Ep 099: What is Tannin?

Mar 2, 2014

You may think you know everything you need to know about tannin but in what could be our dorkiest podcast yet, we share a bunch of nerdy facts about tannin. And the show outline:

What are tannins?

• They're the stuff that makes your mouth feel dry or pucker after you drink a red wine or a white that’s been aged in oak.
• They are polyphenols – Chemical compounds in reds that easily bind to stuff, change often 
• They affect color, flavor, and structure of the wine and act as a preservative – tannic wines can be cellared for a long time
• They are Important in food and wine pairing – protein helps minimize tannins

Where do tannins come from?:

• Found in skin, stems, seeds or from barrels or wood chips (tannin powder in the cheap wine)
  
• Some words on tanning leather and how tannins impact animal skins
• Vineyard management and winemaking
  

We then cover tannic food and high tannin wines including the big four:

• Nebbiolo
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Tannat
• Syrah

Enjoy and please drop any comments or questions here or on Facebook or Twitter!