What is Tannin?

Last time, the topic of dry wines was addressed. It was discussed that 'dry' wines are technically those with no residual sugar. But, more often than not, wine can cause a drying sensation in the mouth that people associate with 'dry' wine. This sensation, generally with red wines, has little to do with residual sugar and is usually associated with tannins.

So, what is tannin?  Without getting too technical, tannin is a chemical compound (polyphenol) that occurs naturally in the skin, seeds and stems of grapes. It can also be found in tea leaves, nuts with skins (e.g., almonds and walnuts) and dark chocolate, just to name a few. 

Red wines are generally the ones that are highly tannic. This is because the process of making red wine involves leaving the grape skins, seeds and stems in contact with the juice of the grape during fermentation.  While most wine makers remove the stems before fermentation, there is still plenty of tannin in the skin and seeds of grapes.

And, tannic compounds also come from wood.  So, barrel aging of wines introduces yet another source of tannin.

But wait.  With all this talk about tannin, you'd think it's a bad thing.  No. Tannin is what gives a wine its complexity and depth of character. Without tannin, the wine would be 'watery,' 'thin' or 'flabby.'  And, tannin is a great defender of oxidation. So it defends against the small amounts of oxygen that get introduced in the barrel or bottle that could otherwise spoil the wine.

Finally, and most importantly, tannins don't always produce the dry astringent sensation in the mouth. Tannins are also responsible for producing that wonderful silky smooth sensation in wines. Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of tannin and, when young, can have big tannins that can be described as 'rough' or 'dusty.'  But, wines such as Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Zinfandel just naturally have softer, smoother tannins from the start.

To summarize, tannins are a good thing. They have no smell or taste and are responsible for the tremendous complexity and character in red wines. And remember, in wine lingo, a dry wine is one with no residual sugar. But, wines that produce the sensation of dryness in the mouth are due to strong tannins.  Cheers!

What is a Dry Wine?

You may have heard or even used the phrase regarding the preference for a dry wine.  But what does that really mean?  The problem is that the term gets used in a couple different ways.

When referring to a dry wine, a lot of people are referring to the way that it tastes or the sensation that the wine produces in their mouth.  But 'dry' can also refer to the amount of sugar in the wine.

Ok, so what then is a 'dry' wine? Well, most wines are technically dry.  That is, during the fermentation process, the yeast is allowed to consume all the natural sugar in the juice of the grape and convert it into alcohol. Thus, dry wines actually contain no sugar.  But, if the fermentation process is interrupted before the natural sugars are converted to alcohol, then you end up with a wine that has a residual sugar level greater than zero.  So these wines are 'sweet' which is, in wine parlance, the opposite of 'dry.'

And while we'll save an in-depth discussion of residual sugar for a future posting, there are certainly winemakers that produce wines with some sweetness by interrupting the fermentation process. And these wines are highly popular.

What about wines that dry out your mouth when you drink them? Aren't they dry wines? Well, technically no.  The sensation of dryness in the  mouth is actually the result of tannic compounds in the wine or 'the tannin.'  Tannins are naturally produced from the skin and seed of the grape. And these tannic compounds in grapes are the same ones that are experienced when drinking a strong cup of tea or when eating nuts such as walnuts.  They can yield the same effect; a drying sensation in the mouth. But this is not what makes a 'dry' wine.

So the next time you or someone you know uses the term 'dry' when speaking of wine, ensure that you clarify what is meant by the term.  Otherwise, it can result in very different wines. Cheers!

Special Designations on Wine Labels

In recent postings we've explored the information on U.S. wine labels.  We've seen that the labels are required to tell us about the type of wine, the AVA or location where it was produced, the vintage or year the grapes were harvested, the alcohol content, and if the wine contains sulfites as a preservative.  Then there are the other 'special designations' that appear on wine labels that are not regulated.

But first, we as consumers must realize that the label of any product is the primary selling tool. And hence, the label is going to contain some amount of marketing. And this comes in varying degrees.  On one end of the spectrum you will see very sophisticated labels on wines. These may done in fancy script with dark colors and may include metallic gold or silver trim.  This simple yet sophisticated label is certainly using marketing techniques to convince you, in subtle ways, that it is an outstanding wine. 

On the other end of the spectrum there are trendy labels with fancy artwork and cute or clever names. Again, these wines are looking to be exciting to a particular segment of wine buying market.

Then there are all the other labels out there that contain words such as "Reserve," "Private Reserve," "Vintner's Reserve," "Barrel Select," "Vintner's Blend," "Old Vine," and "Cellar Select."  These are just some of the marketing terms that are used on wine labels and, in the U.S., are not regulated.   Mostly they have little to no meaning.

Yes, wine makers do have 'Reserve' wines that are special, usually smaller production wines of very high quality. But, the odds of truly finding a bottle of 'Reserve' wine on a store shelf are low.  These are usually only sold directly through the winery or in high-end wine stores.  And you'll certainly be paying a hefty premium for a 'Reserve' wine.

And 'Old Vine' wines, often Zinfandels, may come from 'old' vines that produce wines with great depth of character. But, without any regulation on the term, the age of the vines is difficult if not impossible to truly know.  So, the vines may be 20 years old or they may be 100 years old. 

All the other terms are just marketing terms that get used on wine labels to try to get you to part with your money.  So, as always, buyer beware!  And start paying close attention to these terms on wine labels when you are shopping. You will find that some wine producers only make "Vintner's Reserve" wines and they are selling these 'special' wines in grocery stores and big box stores for $10 a bottle. Don't be fooled - become educated by reading, tasting and by visiting wineries.  Then you'll begin to truly find great wines without being swayed by the label.  Cheers!

Should You be Concerned that Wine Contains Sulfites?

As noted in a recent posting, U.S. wine label regulations require wines that have a level of 10 parts per million (PPM) or greater of sulfur dioxide to be labeled with the declaration “Contains Sulfites.”  And if you pay close attention to wine labels,  nearly all U.S. wines include this warning.

Let's start by putting things in perspective. If you are concerned about wine because it contains sulfites, then you also need to be concerned about many other foods and drinks. While wines can have 10-350 PPM of sulfites, canned soups, packaged meats, bottled lemon juice and frozen juices can have 500 - 700 PPM of sulfites. Dried potatoes, as well as french fries, hash browns and other potato dishes made from dried potatoes, can have up to 1,900 PPM of sulfites. And dried fruits can have more than 3,500 PPM of sulfites; that's 100 times the levels in wines!  So, sulfites are everywhere.

Why then are sulfites so pervasive?  Simple. Sulfur is a very good preservative. It has been used to keep food and drink from spoiling for thousands of years.  And today, winemakers depend on sulfur (as sulfur dioxide gas or in powdered form) to keep their grapes and wines from rapidly going bad.  Sulfites can be added anywhere in the process. They may be  sprayed on the vines to act as a fungicide, added to the grapes as they are crushed or added just before the wine is bottled.  Winemakers consider sulfites essential to producing wine.

If you are one of a very small handful of people (the FDA estimates that 1% of the general population has sensitivity to sulfites), you are most likely to react to sulfites with asthma attacks.  And this is very real for some people.  Those who are allergic to sulfites do need to be concerned about sulfites in all food and drinks.  But, for the rest of the general population, sulfites should not be of great concern.  Medical research seems to show that sulfites have nothing to do with wine headaches.  But, they are still not sure what it is about wines that causes headaches other than too much consumption.

There are some wine producers specifically making organic sulfite-free wines. But they must take special care while making and storing the wine to ensure that it does not go bad.

So, yes, if you have allergies or are asthmatic, you need to be concerned  about sulfites in wines. If you are sensitive to sulfites and love wines, then you'll need to seek out producers of organic wines and confirm that the wine label does not have the sulfite warning. And be careful when buying foreign wines. Australia is the only other country required to identify sulfites in wine.  All other country's wines will generally contain sulfites, but the label will not warn you. But foreign wine labelling regulations is a subject for another time. In the meantime, grab a bottle, pour yourself a glass and raise it to all the wine producers that are working hard to ensure that you get great wines that have not spoiled by the time you pull the cork. Cheers!

What is an AVA?

Last time we looked at all the useful information on a wine label, specifically U.S. wine labels.  Along with the type of wine, the vintage date and alcohol content, a wine label will usually tell you where the wine is from, geographically.

There are basically two categories for identifying where a wine is from; its appellation or its AVA.

An appellation is a geographical way of organizing where the grapes are grown. So, in the US, wine appellations generally are state or county names.  You'll find wine labels showing that they are from California, Oregon, or Washington. And, you'll find wines from Sonoma County, Monterey County or Santa Barbara County.  To be able to use a state's name or a county name on a wine label, at least 75% of the grapes used to produce the wine must have come from that location. The exception is in California, where if the label states "California" then 100% of the grapes must have come from within the state. 

Then there are geographical regions designated as American Viticultural Areas or AVAs.  This construct was started in the 1980's as a way to distinguish and protect very specific wine growing areas.   If a wine label states a specific AVA, then at least 85% of the grapes must have come from that region.  But, unlike many European wine growing regions, there are no restrictions on the type of grape that must be grown within each AVA.

In California, major AVAs include Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, Rutherford, Alexander Valley, Dry Creek and Russian River, just to name a few of the more than 100 AVAs across the state. AVAs typically have very unique growing conditions such as the climate, the soil type, the elevation or other physical features. And, within many large AVAs there are smaller AVAs.  So, for example, within the Sonoma Valley AVA you will find the Sonoma Mountain and Los Carneros AVAs. Also, an AVA does not have to be located entirely within a county or state. Examples include the Walla Walla and Columbia Valley AVAs that reside in both southern Washington and stretch across into northern Oregon.

And finally, AVAs are not stagnant. In 2014, the Paso Robles AVA located in California was divided into 11 separate AVAs.   This allows the wineries within each of the 11 unique regions to truly show off their distinct  geographical characteristics and climates and develop wine making  identities for themselves.

So start paying attention to the appellations or AVAs of wines that you enjoy. You'll find that there truly are distinct differences between wines of different regions and common characteristics of wines within a region.  Cheers!