Tannin is the translation of English Tannins, which is one of the two phenolic compounds contained in wine, especially in red wine. It comes from two sources: one is the grape itself (seeds, skins and stems); The second is the oak barrel for storing wine. When red grape juice is soaked and fermented with belt seeds (if necessary, with some stalks), it is extracted and dissolved into wine liquid through alcohol (white wine is fermented only with juice because of peeling and removing seeds, and tannin can hardly be extracted from skin and seeds), while the latter is extracted from oak because the fermented wine liquid is in contact with the barrel wall when it is aged in oak barrels (some are not matured in barrels into red wine suitable for young people, such as thin wine)

Second, the role of tannins

1, tannin determines the flavor, structure and texture of wine.

The structure of wine is composed of tannin, alcohol, acid and other factors, which is the difference between wine and grape juice; These factors also determine the texture of wine. Red wine lacking tannins will be unbalanced in structure, with light texture and no thick feeling, and Thin Wine Lai is a typical representative. In addition, tannin also determines the flavor of wine, especially the aged wine. The sediment formed by tannin, pigment and yeast dead cells changes in the wine for a long time, which develops the mellow and delicate flavor of the aged wine.

2. Tannin supports the long-term ripening of red wine.

The antioxidant properties of tannins enable the red wine rich in tannins to mature all the year round. For example, the five wineries in good years need more than 30 years to mature, and the peak period can last for more than 20 or 30 years. On the contrary, Laixin wine, a thin wine without tannin support, will oxidize and turn sour after two to three months even if it has not been opened, and another example is white wine with little tannin, even if the expensive Romanne-Conti has been stored in oak barrels for about one year, it will begin to decline in ten to fifteen years.

3. Tannin is beneficial to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Tannin contains a substance called Procyanidols, which was first detected by Professor Masquelier in 1955. It was found that it can not only protect human blood vessels, but also protect the arterial wall and prevent arteriosclerosis. In addition, Procyanidols can control cholesterol and inhibit the oxidation of low-density cholesterol (LDL) in blood, while alcohol can improve the effect of high-density cholesterol (HDL) in blood.

Third, how to feel tannins?

Tannin is particularly obvious in young red wine. After drinking, the mouth will feel dry and the oral mucosa will feel wrinkled, which is very similar to the feeling of drinking strong Leng Cha. You can feel it by tasting the contrast thin wine Laixin and Bordeaux new wine at the same time.