The Wine Mine Blagging Toolkit - 5 wine nuggets with which to impress your friends...1. Tannins occur naturally throughout the plant kingdom. In wines, they come from grapes' skins, pips and stalks. They can also come from the oak in which wines are matured.
2. They are a natural preservative and so are vital to wines which are intended to age, particularly red wines. (The name tannin comes from its use to tan animal hides into leather.)
3. They give a wine body, structure and 'grip', so are important for wines which are intended to be drunk young too.
4. The way to detect tannins in a wine is that they make your mouth and gums pucker, as if they are drying out. This sensation is caused by tannins' astringency. It is similar to that from strong black tea or an unripe banana.
5. Tannins fade over time, meaning that in young wines which are intended to be kept for many years they can appear overpowering. With time, the fruit characteristics will develop and the tannins will diminish, although not so much that their preservative and structural qualities are lost.
