Last night, my parents poured me a glass of red wine (Meritage, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, from Paso Robles) at dinner and asked what I thought. I had 2 different answers.
At t+1: POW! The first sip made a huge impact. The wine's flavor was nice (plum and cherry, with saddle leather and some licorice), and it was very full bodied (I could feel alcohol in my nose). But, the physical punch of the wine was much more prominent. Each sip seemed to stab my tongue and leave my mouth and throat feeling as dry as the Mojave—wine class told me there must be super high tannins in effect. After 3 sips, I decided I needed an intermission and took some time to recover.
At t+21: After losing myself in conversation for about 20 minutes, I remembered the wine and reached for my glass. Woah--was this the same wine? The flavor was still there, but much more noticeable. The alcohol was still apparent, leaving the palate strong. BUT—there was a huge difference. The wine tasted soft and mild, rather than piercing my tongue and drying out my mouth. Where did the tannins go?
A quick, but insightful Google search taught me that exposing a wine to oxygen has a profound chemical effect on the tannins in red wine. When oxygen is present, small tannin molecules in the wine join together and form long tannin chains. Whereas small tannin molecules come across as bitter and sharp, longer chain tannins taste soft and delicate. This tannin combination thus transforms the wine’s taste. Winemakers call this process “polymerization,” but we Normies can use the term “breathing.” It can be accomplished by simply leaving wine in your glass for a few minutes or using a decanter. Who knew?
I consider this knowledge an exceptional ally on my journey toward wine appreciation. The next time I sip a red wine that leaves me panting, I'll just get some air.
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