Style Guide
Tannin in Wine
Tannin is what makes red wine grip your mouth. It comes from grape skins and feels like dryness on your gums and the inside of your cheeks. The sensation isn't a flavor—it's a physical texture that either softens or hardens depending on what you eat alongside it.
Why it matters: tannin is your compass for pairing. High-tannin wines need food with fat and protein to taste balanced. Low-tannin reds are forgiving. Medium-tannin wines sit in the middle, flexible enough for most meals. Get this wrong and a great wine tastes astringent or flat.
How to Identify It
High-tannin wines leave your mouth feeling stripped and dry, like you've licked a tea bag. Low-tannin reds feel silky and soft on your palate. On labels, look at the grape: Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, and Tannat are tannin-heavy. Pinot Noir and Gamay are light. Age matters too. Young high-tannin wines taste harsher than old ones where tannin has softened.
Best Examples
High-tannin wines demand time or the right food. Left Bank Bordeaux (Pauillac, Saint-Estèphe) and Chianti Classico from Tuscany set the standard. Medium-tannin wines from Rioja and Côtes du Rhône offer structure without aggression. For low-tannin, Beaujolais Cru and red Burgundy (Pinot Noir) are essential.
- •Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa or Bordeaux (high tannin, age-worthy)
- •Chianti Classico Riserva from Tuscany (grippy, food-friendly)
- •Beaujolais Cru or Pinot Noir from Burgundy (silky, versatile)
Food Pairings
Tannin and fat are partners. High-tannin wines need beef, lamb, aged cheese, or pork belly to soften the drying sensation. Low-tannin reds work with fish and chicken because they lack the harsh tannins that can create metallic tastes with delicate proteins. Never pair high-tannin wine with spicy food—the tannin amplifies the heat perception.
- •Beef, lamb, and aged cheeses with high-tannin wines (fat softens grip)
- •Salmon and chicken with low-tannin Pinot Noir (no harshness)
- •Pasta with Chianti or Côtes du Rhône (medium tannin matches red sauce)
Sommelier's Take
Tannin is structural, not a flaw. A wine with no tannin feels flabby and forgettable. The trick is matching the tannin level to what's on the plate.