Wine Weekly

Tannin

The component of (almost only) red wine that causes a puckering, drying out of the mouth. Though it can be perceived as a bitter flavor, it really is a tactile sensation. To understand what tannin is, drink cold black tea;that dryness on your tongue comes from tannin. In wine it comes from the skin and seeds of the grape, and to an extent, the barrels. Tannins soften as a wine ages; if you can?t wait, eat cheese with an overly tannic wine.