Tannins:
Explore the fundamental role of tannins in wine, from their origin in grape skins, seeds, and oak barrels to their impact on taste and aging potential. Learn how these natural compounds create the structural backbone of red wines while also appearing more subtly in whites, contributing to both immediate drinking pleasure and long-term cellaring capability. Discover why that characteristic dry sensation in your mouth is a hallmark of tannin presence, similar to the experience of drinking strong black tea.
Orange/Amber Wines:
Orange or amber wines offer a fascinating perspective on tannin expression in white grapes. During extended skin contact fermentation (also known as skin maceration), white grapes release tannins that are typically absent in conventional white winemaking. This process creates wines with remarkable tannic structure, often displaying grippy, tea-like qualities and complex phenolic compounds that can rival red wines. The resulting amber wines showcase how white grape varieties, when vinified more like reds, can develop substantial tannin profiles, contributing to both their distinctive color and textural complexity. This ancient winemaking technique, particularly popular in Georgia and increasingly embraced by modern natural winemakers, demonstrates how fermentation choices can dramatically influence a wine's tannic expression, regardless of grape color.
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