Merlot -- The Comeback Grape I Can’t Get Enough Of
July 9, 2025
If you’re a wine lover, or even just wine-curious, you’ve likely heard the terms tannins, structure, and mouthfeel thrown around—especially by wine professionals or your most wine-savvy friends. But what exactly are tannins, and why should you care about them? Understanding tannins doesn’t require a PhD in chemistry. Instead, it’s about recognizing a particular mouthfeel—the dryness or slight puckering you might experience on the sides of your cheeks or the roof of your mouth after sipping certain wines. And once you learn to detect and describe tannins for yourself, you’ll be better equipped to choose wines that match your taste and pair beautifully with your meals.
In this blog, we’re going to demystify tannins from the ground up. We’ll explore what they are, where they come from, how they change over time (according to the latest research), and how you can describe them like a pro—even if you’re more comfortable in T-shirts and jeans than a black-tie setting. Our goal? To help you taste your wine on a deeper level, appreciate (or politely avoid!) high-tannin wines, and find your personal sweet spot when it comes to that delightful—or sometimes aggressive—drying sensation.
Walk into a wine shop or attend a tasting, and you’ll hear words like “robust,” “well-structured,” or “grippy” used to describe certain red wines. These are usually hints that the wine has a notable tannic presence. But if you’ve ever felt unsure about what exactly that means, you’re not alone. Tannins can be elusive, partly because we don’t “taste” them in the same way we taste sweetness or acidity. Instead, tannins are all about mouthfeel—they interact with the proteins in our saliva, which leads to that drying, almost velvety or puckering effect in the mouth.
So why do tannins matter enough to warrant a whole post? Simply put, they’re a foundational element of a wine’s structure. They can make a red wine taste firm and muscular—or smooth and supple. They also play a big role in how a wine evolves in the bottle over time. In short, once you understand tannins, you’ll be able to decode many of the cues that wine experts use. Even if you decide you prefer wines with fewer tannins, or you discover you’re a “tannin fiend,” you’ll be making more informed choices—ones that truly fit your palate.
Let’s keep it simple: Tannins are naturally occurring polyphenols found in the skins, seeds, and stems of grapes. They can also come from oak barrels, especially those that are newer and thus more “active” in contributing tannic compounds. When you taste a red wine and it leaves your mouth feeling somewhat dry or a bit puckered, those are the tannins at work.
In the wine world, we often say tannins contribute to a wine’s structure. The dryness you sense is an indication of astringency, meaning the tannins are literally binding to the proteins in your saliva and reducing its lubricating effect. Understanding this helps you appreciate why certain wine pairings work so well (think: Cabernet Sauvignon and a juicy steak). More on that soon!
• Grape Skins, Seeds, and Stems: Tannins are predominantly found in red wines because of the extended contact the juice has with grape skins and other solid components during fermentation. With white wine, the grapes are typically pressed, and the skins are removed relatively quickly, leading to lower levels of tannin.
• Oak Barrels: Wines aged in newer oak barrels often pick up additional tannic compounds.
• Important Note: Oak barrels contribute non-flavonoid (hydrolysable) tannins, which are structurally different from the condensed tannins found in grape skins.
• Other Plants: If you’ve ever had a strong black tea that left your mouth feeling bone-dry, you’ve experienced tannins outside the wine world. Tea leaves, cocoa beans (chocolate!), walnuts, pomegranates, and many other fruits and nuts all contain tannins. This is one reason people sometimes compare the mouthfeel of strong tea or dark chocolate to tannic wine.
Tannins aren’t just a quirky side note—they are crucial for the overall structure and complexity of a wine. A high-tannin wine will typically feel bolder, sometimes more angular or robust, whereas a low-tannin wine can feel smooth and easygoing. Tannins also affect a wine’s aging potential. In general, wines with higher levels of tannins (in balance with acidity and fruit concentration) have better chances of aging gracefully, as these compounds also act as antioxidants, protecting the wine over time.
Here’s the best part: there’s no right or wrong preference when it comes to tannins. Some wine lovers chase that lip-smacking astringency, while others cringe at the sensation and seek a more velvety mouthfeel. Recognizing your preference helps you navigate the ever-expanding world of wines. Maybe you’ll go wild for a high-tannin beast of a Barolo or Amarone, or perhaps you’ll find your bliss in a softer, low-tannin Pinot Noir. The point is to know why you love (or loathe) certain wines, and part of that equation is tannins.
When you sip a red wine, the polyphenols known as tannins bind to the proteins in your saliva. Normally, saliva helps lubricate your mouth, so when tannins latch on, they effectively reduce that lubrication. The result is dryness or astringency you can feel immediately. This effect varies in intensity depending on the level and type of tannins in the wine and how sensitive you are to them.
As wines age, tannins interact with oxygen and other compounds, forming shorter chains and precipitating as sediment. This process, along with oxidation, reduces astringency and creates a smoother mouthfeel over time. So, although young, tannic wines can feel harsh initially, after several years (or even decades) in a cellar, their tannins often mellow into something far more refined.
• Red Wines: Tannins are most prominent here because of extended skin contact during fermentation. Classic high-tannin grapes include Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo (the grape behind Barolo and Barbaresco), Syrah/Shiraz, and Malbec, among others.
• Whites & Rosés:
• Standard white wines have negligible tannin levels unless heavily oaked.
• Orange wines (skin-contact whites) are the exception. Because these are made with prolonged grape skin contact (like red wines), they can contain significant grape-derived tannins, lending a unique mouthfeel you won’t find in typical whites.
Before diving into specific categories of tannin feel, let’s acknowledge one important tip: when describing wine, it’s okay to let your imagination fly. Taste is subjective, and your palate is your own. If a wine’s tannins remind you of velvet curtains, fine sandpaper, or the gritty texture of a cocoa-dusted truffle, run with it. Speak with confidence about what you feel in your mouth, and don’t be afraid to wax a little poetic.
Wine professionals have a vocabulary for describing tannins that can sometimes sound a bit like a shampoo commercial (silky, smooth, velvety) or a critique of sandpaper (coarse, rough, rustic). Here are the main categories you’ll hear, plus some extra creative yet commonly used terms you might see in professional wine reviews:
Core Description: Indicates minimal harshness, with tannins that feel integrated and supple. Typically found in wines that are naturally lower in tannin (like Pinot Noir) or have aged enough for the tannins to mellow.
Other Terms & Phrases: “Velvet glove,” “pillowy,” “satin-like,” “cashmere,” “gentle grip,” “creamy edges.”
Core Description: You can definitely feel the tannins—there’s a noticeable astringency—but it’s balanced by the wine’s fruit, acidity, and perhaps oak influence. Many well-made, age-worthy reds fit this description.
Other Terms & Phrases: “Muscular,” “tight backbone,” “well-knit,” “chalky,” “toothy,” “grippy yet polished.”
Core Description: High astringency that dries out your mouth almost immediately, sometimes with a gritty edge. This can happen in very young wines with robust tannin levels or wines that had extended maceration during winemaking.
Other Terms & Phrases: “Raspy,” “biting,” “angular,” “acerbic,” “tugging at the gums,” “rough-edged.”
Core Description: Tannins are clearly present, but they’re so well-integrated that they don’t overshadow the fruit, acidity, or other components. You might notice this in a beautifully aged Bordeaux or a long-cellared Barolo.
Other Terms & Phrases: “Silky yet firm,” “polished,” “fine-grained,” “suave,” “seamless,” “gossamer-like structure.”
Core Description: A bit more coarse or grippy, often the mark of a hearty, traditional style that might still need time to soften—or may simply be made in a more old-school, robust fashion.
Other Terms & Phrases: “Earthy grip,” “dusty,” “grainy,” “old-world grit,” “unevolved tannin,” “rugged.”
Try out words like grippy, velvety, smooth, angular, coarse, fine-grained, firm, etc. Don’t shy away from more imaginative phrases as you explore your palate. There’s no single “correct” adjective—your palate is yours alone. If you find yourself saying, “It’s like a fuzzy peach skin on my tongue,” go for it. The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll be assigning descriptors to the levels and types of tannins you encounter. More importantly, you’ll have the language to explain why a certain wine makes you say “Wow!”
One of the wine world’s classic truisms is: big red wines love rich proteins. Think of a hearty Cabernet Sauvignon paired with a juicy ribeye steak. Why does this duo work so well? The proteins in the meat (or a meaty vegetarian alternative) will bind to the tannins before the tannins can bind to the proteins in your saliva. This results in a softer, more balanced sensation in your mouth.
Examples of great pairings:
Cabernet Sauvignon + Ribeye Steak: The Cabernet’s firm tannins meet the steak’s robust flavors and proteins in a perfectly balanced dance, each enhancing the other’s best traits.
Barolo + Rich Pasta with Meat Sauce: Nebbiolo’s famously high tannins mellow out when paired with the savory, fatty richness of a meat ragù.
Meat isn’t your only route to taming tannins. Mushrooms, for instance, can offer an earthy, umami-rich depth that pairs beautifully with red wines. Legumes (lentils, beans) or eggplant dishes also have enough texture and protein to help soften tannic sensations. Meanwhile, cheese—whether dairy-based or a plant-based alternative with substantial fat content—adds creaminess that helps reduce the aggressive drying effect of tannins.
While big, tannic reds can be delightful, astringency can sometimes clash with intense heat or tartness. However, tannic wines can successfully pair with acidic foods when balanced by fat or sweetness, as demonstrated by traditional pairings like Sangiovese with tomato-based sauces. The key is to keep the overall meal in balance—if your dish is tangy or spicy, consider adding elements of fat (e.g., a creamy cheese, olive oil, or a buttery sauce) or a bit of sweetness (e.g., caramelized onions, roasted vegetables) to help smooth the edges of a robust red.
As noted earlier, tannins evolve during aging by interacting with oxygen and other chemical processes—often leading to shorter tannin chains and the precipitation of sediment. A young Cabernet might feel quite abrasive at first, but after several years in the cellar, the tannins may integrate into a more refined, velvety package. Proper cellar conditions—stable temperature and appropriate humidity—are crucial for wines meant to mature and reveal these complex transformations.
If you don’t have the patience (or the cellar space) to wait several years for a high-tannin wine to soften, decanting can be your best friend. By pouring the wine into a decanter (or even a simple glass pitcher), you expose it to oxygen, which can help “open up” the aromatics and soften the astringency more quickly. Some wines, particularly younger, bolder reds like a youthful Syrah or an Argentine Malbec, can benefit from several hours in a decanter. Even swirling the wine in your glass helps: the swirling action mixes air into the wine, allowing some of that tannic intensity to mellow.
One of the most fun (and sometimes frustrating) aspects of wine is learning that every bottle has a “drinking window”, or a period where the wine’s balance of tannin, fruit, and acidity reaches its peak expression. Of course, this window can vary by region, vintage, and personal preference. Some people love the bracing, youthful tannins of a freshly released Barolo, while others would never dream of opening a Barolo before it’s had at least a decade in the cellar. The only way to truly know your sweet spot is by experimenting. Don’t be afraid to open a bottle at different stages—if you have a few bottles of the same wine, taste one early, then wait a year or two, and taste another. Observe how the tannins evolve.
One of the popular misconceptions is that tannic red wines are responsible for dreaded “wine headaches.” The truth is, headaches can come from a variety of factors, including histamines, sulfites, and simple dehydration. While tannins aren’t the primary cause of wine headaches, research suggests they may trigger serotonin release in sensitive individuals, potentially contributing to discomfort. If you’re prone to headaches from red wine, consider exploring lower-tannin options or pay attention to which specific wines trigger discomfort.
Short answer: Typically negligible, unless the wine is heavily oaked or made using skin contact. In most standard white wines, the juice is pressed away from the skins quickly, so the tannin content remains very low. However, there’s an exciting category known as orange wine (or skin-contact white), in which white grapes are fermented with their skins—just like red wines. This process can yield significant grape-derived tannins, resulting in a more robust texture and a complex, sometimes savory flavor profile. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re curious about different textures in wine, orange wines are worth exploring.
We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: there’s no single “right” or “wrong” level of tannin for everyone. Some of us crave that intense, mouth-coating dryness; others prefer the gentlest whisper of tannin. Your personal preferences are what make your wine journey fun and individual. Tannins are just another piece of the puzzle in finding the wines that make you happiest.
Ready to expand your tannin toolkit even further? Put together a mini “Tannin Tasting Flight” with friends or at home. Pick out three reds that vary in tannin intensity—a light-bodied, low-tannin wine (like Beaujolais), a medium-bodied option (like Merlot), and a full-bodied, high-tannin selection (like Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah). Taste them side by side, focusing on the differences in mouthfeel and structure. Take notes, compare impressions, and see if you can come up with new descriptors that capture your experience.
If you’re intrigued and want to learn more, stay tuned for the next post in our Wine 101 series, where we’ll explore other elements that influence the wine’s overall feel and flavor—like acidity and residual sugar levels. Until then, keep sipping, experimenting, and, most importantly, enjoying every moment you spend discovering the wonderful world of wine.
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This post is brought to you by Wine Pro, the AI wine app dedicated to helping you sharpen your wine knowledge, refine your palate, and find the perfect bottle for any occasion. Whether you’re a casual enthusiast or already speak fluent “wine geek,” our mission is to make the wine world more accessible, more fun, and completely personalized—one glass at a time.
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