What Exactly Are Tannins And How Do They Impact Your Wine? - Chowhound

Jupiterimages/Getty Images If you've ever left a teabag soaking too long or eaten a thick-skinned grape and wondered about the sharp, grassy sensation interfering with the sweetness, you're familiar with tannins. Named for the process of tanning leather hides, tannins are one of hundreds of chemical compounds known as phenols that are found in wine (and chocolate and tea). They affect the flavor, structure, and…