The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Tannins in Red Wine

If you're a wine lover, you've probably heard the term "tannins" at some point. However, understanding what they are and why they matter can be a bit confusing. Tannins are responsible for the way a wine tastes and feels in your mouth, and they can make a huge difference in your overall enjoyment of the wine. In this guide, we'll take a deep dive into what tannins are, where they come from, and how different wines can have varying levels of tannins.

What are Tannins?

Tannins are naturally occurring compounds found in many plants, including grapes. Specifically, tannins are located in the skins, stems, and seeds of grapes. When grapes are mashed up during the wine-making process, the tannins are released into the juice. Tannins are what give some wines a dry, puckery feeling in your mouth when you drink them.

What Do Tannins Do in Wine?

Tannins play an essential role in wine by balancing out the natural sweetness of the grape juice. Without tannins, every wine would be sweet, and that would make for a cloying and unenjoyable drinking experience. However, tannins also have a few other important effects on wine:

Tannins provide structure: The presence of tannins in a wine gives it a defined structure that can create complexity and depth.
Tannins have a textural component: Tannins create a sensation in your mouth that can range from silky to gritty or astringent.
Tannins affect aging potential: Wines high in tannins have the potential to age gracefully over many years, while wines with lower tannin levels will typically have a shorter lifespan.

How Do You Identify Tannins in Wine?

Most people identify tannins by the way they feel in their mouth, but there are a few visual cues that can give you an idea of whether a wine has high or low tannin levels. For example:

Color: Generally, darker red wines will have higher tannin levels than lighter red wines.
Staining: Wines with higher tannin levels will often have a more significant staining effect on teeth and the sides of the glass.
Lack of Clarity: Wines with high tannin levels can sometimes appear cloudy or hazy, whereas wines with lower tannin levels will typically be clearer.

How Can You Control Tannin Levels in Wine?

Winemakers have several methods for controlling tannin levels in their wines, including:

Harvest time: Grapes harvested earlier in the season will typically have lower tannin levels than those harvested later in the season.
Fermentation time: The amount of time that grape juice spends in contact with skins, seeds, and stems during fermentation can impact tannin levels.
Oak aging: Oak barrels can mellow out tannins and create a smoother, more rounded mouthfeel in wine.

What Are Some Examples of High Tannin Wines?

If you're interested in trying out some high-tannin wines, here are a few options to consider:

Cabernet Sauvignon: This grape variety is known for producing wines with high tannin levels and a long aging potential.
Nebbiolo: Another grape variety that is often high in tannins, Nebbiolo is the primary grape used in Barolo and Barbaresco wines from Italy.
Tannat: As the name suggests, Tannat is a grape variety known for producing wines with strong tannins.

Final Thoughts

Tannins are an essential component of many red wines and can have a significant impact on your enjoyment of a bottle. By understanding what tannins are, how they affect wine, and how winemakers control tannin levels, you can become a more knowledgeable and confident wine drinker. We hope this guide has helped demystify tannins and has inspired you to explore different high-tannin wines.