So what are tannins in wine and why should I care?
Tannin is a common word we hear casually tossed around in wine tasting rooms and among wine lovers. Sadly, most of us are unsure what it means. Once you finish reading this, you will no longer be one of those people. You will be able to confidently discuss where tannins in wine come from, why winemakers try to balance tannins, and how tannins impact your wine drinking experience.
The Chemicals That Create Tannins In Wine
First off, let's look at what tannins are on a chemical level. Without getting too technical, tannins are compounds of polyphenols. They are common in the tissues of many plants. Scientists believe they may function as a natural protection for plants against insects.
The word tannin is derived from the leather tanning process. Wood, such as oak, was used to convert animal hides into leather. Oak barrels are still used to store wine and impart tannins into them.
Where Do Tannins In Wine Come From?
In wine, tannins come from four different sources: grape's skin, seeds, stems, and wood barrels. Red wine is made by fermenting the grape's skin and the juice, seeds, and sometimes stems to extract color and tannins. As wine ferments, seeds, juice, skins, and sometimes stems are all macerated together. Tannin is leached into the wine during that process.
The quantity of tannins in wine depends on how long the juice sat with the skins, stems, and seeds—the longer it sits, the more tannins extracted into the wine. It is also impacted by the ratio of skin and seed to juice. Smaller "berries" (grapes) with less liquid content will generate a higher tannin content in the final wine because they create a higher skin to liquid ratio.
This is a different process than the one used to make white wines. White wine is made from the juice pressed as the grapes get to the winery. The juice is separated from the skins and seeds, so white wines are rarely described as tannic.
They provide a sense of structure.
What Else Can Add Tannins To Wine?
Apart from grapes, wine can also get tannins from the wood. When wine comes in contact with wood during the barrel-aging process, the wood in the inner part of the barrel releases its tannins, contributing to the wine's final taste.
Oak is a fine-grained wood that is common in the winemaking industry, thanks to the unique flavor. Other good sources of wood tannins include wooden staves, wood chips, and tannin powder. Wood tannins are generally subtler and mellower than grape tannins. Most of the tannins in white wine come from wood contact during the fermentation process.
High And Low Tannin Wines
The tannin contents in red wines are higher because red wines are fermented with their grape skins and seeds. It's rare to see white wines with high tannin content.
High Tannins Wines
Examples of high-tannin reds include
- Petite Sirah
- Nebbiolo
- Syrah
- Tempranillo
- Montepulciano
- Malbec
- Sangiovese
- Cabernet Sauvignon
Low Tannin Wines
If you prefer low-tannin wines, consider:
- Merlot
- Barbera
- Grenache
- Pinot Noir
- Zinfandel
- Pinot Noir
Why Do Winemakers Use Tannins?
Winemakers use tannins to gives wines their balance and structure. The aim is to ensure that enough grape tannin is extracted during the maceration process. The more tannin extracted, the deeper the complexity of the wine.
Another reason why winemakers use tannins in the winemaking process is that tannins act as natural antioxidants that protect the wine. Antioxidants play a vital role in the aging process of wine while also providing significant health benefits. This is one of the reasons why some red wines can be age-worthy.
What Do Tannins Taste Like?
When you taste a tannic wine, it will leach the moisture on your tongue right away because the molecules in tannins are attracted to saliva proteins. The taste is somewhat bitter but can be pleasingly bitter, like when you eat dark chocolate, tea, or coffee. It makes sense to pair tannic wines with meat dishes. The proteins in the meat will bind with the tannins in the wine. This will make the wines taste smoother. Here are some recommendations on how to pair wine with steak.
tannins are puckering or astringent, which is common in foods like pomegranate, cranberry, and grapes.
Why Tannins Are Important In Wine
Tannins affect the wine in different ways. Here are the most important ones:
Taste
Tannins are responsible for the wine's astringency, bitterness, and dryness. We naturally pucker our lips after tasting a wine rich in tannins. As a general rule, the drier your mouth after tasting the wine, the more tannins in the wine.
Age
Many winemakers overload their wines with tannins because it preserves the wine shelf life. As a result, the older the wine, the more subtle the tannins will become. That is the reason why aged wines are quite expensive.
Balance
When finding the best wines, most experts will tell you that the key lies in the balance. Tannin is one of those key qualities of wine because it helps give a wine structure and balance. The better the tannin's balance and structure, the better the wine. In fact, the wine will not taste quite right if there is an imbalance.
Texture
Tannins are the main contributors to the texture of the wine. Along with alcohol, they help determine how the wine feels in the throat and mouth. The balance between tannins, acid, and alcohol will make wine feel firm, silky, astringent, or velvety in your mouth.
The Health Benefits Of Tannins
Tannins are beneficial to the health apart from providing exceptional texture and balance to the wine. Studies have shown that wines with higher tannins are healthier for the heart, and people who consume these wines enjoy longer lives.
Tannins also kill bacteria in the mouth. Tooth decay is also prevented, but wines with high tannins can stain teeth. PubMed reported that consuming wines with tannins serves as a natural defense against microbial infections. This means they can reduce moderate blood pressure and immune responses.
Are Wine Tannins Bad For You?
There are mixed reports on the health benefits or negative implications of wine tannins. Some research indicates that wine tannins may serve as antioxidants. Others indicate that tannins could cause stomach irritation if consumed on an empty stomach. Overall, it appears tannins are not bad for you, but more research on their benefits needs to be done.
Are Tannins Found In All Kinds Of Wines?
No. Because tannins are found in the grape's skins, the tannins will only make their way into the wines if the grape skins are allowed to macerate with the wine during the winemaking process.
Red wines undergo the maceration process to extract tannins and color from the skins, but white wines do not. This is why white wines don't dry out mouth like red wine due to the lack of tannins. Orange wines are white wines vinified (the skins and juice macerate together) like red wines; therefore, these wines will have some tannin. Rosé wines will contain some tannins, depending on how long the skins and juice macerate together.
Tannins are found in other alcoholic drinks like whiskey. Whiskey is typically aged in oak barrels. As we noted above, oak wood has tannins in it. This tannin is passed to the whiskey during the aging process. You will notice the same drying of your mouth when drinking whiskey.
Tannins In Wine Is A Matter Of Taste
Tannins play a vital role in your overall enjoyment of wine. In fact, wine wouldn't be wine without tannins. Both wines and tannins are made for each other, and some of the most expensive wines we see around have tannin profiles. So, what are you waiting for? Grab a glass of tannin wine and discover what entices your palate.
