Tannins
Tannins are among the components with the greatest influence on the structure of a wine, especially in wines made by curtimenta, that is, mostly reds.
If I were talking about football, I would call tannins the “centre-back” of the team: the player who holds it up, distributes the ball and makes the whole thing work as a team. In red wines, that is the position they occupy.
What Are Tannins?
Tannins exist abundantly in nature, especially in trees, leaves, legumes, seeds and, of course, in the skin of many fruits, such as grapes.
“They are compounds that belong to a large family called polyphenols, which includes, for example, the anthocyanins, the elements responsible for colour in red wines.”
You know that sensation we get when we eat an unripe banana? Tannins produce exactly that sensation of dryness in the mouth. They are a bitter, astringent chemical compound, characteristics that are important for protecting seeds and still-green fruit during ripening, since they make them unpalatable, deterring animals from eating them.
What Is the Importance of Tannins in Wine?
Tannins in wine are of fundamental importance to its structure.
“The result of the relationship between a wine’s tannins and its acidity is what we call structure.”
In red wines, or in skin-contact whites — such as orange wines — acidity has an enormous impact on the texture and flavour of the tannins. In the case of white and rosé wines with little or no skin contact, it is acidity that dominates the structure of the wines.
Although you might think these compounds are of the greatest importance to a wine’s longevity, remember that there are white wines that can have equal or even greater longevity, with almost no presence of them in their structure.
What Is the Role of Tannins in Wine?
Although tannins have some influence on the ageing of wines, their main role has to do with the importance they hold in the structure.
During the vinification of red wines, the extraction of tannins is crucial in order to fix and stabilise the colour of the wine and, at the same time, to guarantee a natural source of protection against oxidation.
The winemaker, seeking to ensure these two functions, is concerned with creating a balanced structure, never forgetting that, in the end, what will count is the flavour and the sense of texture they leave in the wine, along with acidity and alcohol.
This search for balance begins early. As the harvest approaches, the most difficult decision is to get the picking day right — the day when the flavour of the grapes is at its peak and the tannins are already ripe. Then, in the cellar, it is decided whether to extract more or less. In a wine where the “centre-back” is nervous, too reactive, the team rarely wins; if it is heavy, too ripe, it will also lack the strength to help. It is all a question of balance and harmony with the rest of the players.
Tannins in the Tasting
The characteristics of tannins in wine are closely tied to the tactile sensations that the wine’s texture conveys. They can also be linked to flavour, but in that case it is not a good sign, since what they will convey is bitterness.
As for texture, I challenge you to try an experiment. Taste a wine and try to notice how you feel the tannins. If you feel them silky and velvety, know that this usually corresponds to better ripeness and possibly to warmer regions. If you feel them clearly present, but somehow well integrated, this usually points us to cooler regions.
If you feel them bitter and very astringent, then the grapes will have been poorly ripened, green, with poor viticulture or from vines with an imbalance in yield. And if you feel them without hard edges, polished, or elegant, know that this may be the result of grape varieties low in tannin, or of wines with some ageing already.
The next time you taste a wine, try to notice whether the tannins are noble and integrated or whether, instead, they are rough and reactive. Try also to notice whether they appear slowly or dry your mouth quickly, whether they dominate the whole wine or are still in balance with the fruit.
“Try, discover and awaken the ‘wine lover’ within you.”
From the page to the glass
- Cascale Branco de Curtimenta — Síria made like a red: twelve days on skins, ten months in barrel.
- Monte Cascas Vinha do Quinto — 96% Baga from a century-old vineyard, 9,260 vines per hectare, two tonnes.
- Cabo da Roca Centenary Vines — Baga from a 96-year-old vineyard, 24 km from the Atlantic. Foot-trodden in lagar.
