Grape And Wine

First impressions… Tannins in wine have been described (most commonly by novice wine drinkers) as making wine difficult to drink.   And not surprisingly so, since tannins are typically known for producing a “dry, puckered and fury” sensation in your mouth. So what exactly are tannins and where do they come from? For many wine drinkers tannins still appear a mystery and are often used in a broad manner to describe red wines.   I myself have come to the conclusion that to truly understand the full spectrum, character and structure of these polyphenols one needs a certain degree in bio chemistry.   However since we are only addressing the tannins that are found in wine I will (without a degree in bio chemistry but with great confidence) describe these tannins in the most simplistic terms. So to begin with tannins are astringent plant polyphenols that are bitter in taste. They basically bind and shrink proteins. Being astringent they draw out liquid...