Red Wine Grapes - Structure Flashcards
What are the 3 criteria for evaluating tannin in red wines?
- Location of tannin
- Type of tannin
- Level of tannin
When is the best time to evaluate tannin while tasting a red wine?
“The three elements of tannin structure are best tasted on the finish of the wine; after you have swallowed or spat. Listen to what the tannins are telling you at that point; they will not reveal all their secrets while the wine is in your mouth.”
What does it mean by “location of tannin (perception)?
Tannin is felt in different locations on the palate.
Are tannins only felt in one location?
No, don’t be silly. It means that the focus of the drying effects is felt in one location.
Does each red grape have a different location of drying or tannin location?
No, not necessarily. Many red grapes have tannins that are felt in the gums. That is when the taster needs to consider the level and type of tannin to identify variety.
Explain the level of tannin.
The terms low, medium, and high indicate how much tannin a red wine has and this is useful because different varieties show different levels of tannin.
How does one identify the level of tannin?
Consider how much the tannins dry out your mouth.
The more they do, and the quicker they do (while holding the wine in your mouth), the higher the tannin level.
What are some of the factors that influence the level of tannin?
climate of origin
age of wine
winemaking style
Why is a good idea to hold every red wine on the palate for the same amount of time?
Because if you hold any red wine on your palate, it will eventually seem tannic. 5 seconds or less is usually suggested.
What would a good tannin description be for Sangiovese?
Moderate to high levels of sandy tannins felt on the gums.
From there, it is possible to deduce the origin of a wine through analysis of other attributes: fruit concentration, fruit texture, acidity, and length.
Important to keep in mind when evaluating tannin?
Keep in mind that the level and type of tannin can be influenced by winemaking, climate, and age of wine. Vintage variation for example. That is why location of tannin is important.
