Tannin in Wine

Black teas have lots of tannins, and you feel it drying out your mouth when you drink it. Other foods, like all other teas, coffee, and nuts have tannins, though not the mouth-drying sensation of black tea. So our perception of tannins is a sensation and a feel, not a smell or taste.

from Yao Family Wines

Tannins in Wines

Some wines are low in tannins, some are highly tannic. Tannins are found in the seeds, skins and stems of grapes. Some wine tannins come from oak barrels, too, but the vast majority will be from the grape skins. White wines are very low in tannins as they are fermented without the skins. Skin contact during fermentation gives color to red wines, along with tannins. Rosé wines are red wine grapes with very short skin contact.

Tannins are part of a wine's structure and contribute to its aging ability. Tannins integrate with the wine and soften as the wine ages.

Good and Bad Tannins

Tannins come in quantity, as in a very tannic wine, but also in quality. Unripe grapes give unripe green tannins. Ripe tannins are soft, supple, plush, velvety. High tannin wines might be described as grippy, mouth-drying, or firm. I sometimes describe it as sucking on an old gym sock. 

Tannins from the grape seeds are bitter tannins. Cheap red wines will usually come from grapes that have been firmly pressed during winemaking to get every last drop of juice. This releases the bitter seed tannins to what will become a cheap red wine. 

The bad tannins from unripe fruit or the grape seeds can be described as bitter or astringent.

Tannic Wines

All white wines along with Barbera, Grenache, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Sangiovese are lower in tannins.

Higher tannin wines are Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah

Food and Tannins

Foods with higher fats will reduce the wine's tannic feel, such as cheeses and steak. Oily foods do not react well with tannic wines, so stay away from salmon and Petite Sirah.  :)

Red Wine Tannins Give Me Headaches

There's no scientific link to tannins and headaches. Lots of foods have tannins. By far, the top allergic reaction with wine is histamines. As it turns out, some of the more tannic wines are also high in histamines, like Cab Sauv and Syrah.