Tonight, we are talking tannins. What are they, why are they in wine, are they important, do I want them in my wine? We will attempt to answer all of these questions and more!

Tannins are complex compounds that are found in many trees and grapes. In wine, tannins mostly come from the grapes, but can also come from the wood barrels during the aging process. In the grapes, most of the tannins are found in the skin, seeds, and stems of the grapes. So, the amount of contact the juice has with these components will ultimately affect the level of tannins in the wine. Tannins are responsible for astringency in the wine. This is a bitterness and is similar to that experienced in an over-steeped black tea.

Tannins are important for wine aging. During the aging process, tannins form polymerize and ultimately precipitate as sediment and at that time, do not cause any astringency or bitterness on the palate.

Tannins will cause a drying sensation in the mouth. The tannins bind with the saliva to make the mouth feel dry.

A lot of tannins are found in the color compounds of wine. So if you like dark deep colored red wines, You probably like wines with greater amounts of tannin. Tannins are important to the aging process, and if you like wines that age and mature over time, you probably like wines with tannins.

Tonight, we are going to look at some wine varieties with high tannin levels.

First is a Tannat. This variety gets its name from tannin. It is a deep-black-berried grape variety. It is most famous or known to come from two areas. First is the Madiron area of Southwestern France. Second, is the South American Country of Uruguay. The wines are often blended with other varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Merlot, or Pinot Noir.

Second is Petit Verdot. Another black grape with thick skins and is one of the Bordeaux grapes. Bordeaux wines are blended wines. Petit Verdot is actually becoming a more popular blending option. It is popular because it adds to the color of the wine, and it adds tannins and the ability for the wines to age. It is also becoming more popular in Washington State and in California blends.

Tonight, we are tasting:

2022 Cashflow Red Mountain Washington Petit Verdot. The winery says the wine was aged for 24 months in 40% new French and American oak, It is made of 95% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas of raisins, figs, currants and blackberry bramble. Flavors of mushroom, white pepper, sage, raisins, dates, concord grapes. It has 14.5% alcohol. Pairs with pulled pork tacos, pastrami sandwich, or creamy pasta salad. I purchased this from Gateway Market for around $30.00.
2022 Garzon Reserva Tannat. This wine is from Uruguay. The wine has dark-fruit aromas and is full-bodied. Flavors of black and red fruits with firm tannins. Notes of herbs and graphite. The wine received a 90 rating from the Wine Enthusiast. It has 14.0% alcohol. I purchased the wine from Gateway Market for $18.00.

Tannins pair with fatty, protein-rich, or savory dishes. Fat and protein will soften the tannins. Grilled steaks, aged cheeses, lamb, or dark chocolate.

We liked both wines and rated both a 3.

Next week we will continue our discussion of tannins.