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"I always get this question: What is tannin and is it desirable in wine? Here is your answer. Tannin is a natural preservative and is one of the many components that give wine its longevity. It comes from skins, pits, and stems of the grapes. Another source of tannin is wood, such as the French oak barrels in which some wines are aged or fermented. Generally, red wines have a higher level of tannin than whites because red grapes are usually left to ferment with their skins. A word used to describe the sensation of tannins is &amp;quot;astringent.&amp;quot; Especially in young wines, tannin can be very astringent and make the wine taste bitter. Tannin is not a taste, however \u2014 it&amp;#039;s a tactile sensation. Tannin is also found in strong tea. And what can you add to tea to make is less astringent? Milk \u2014 the fat and the proteins in milk soften the tannin. And so it is with a highly tannic wine. If you take another milk by-product, such as cheese, and have it with wine, it softens the tannin and makes the wine more appealing. Enjoy a beef entr\u00E9e or one served with a cream sauce and a good bottle of red wine to experience it for yourself. Tannic wine by itself? Maybe not as enjoyable as with the right food. So next time you are invited to that wine and cheese party you know a little bit more about why cheese and wine pair so well. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.delish.com/entertaining/wine/q-and-a/a23701/tannin-wine/>