Tannins? Astringency? If you enjoy wine, you really want to understand these concepts.
We raise the glass and appreciate the wine's color, then the aromas. With great expectation, we bring the glass to our mouth, with the liquid spreading to all corners of our mouths.
After the wine flows down our throat, it becomes dry, the same goes with mouth. Our gums and tongue contract. Almost instantly, by some primitive instinct, we roll our tongue down the sides of our mouth in reaction to the wine's tannins. Then, it's the astringency that manifests itself.
But, wait a second, what are these famous tannins? What's the point of astringency? And why does this feeling of "dryness" happen when drinking red wine and not when drinking white wines?
Here we go.
Tannins are part of a set of compounds called phenolic compounds. The skin of the grape berry is very rich in these compounds. Tannins also exist in the stalk and in a thin film that covers the seeds.
The amount of tannins differs from variety to variety. Some have more than others, and each winemaker may decide to extract more or less tannins depending on their desired wine profile.
From a quality standpoint, tannins differ if the grape is more or less ripe. Less ripe grapes can produce a wine with a more herbaceous and bitter character. Riper grapes will feel more velvety and polished.
When drinking red wines we feel the tannins because they are vinified with their grape skins, from which the tannins are extracted, during fermentation and through maceration operations.
Tannins also come from wood, as the wine ages in new oak barrels. To get less tannins for the wood, winemakers use older barrels.
Tanins in White Whites
White wines, are poorer in tannins due to less contact with the skins. However, with the emergence of "Orange Wines" (white wines with skin maceration) astringency in these wines will be felt more intensely.
As a general rule, there will be more tannins in wines designed to last longer than in wines designed for immediate consumption.
As preservatives, tannins allow good wines to age, sometimes over several decades. Over time, the tannins soften, as does the texture of the wine, which becomes smoother and more polished.
Tannins are relevant in the constitution of the wine, important in the structure, the quantity and form influence the overall texture of the wines.
Astringency
An astringent is a chemical that shrinks or constricts body tissues. The word derives from the Latin adstringere, which means "to bind fast".
Tannin manifests itself, through a tactile sensation called astringency. Our mouths have a natural moisture, which we can easily feel when we move our tongue across the palate, gums, teeth and lips. The tanning combine and coagulate with the proteins in our saliva, making it loose its lubricating properties. This generates the feeling of dryness and roughness, almost like a resistance or friction inside our mouths, as if the tongue has become clenched. Simply put, astringency is when the tongue and gums no longer touch each other gently.
So, the tannins are the ingredient, and the astringency is the sensation!
How to perceive the differences between tannins and astringency?
First Exercise:
To compare "lower tannins vs. high tannins" taste two wines side by side from grape varieties that have different levels of tannins.
Second Exercise:
To evaluate the quality of the tannins, compare two wines, from the same producer, with one wine meant to be consumed young, and the other designed for ageing.
Is it clear what astringency and tannins are, what they are for, and how to differentiate them? Let us know!
Comments