What are wine tannins and what are they for?

If you are in contact with the world of wine, it is very likely that you have ever heard of the term tannin. In common situations of this terrain, as for example, when we are immersed in a wine tasting, it is a concept that appears on several occasions.

In this post I would like to explain why wine tannins are a key part of the wine vocabulary, but in turn, they also acquire a very important role in the complexity of a wine, indicating how prolonged aging can be.

In addition, it is also necessary that you know what role tannins play in our sector and why they are so important when tasting a wine. But first of all, let’s first see what tannins are and what their origin is.

What are wine tannins?

In the past, they were called tannins to certain organic substances used to transform raw skins of animal origin into leather. In this sense, as a curiosity, we know that more than 85% of the plants that exist in nature contain tannins.

However, it is essential that we differentiate between the double origin of wine tannins:

• The grape: in the form of natural substances of vegetable character that are located in the hardest parts of the bunch, especially in the skin and in the pips. For this reason, tannins tend to appear more concentrated in red wine than in white, due to the contact of the must with the skins during the fermentation process.
• The wood: the tannins of the wood itself mix with the wine to be inside the barrel. This is one of the reasons why it is decided that some wines age in oak barrels since it is a natural material with stronger tannins, like Nereus Selecció  from AV Bodeguers from DO Empordà.  This is a blend of Merlot and Syrah with 12 months in the French oak barrel.

Some examples of wines with tannins very well integrated are; Picot negre from Vidauba’s winery from DO Pla i Llevant  (Mallorca) with a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Callet and Merlot aged 12 months in French oak barrels. Another good exemple is the impressive Finca Aiguasals from Dosterras winery, in D.O. Montsant. This is a 100% red Carignan aged 12 months in French oak barrels.

We can’t miss Criança from Josep Foraster winery in Conca de Barberà with a blend with Cabernet Sauvingon, Tempranillo, Trepat and Syrah and 12 months in the French oak barrels or Maimó from Josep Grau Viticultor in  D.O. Montsant with this 100% red Grenache aged in 2.000 liter foudre from Austrian oak during 14 months.

How do tannins affect the taste of wine?

According to my knowledge and experience, I can affirm that tannins have a strong, robust and astringent flavor, that you can perceive quickly on your palate and on your tongue.

If you easily recognize this rough feeling, we will be talking about robust, solid and well-built tannins, due to their abundance. If on the contrary, you hardly perceive them, we can call them minor tannins or without definition.

Point! The three essential properties of a wine are astringency, alcohol and acidity. If you are looking for the ‘roundness’ of a wine, which experts always mention, you should get a balance of all of them.

In addition, the most characteristic flavors are equivalent to, for example, nuts, such as almonds and nuts; fruits such as pomegranate or grape; common spices, such as pepper; and also, cocoa powder.

Watch this video explainning how to detect tannins in wine and how to soften them. It will be much better if you hold a glass of red wine in your hands 🙂

What are the tannins for?

First of all, we can assure that the tannins help to compose the structure of the wine. Therefore, red wines with higher tannins age better than wines with lower tannin levels.

On the other hand, they also help to stabilize the color intensity of the wines, since they are mixed with other substances, called anthocyanins, which are responsible for this task.

In addition, they provide very interesting nutritional and medicinal properties. For example, they contribute to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, keeping the arteries clean, have antibacterial virtues, and also serve to stop diarrhea due to its astringent effect.

How can you evaluate the tannins of red wine?

And we arrived at one of the most important points of our tastings. If you want to check what type of tannins are in a wine, you will have to carry out a very simple procedure: take a small sip and hold the wine in your mouth for about 15 seconds.

This short period of time is necessary for most tannins to appreciate, and after that, you will be able to differentiate their characteristics and the different possibilities of evolution of the wine in question.

In this sense, we can find ourselves with three different situations

• If you notice a slight dryness in the gums, it means that the tannins are sweeter and velvety in texture. This translates into that the wine is in perfect conditions to be consumed already, since it will not evolve much more.

• If you notice a dry sensation similar to the previous one, but your saliva disappears intermittently, it means that most of its tannins come from too old barrels, hence its aroma of old wood, or that there are certain nuances of greenery, that are due to an excess of maceration of the grape.

• Finally, if your palate and your tongue become acid, with a curious sensation of juiciness, without having to move your mouth to recover your usual saliva levels, we can affirm that the tannins in red wine are silky. Therefore, this product has a large storage capacity, that is, it allows its aging process to be prolonged over time.

I hope I have helped you with all this information about tannins! Cheer up and put into practice all these tips and tricks in your next wine tasting. And if you have any comments or suggestions, do not hesitate to contact me.