Have a question about tannin descriptions. I've seen many descriptions refering to soft or velvety tannins. How would one differentiate between a wine that has soft tannins v. a wine that simply isn't all that tannic?
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Try a young (2004) napa valley Cabernet (pay $14-20). That should give you a sense of very dry mouth when you drink it. That's very tannic. The lesser that sense, the less tannic the wine is.
I understand what it tastes like to have a tannic wine, I'm more curious what reviewers mean by "soft" or "velvety" tannins. Are the tannins still there, but less pronounced or are the tannins just not there?
If you can try some of Bob Foley wines(Pride, Foley, etc); they have soft, velvety tannins. The opposite would be rustic dry & stemmy. For an experiment, chew on grape stems or seeds. Then chew on grape flesh with the skins. Grape flesh-no tannin. Grape skin-smooth tannin. Stems or seeds-rustic dry tannin.
Another example would be "in general" Syrah or Shiraz(Marquis-Philips) vs Petit Sirah or a mountain Cab.
Another example would be "in general" Syrah or Shiraz(Marquis-Philips) vs Petit Sirah or a mountain Cab.
The Experiment is a great example, ronmc2.
I might be wanting to steal that image sometimes if asked this same question.
Thanks beforehand.
I might be wanting to steal that image sometimes if asked this same question.
Thanks beforehand.
quote:Originally posted by Rik:
The Experiment is a great example, ronmc2.
I might be wanting to steal that image sometimes if asked this same question.
Thanks beforehand.
My Copyright attorney's number is....
As they say in Mac-surroundings: Sosumi !
quote:Originally posted by ronmc2:
For an experiment, chew on grape stems or seeds. Then chew on grape flesh with the skins. Grape flesh-no tannin. Grape skin-smooth tannin. Stems or seeds-rustic dry tannin.
That is SO excellent. I love when people give practical advice that I can actually try. Thanks.
In wine, tannins are measured in terms of quantity (low, med, high) as well as quality (fine-grained, velvety, coarse).
Mostly, they are sensed in terms of mouthfeel due to their astringent quality (recall the term "tanned hides" -- tannins are used to dry the skins. and in wine, the tannins are actually drying out your mouth and tongue).
Other foods in which to find tannins: strong brewed tea and walnut skins.
The quantity of tannin is thanks to their extraction during the winemaking process as well as the grape variety itself (some, such as Cab Sav, are higher in tannins than others, such as Pinot Noir). The quality of the tannins is mostly due to their maturity at harvest. Of course, there are a zillion other factors...
Cheers!
Gloria
Mostly, they are sensed in terms of mouthfeel due to their astringent quality (recall the term "tanned hides" -- tannins are used to dry the skins. and in wine, the tannins are actually drying out your mouth and tongue).
Other foods in which to find tannins: strong brewed tea and walnut skins.
The quantity of tannin is thanks to their extraction during the winemaking process as well as the grape variety itself (some, such as Cab Sav, are higher in tannins than others, such as Pinot Noir). The quality of the tannins is mostly due to their maturity at harvest. Of course, there are a zillion other factors...
Cheers!
Gloria