Kevin Shaun Jirasinghe
20/10/2026
Why They Matter in Fine Wine
Why can a young Bordeaux make your mouth feel dry, yet become silky after years in bottle? Much of the answer lies in tannins.
Tannins are natural polyphenolic compounds found mainly in grape skins, seeds and stems, with additional tannins sometimes coming from oak. They give wine its drying, gripping sensation, help shape its colour and structure, and can contribute to its ability to develop over time.
But more tannin does not automatically mean better wine or a better investment. Quality depends on ripeness, balance, winemaking, storage and demand. Here is what tannins are, why tannins matter and what they can reveal about the future of a fine wine.
Tannins are plant-derived polyphenols that can bind with proteins. In wine, that reaction is experienced mainly as astringency: the drying, tightening or puckering feeling that follows a sip of some red wines.
Think of strong black tea or an underripe walnut. The sensation is caused partly by tannins interacting with salivary proteins and reducing lubrication. Tannins can also contribute bitterness, but that is a taste; astringency is largely tactile.
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Where do wine tannins come from? | Grape skins, seeds and stems, plus oak used during maturation |
| What do tannins feel like? | Drying, gripping, chalky, silky or velvety |
| Why tannins matter | They influence structure, colour stability, food pairing and how a wine develops with age |
| Are more tannins always better? | No. Balance, ripeness and tannin quality matter more than sheer quantity |
| Do white wines contain tannins? | Usually much less than reds, although oak ageing and skin contact can increase them |
Most red-wine tannins begin in the solid parts of the grape. During fermentation, the juice remains with skins and often seeds; whole-bunch fermentation adds stems too. Alcohol and heat aid extraction, while maceration time, temperature and pressing shape the result.
Skin and seed tannins are not identical. Research cited by UC Davis links smaller seed-derived tannins more strongly with bitterness, while larger skin-derived tannins can feel more astringent. Unripe seeds or stems may taste green and coarse; well-managed tannins can feel firm, fine-grained or polished.
This is why two Cabernet Sauvignons can have very different textures even when both are described as high in tannin.
Oak can contribute hydrolysable tannins, known as ellagitannins, alongside flavours and aromas. The effect varies with the wood, barrel age, toast and maturation time.
Grape-derived condensed tannins normally make up the larger share in red wine. Oak is an influence, not the whole story.
Most white wines are pressed away from their skins before fermentation, so they contain far less tannin than reds. Oak-matured whites can acquire oak tannin, while orange wines extract it through contact with skins, seeds and sometimes stems.
This is an important reminder: colour offers a clue, not an absolute rule.
Wine writers may describe tannins as silky, powdery, fine-grained, chalky, chewy, grippy or rustic.
These words describe texture, not simply strength. Abundant tannin can feel refined; a lower-tannin wine may feel harsh when fruit and acidity do not balance it. After swallowing, ask whether the grip feels smooth and persistent or sharp and abrupt.
Tannin is always perceived within a wider matrix of acidity, alcohol, fruit, pigments and other compounds.
Tannins frame a wine’s fruit, acidity and alcohol. Too little structure can leave a powerful red unfocused; hard, unripe tannin can make it severe. In age-worthy wine, tannins support rather than dominate.
Tannins interact with anthocyanins, the pigments behind red wine’s colour, to form more stable coloured compounds. This contributes to the shift from purple and ruby towards garnet and brick.
Calling tannins natural antioxidants or preservatives is useful shorthand, but the chemistry is more complex. They interact with oxygen, pigments and other compounds; they do not protect a wine alone.
High tannin can indicate a wine built to mature when matched by fresh acidity, concentrated fruit and skilled winemaking. Many Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Tannat and Syrah wines fit this profile.
Yet Riesling, Sauternes and fine white Burgundy can evolve for decades with little grape tannin. Acidity, sugar, alcohol, flavour concentration, closure and storage all matter.
So, do high-tannin wines always age better? No. A balanced wine with the right components can age beautifully; a harsh, hollow wine may simply become an older harsh, hollow wine.
The familiar explanation says tannins form larger chains, soften and eventually fall out as sediment. That can happen, but research shows a more complex picture.
During fermentation and ageing, tannins can rearrange, fragment, combine or precipitate. Others remain but bind less strongly with saliva, making the wine feel softer.
The Australian Wine Research Institute found that mature wines can retain tannin concentrations similar to younger wines. Softness therefore cannot be explained by tannin loss alone; structural change is crucial.
Time can therefore transform a firm young wine: its grip integrates, fruit develops into savoury tertiary notes and sediment may form. Stand older reds upright and decant carefully to separate clear wine from sediment without overexposing a fragile wine to air.
Grape variety is a useful starting point, but climate, vintage and winemaking alter the result.
| Typical tannin level | Examples | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| High | Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Tannat, young vintage Port | Pronounced grip and potentially long development when balanced |
| Medium to high | Syrah, Sangiovese, Malbec, Tempranillo | Structure varies considerably by region, ripeness and technique |
| Lower | Gamay, Grenache, many Pinot Noirs | Often more approachable in youth, though the finest examples can still age for decades |
These are tendencies, not rankings. A top Burgundy can outlive a poorly balanced Cabernet. Fine wine is never judged by one component alone.
Ever noticed how a structured red seems softer beside a meal?
Tannins interact with proteins, while research indicates that dietary fats can reduce perceived astringency. That is why Cabernet with lamb, Nebbiolo with a rich Piedmontese dish or Malbec with beef can feel more harmonious than the wine alone.
The food can make the wine feel rounder, while acidity refreshes the palate. Fat, salt, sauce, cooking method and spice still matter; chilli heat may exaggerate bitterness, while delicate food can be overwhelmed.
For collectors, tannins help answer: where is this wine in its life? A young Bordeaux or Barolo may need years to open. As its drinking window approaches, demand can increase while supply falls through consumption.
That relationship is relevant to wine investment, but tannin is not a financial signal on its own.
An investment-grade wine also needs:
Tannins support longevity, but cannot create liquidity, repair poor storage or make an unknown label desirable. They are part of the analysis, not the thesis.
Start with four questions:
Consider the wine’s age too. Firmness suits a young Barolo intended for cellaring; in a mature, fading wine, it may indicate imbalance rather than potential.
What are tannins? Plant-derived compounds that give wine grip, structure and capacity to evolve. In great fine wine, they support fruit and acidity, then change as the bottle matures.
Understanding them makes tasting and pairing easier. It also clarifies longevity and drinking windows—but never provides a shortcut to investment value.
To learn how ageing potential, scarcity and demand combine in a portfolio, download Moncharm’s free Fine Wine Investment Guide or speak with our team.
Neither. Tannins are structural components. Ripe, balanced tannins can add depth and support ageing; harsh or excessive tannins can make a wine unpleasant.
Not primarily. Astringency is a tactile drying sensation caused partly by interactions between tannins and salivary proteins. Some tannins can also contribute bitterness.
There is no good evidence that tannins universally cause wine headaches. Alcohol is a well-established contributor; responses to other components vary.
Air can make a young wine seem more open, but decanting cannot replicate years in bottle. With mature wine, decant mainly to remove sediment.
Yes, but amounts and textures vary widely. Grape variety, ripeness, maceration, stem use, pressing and oak all influence the result.
They can contribute to the structure and longevity that allow certain fine wines to mature over many years. Investment potential, however, also depends on producer reputation, vintage, scarcity, provenance, entry price and resale demand.
13 Oct 2026
