Understanding tannins

[Roy Hersh]

At this weekend's Port tasting, I kept hearing people saying that they were tasting tannins and I did not want to correct them. Tannins are something that one feels or experiences in a sensorial or tactile manner. In addition to wine, I think everyone will be surprised at how many products actually contain tannins. This really provides a great read and a much better understanding of what tannins are, where they come from, how they are sensed, and how they can be manipulated in wine. Hopefully, it will also provide fodder for a great discussion too!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tannins

[Kris Henderson]

I once ate the wrong kind of Persimmon when it wasn't fully ripe and the tannins in it were intense, stronger than any Vintage Port of any age that I've ever tasted.

[Moses Botbol]

Tannins are something that one feels or experiences in a sensorial or tactile manner. In addition to wine, I think everyone will be surprised at how many products actually contain tannins.

What do you think they were tasting or were they just mixing up taste sensory and tactile terms?

[Glenn E.]

Tannins are something that one feels or experiences in a sensorial or tactile manner. In addition to wine, I think everyone will be surprised at how many products actually contain tannins.

What do you think they were tasting or were they just mixing up taste sensory and tactile terms?

I don't remember anyone saying they could taste tannins, but I do remember one person saying that he could not taste them, but only feel them, and he thought that made him different from most people.

For me, strong tannins make my tongue feel like it's wearing a thick wool sock and I get this strong urge to try to suck the sock off my tongue.

[Eric Menchen]

I think this is a matter of semantics. Now I'll admit to ignorance on wine terminology, but at least some of the definitions of "taste" that I found mentioned perceiving or sensing by putting in the mouth. Perhaps you don't detect the tannins with your taste buds, but you recognize them in your mouth. Whether that counts as tasting depends on your definition of taste, for which there are many.

[Derek T.]

a study in wine production and consumption has shown that tannins...have a beneficial effect on vascular health

I don't think any of us should argue with that

[Roy Hersh]

Moses:

What do you think they were tasting or were they just mixing up taste sensory and tactile terms?

Without naming names, this was mentioned on several occasions ... and one mentioned that he tasted "bitter" tannins. Sweet or bitter are certainly present characters or attributes ... but these are flavor compounds and are tasted and not "felt."

I understand Eric's point, but there truly is a difference and there are numerous books on the topic of taste when it comes to wine, the best of which (imo) is Jancis Robinson's excellent tome: HOW TO TASTE.

At competitions where judges have to discern specific qualitative differences, (also for WSET, MS and MW tests) being able to not only discern these differences but then put them into words is the greatest challenge and can take years to develop the sensorial ability, no less the requisite vocabulary.

Again, I would never correct folks when they say .. "it has really sweet tannins" or "I taste bitter tannins" but in wine vernacular, this is not actually accurate. However, I believe it is far better to let folks not feel intimidated about being new to wine and I'm just glad they are willing to speak about the wines or Ports in the first place.

Better descriptors to describe tannins are: soft, round, caressing, mellow, seamless, voluptuous, polished, ripe, plentiful, astringent, dusty, chewy, puckering, firm, well-integrated, mouth coating, aggressive and supple.

These are just the ones right off the top of my head and I am sure if I thought more about this for awhile, I could come up with a more extensive list. However, none of those really implies any flavor compounds but a sensorial impression.

I realize this borders on serious geekdom and some would even wag a finger and declare "wine snob" but it's more about introducing information that you can use or choose to lose. To me it is not about being right or wrong here. :help:

Glenn wrote:

I do remember one person saying that he could not taste them, but only feel them, and he thought that made him different from most people.

Yes, and I concur with him. Unfortunately, one of the downsides of drinking as much Port and Madeira (not to mention plenty of red wines) is that in abundance, we lose some of our sensitivities to compounds like tannin. Our mouth can become "conditioned" if not immune, the inside of your cheeks and gums can be tanned, similar to leather ... and one's ability to evaluate the tannins can be swayed. I know that when I do my articles on pre-release cask samples from a tannic vintage like 1997 (when young) where it is nearly painful to taste them at this stage ... it takes a rigorous methodology to stay focuse and keep one's palate accute, no easy task.