The Basics |
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The Importance of Tannin and Acid |
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There are two incredibly important elements of wine which significantly contribute to the structure
and ultimately determine its quality. Acids and tannin are both found naturally in grapes,
but their contribution to wine should be recognized and understood. We'll start with acids since they are essential components of both red and white wines. Acidity gives wine a kick, contributing a tangy sensation that you feel on your tongue and a quenching sensation that hits the back of your throat. Without acid as a contributing factor, wine would be dull and unsatisfying as a beverage. The acid gives wine zest and certainly enhances its overall taste and appeal. An excellent analogy is to think about how many people squeeze a lemon on seafood or shrimp cocktail. Why? Because the kick of acidity from the lemon juice enhances the flavor of the dish. Too much acidity, however, is definitely a bad thing. Many winemakers choose to tone down the acids in wine through the ugly sounding process of maloactic fermentation ("malo" for short). While some winemakers have no issues using malo to lower the acidity of their wines, others, especially Old World producers, feel that this is unnaturally changing the characteristic of the wine and killing its true expression. Acids can also act as a preservative in white wines, allowing them to improve with age. This is rare, though, and a vast majority of whites will not improve if you place them in a cellar. Next, let's tackle tannin, a chemical element found in the stems, skins and seeds of grapes, but not in the grapes themselves. When it comes to wine, tannin is a key characteristic of red wines but not whites. That's because during fermentation the skins impart their tannin on red wine in addition to contributing the color. Since the skins are removed prior to fermentation when making white wine, there are really not enough tannin to make any sort of impact. So how do you recognize tannin when you drink wine? It's the mouth-drying sensation you feel immediately you take a sip. Tannin is not a taste, but a sensation that your mouth feels. An excess of tannin in wine will truly overwhelm everything else that the wine has to offer, as your entire mouth and gums will feel as arid as a desert and you also might sense some bitterness. Now, I'm sure you're asking why tannin is good for wine if it produces this awful sensation. Tannin is a natural preservative that enables some of the finest red wines in the world to improve as they age. As red wines with significant tannin age, the tannin slowly turns to sediment, and in turn the wine softens, allowing the flavors to come forward. At the same time, the wine comes into balance as the tannin level decreases, and only when a wine is in balance can it fulfill its maximum potential. Tannin also provides a red wine with good structure, giving it the heft and bite required to stand up to the heavy flavors of red meat and thick sauces. A wine with tannin helps cleanse the palate of fats and oils, another reason why big, bold reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon match up so well with steak, duck and other fatty foods. One final note on tannic wines - the protein and fat in cheese helps counteract the mouth-drying effect, which helps explain why wine and cheese pair up nicely. Got a huge red in front of you that's proving to be tough to drink? Find some cheese and you'll be in much better shape. |
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