Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About TANNINS
Tannins are a common point of confusion for new “wine babies”. Sugar, alcohol, even acidity, those are all things we have some previous familiarity with. But tannins? What the hell are those?
Well today I am going to answer all of your tannin-related questions so you’ll never be confused again! We are going to learn what they actually are, where they come from, their role in winemaking and wine aging, and how to recognize them in the glass.
So, what the hell are tannins?
Tannins are naturally occurring phenolic compounds that impact the “mouthfeel” of primarily red wines . The amount of tannin in a grape is dependent on the varietal itself and factors affecting grape maturity at harvest. The amount of tannin in the resulting wine are dependent on the original grape tannin levels, winemaking choices, and the age of the wine. They give wines their structure and play a key role in how a wine ages over time. They are most recognizable on the palate from their drying, astringent feeling and sometimes bitter aftertaste.
Where do they come from?
To give you a point of reference, you likely have come in contact with tannins before, without even realizing it. Oversteeped tea and green tea are great examples.
The primary source of tannins in wine comes from the skins and seeds (also known as “pips”) of the grape, but is also found in the stems and in oak barrels. Because white wine doesn’t spend much time with it’s skins, or much time (if any) in oak, tannins are not a huge consideration in evaluating white wine. (But if you’re desperate to see what that would taste like, try orange wine!)
Different red grape varietals also generally have different levels of tannins, depending on the thickness of their skins, the size of the grapes, and how dense the seeds are. Thicker skins, smaller berries (therefore smaller ratio of skin to flesh), and more seeds all contribute to higher tannins. For example, Gamay/Beaujolais and Pinot Noir are on the lower end of the spectrum, whereas Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Nebbiolo are much higher.
Here’s a sample list of some of the more common grape varietals, from low tannin to high tannin:
- Gamay/Beaujolais
- Pinot Noir
- Grenache
- Zinfandel
- Syrah
- Malbec
- Merlot
- Mourvedre
- Merlot
- Cabernet Franc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Petite Sirah
- Nebbiolo
Also at play are the ripeness of the grape and the amount of rainfall it received for that particular vintage. As grapes ripen, tannins soften, and winemakers are continuously tasting berries in the vineyard to find that magical sweet spot where the tannins have matured.
If it’s been particularly rainy that year, the grapes will swell with the extra moisture, which affects the skin to flesh ratio. In contrast, vineyards that experienced drought in a particular vintage are going to produce smaller, and therefore more tannic grapes.
Tannins in Winemaking
Winemakers are faced with countless decisions at every stage of the winemaking process, and some of these choices will affect the amount of tannin in the end wine.
The first decision that needs to be made is whether or not to remove the stems prior to crushing the grapes. They are usually removed for white wines and rosé wines where you don’t want any tannin influence, but they are also often removed from grapes that have particularly high tannin content on their own, and don’t need any more. They might get left on with lower tannin black grapes, however, when the winemaker wants to give them a bit more structure (think of a Pinot Noir that you want to be able to lay down on your shelf for a few years).
Another key decision is whether or not to use oak, what kind, and for how long. On the one hand, oak does contribute some tannin of it’s own to the wine, however long periods of time spent maturing in oak also allow tannins to mellow out.
If a wine has too much tannin, the winemaker can reduce the excess by fining with substances like casein, gelatin, or albumin, which stick to the larger tannins and pull them out.
By contrast, if a wine doesn’t have enough tannin, a winemaker can also add them in by using oenological tannins, which are commercial products made from wood and plant sources.
Currently it is becoming more and more popular for winemakers to focus on producing wines that are more approachable in their youth, and thus have softer tannins. This is because most wine consumers are buying something they intend to drink within the next couple of days, rather than have to wait 10 years for it to be drinkable. But to each their own! There is a time and a place for everything.
Tannins in Wine Ageing
If you want to be able to lay your red wines down, they are going to need the structure that tannins provide. In fact, they may not be the best tasting wines in their youth because they come off as too astringent. But if they’ve got the right building material, they can mature into incredibly beautiful and complex wines.
One of the reasons tannins are so important for wine ageing is because they act as natural preservatives and have antioxidant properties. Surely you’ve heard that red wine is good for you because of the antioxidants? Well this is where they come from!
And did you know that tannins in plants were historically used to preserve animal skins. That’s where “tanning” a hide came from. I had no idea! I thought they were left in the sun to “tan”… I had to google it… You learn something new every day!
Over time, those powerful tannins will interact with oxygen that seeps in through the cork, which causes chemical reactions to take place inside the bottle. The tannins break down and combine with other elements, and gradually settle to the bottom of the bottle as sediment. Just make sure you decant the wine properly to remove the sediment – drinking that is like drinking a mouthfull of steeped tea leaves.
The fresh fruit characteristics are breaking down at the same time though, so the trick is to try to open that bottle when the tannins have softened but before the fruit flavours are gone.
Have you opened a wine that’s still a bit too tannic? Add in some oxygen by aerating the wine to speed up the process.
Tannins in Wine Tasting
Finally, let’s talk about how those tannins are going to show up in your glass.
Tannins themselves don’t have any actual taste, but they are associated with bitterness. If can be a good bitterness like dark chocolate, or an aggressively bitter aftertaste if the wine is a bit too tannic.
A more reliable indicator the presence of tannins is mouthfeel. Tannins have a mouth-drying effect that can be felt on the inside of the cheeks, the gums, or the tongue. This is actually the result of the tannins “tanning” the flesh inside your mouth, like leather. Delightful.
Ever had a sip of wine and felt like you immediately needed a sip of water? That’s the mouth-drying effect of tannins at play.
The strength of this effect should tell you how strong the tannins are. If you were to describe them, you might use one of these descriptors:
- soft
- round
- firm
- astringent
- tannic
- tough
- hard
Once you’ve determined the strength of the tannin, you also want to consider how ripe the tannins are. Underripe tannins are going to give you that unpleasant bitterness, and will never mature into a beautifully complex wine, so don’t bother cellaring it.
Aside from aerating, there is also one other way to enjoy a wine that feels a bit too tannic for your liking – pair it with a rich, fatty cut of meat. The tannins will cut through it beautifully, and the wine will taste much less aggressive. Salt is also a friend of tannins, so add a little sprinkle to your meal and watch your wine transform!
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