November 6, 2026 | structural support

Structural Support

Happy November, neighbors! We are fully immersed in sweater season (yes, it was 70 degrees yesterday, but we are ignoring that for the bit) and we've already noticed people's hard pivot to preferring more tannic presence as autumnal winds breeze through the streets of Beacon. We live for a teaching moment, and as such, we figured our Friday tasting would be the perfect forum to explore what tannin is, how to identify it, and how it behaves in the glass and beyond.

Here's a quick breakdown of a pivotal structural component of some of your favorite wines:  

- What is a tannin? Tannin is a naturally occurring phenolic compound known as a polyphenol. Specifically, they are classified as an astringent;  they bind to and precipitate proteins, amino acids, and alkaloids. Wanna know a fun fact? The word tannin is believed to derive from the French 'tan' meaning crushed oak bark, referring to the abundance of these compounds in oak bark, which was used for - wait for it - TANNING HIDES INTO LEATHER. We love etymology. 

- Where does tannin come from? Where do I find it? Like we said, tannin is naturally occurring! It is a structural component of many plants - in fact, you can find it in many different foods and beverages, like coffee and chocolate. For our specific purposes, we will highlight that tannin is found in grape skins, grape stems, and even in grape seeds. When grape skins are left in contact with grape juice during the winemaking process, tannin (and color!) are extracted from the skins and into the resulting wine. Furthermore, oak (think barrels) also has tannin. Tannic grape jucie+ Oak barrel = Holy tannin, Batman !

- How do I identify tannin? Have you ever had a sip of red wine and immediately felt like your mouth was wrapped in sandpaper? Bam, you've identified tannin. As an astrignent, tannin quite literally is drying out your palate, offering structure to a wine's profile. One of Emily's favorite techniques for identifying tannin requires us to circle back to our earlier conversation regarding sweater weather. Stay with us, she has a point. Take a sip of wine and swish it in between your teeth. Now, ask yourself: Do my teeth feel like they're wearing sweaters? If yes, what kind of sweater? Is it a silky shawl or a scratchy wool cardigan? Now we are qualifying the character of the tannin. Some tannins are soft and elegant, while others can present as harsh and shaggy. Once you learn what kind of sweater is your favorite, you can better describe what kind of wine goes best with your outfit.

Each wine we've picked this week has some degree of tannin, so let's explore our closet of tannic options.

*end of extensive metaphor*

~*The Lineup*~

Schödl 'In Natura' Grüner Veltliner Weinviertel 2024

Andrias Gvino 'Mariam' Kisi Kakheti 2024

Família Carvalho-Martins 'Pacto' Palhete Douro DOC 2025

Routestock Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2024