nebbiolo), they do an excellent job of cutting through proteins and fats - making it an excellent wine to pair with rich cheeses and fatty meats. 

Tannins are mainly associated with red wines; however, some white wines also get extended skin contact which would create tannins in the finished product - if you’ve tried an orange wine, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Every time I’ve had orange wine, the aftertaste is very much like green tea - those are tannins you’re feeling!