Tannic red wine: the framework that holds and ages
198 tannic red wines, from €9.40Tannin is what slightly dries the mouth and gives that textured sensation. It comes from the skin and seeds of the grape, sometimes from the wood. It is what allows a wine to age, and it is what cuts through the fat of a marbled red meat.
Our 198 tannic cuvées are primarily Italian with 62 wines and American with 48. Cabernet Sauvignon alone accounts for 52 of them, ahead of Cabernet Franc, Nebbiolo, and Tannat.
Ovid - Napa Valley 2019
Puissance et vivacité dans un même verre, café, chocolat puis fruit mûr en finale.
Dona Paula - Los Cardos Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Cassis et poivre, un cabernet argentin direct qui ne demande pas d'attente.
Quilceda Creek - Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
La référence du cabernet dans l'État de Washington, serrée, minérale, faite pour attendre.
Santa Rita - Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Le vin phare de Santa Rita, cassis, cèdre et tabac sur une trame tannique bâtie pour durer.
Francesco Clerico - Langhe Nebbiolo 2021
Le nebbiolo des Langhe sans l'attente du barolo, rose, framboise et tanins fins.
Castellare Di Castellina - Coniale Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Le Cabernet Sauvignon vu de Castellina : cassis, graphite et poivre noir.
Gianni Gagliardo - Barolo Castelletto 2020
Castelletto donne un barolo dense, rose séchée et cuir, bâti pour la longue garde.
Château Queyron Pindefleurs - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2018
Merlot de la rive droite, fruits noirs et cuir, avec la structure d'un saint-émilion de garde.
Francesco Clerico - Barolo Bussia 2019
Le Bussia dans toute sa rigueur, nebbiolo tannique et floral, à attendre longuement.
Gianni Gagliardo - Barolo Lazzarito Vigna Preve 2020
Lazzarito au sommet, un barolo dense en tanins qui réclame beaucoup de patience.
Torres - Perpetual Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Cabernet issu des vignes anciennes et hautes de la propriété, cassis et graphite.
Vite Colte - Barbaresco Riserva Spezie 2015
Barbaresco riserva des grandes années, épices, cerise mûre et tanins puissants.
Vite Colte - Barbaresco La Casa in Collina 2020
Un barbaresco élégant, rose et cerise, dont les tanins raffinés appellent la table.
Château de Targé - Saumur-Champigny Red 2019
Cassis, mûre et poivron vert, le cabernet franc de Saumur dans sa version charpentée.
Francis Ford Coppola - Director's Cut Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Gaja - Dagromis Barolo 2019
Laurent Mabileau - Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil Red 2022
Cassis, framboise et violette, un saint-nicolas bio dont les tanins ne raclent jamais.
Francis Ford Coppola - Diamond Appellation Series Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Santa Rita - 120 Special Reserve Red Blend 2022
Cassis, mûre et grains de café, un assemblage souple élevé quelques mois sous bois.
Nickel & Nickel - State Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Parcelle unique à Yountville, un cabernet au grain soyeux et à la finale longue.
The Rural - Rutini Antologia LIII 2018
A blend of the best grapes of the vintage, from a selection of 3 exceptional terroirs
Nickel & Nickel - CC Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Rutherford en monocépage, cassis et framboise sauvage sur des tanins polis.
Tabali - Ventas Blancas Malbec Cabernet Franc 2018
Very elegant, expressive and unique wine
Glenelly Estate - Lady May Cabernet Sauvignon
The estate's great vintage, a tribute to the great Bordeaux blends
Grape varieties that produce a tannic red
Not all tannins are the same. Nebbiolo tannins are fine and powdery, Tannat tannins are massive, and Cabernet tannins are straight and clean.
| Grape variety | The nature of tannin | Where can we find it in our country | The side dish | In our company, starting from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabernet Sauvignon 52 vintages | Straight, clean, a little mentholated. Polishes with age. | California, Bordeaux, Chile, Australia | Beef rib, lamb, hard cheeses | €9.40Dona Paula Los Cardos |
| Nebbiolo 5 vintages | Fine and powdery, very present despite a pale color. | Piedmont: Barolo, Barbaresco, Langhe | Braised meats, truffle, game | |
| Tannat 3 vintages | The most massive of all. Requires farming or time. | Uruguay, Argentina, Madiran | Cassoulet, duck breast, rich dishes | €16.50El Porvenir Amauta Tannat |
| Cabernet Franc 6 vintages | Finer than its cousin, with a hint of bell pepper and graphite. | Loire, Bordeaux, South Africa | Red meats, roasted vegetables | €14.90Caelum Terroir Cabernet Sauvignon |
| A Sangiovese for ageing, Aglianico | Firm and mouth-watering, with an acidity that accompanies the tannin. | Tuscany, Campania, Basilicata | Osso buco, slow-cooked meats |
A young tannic wine is not a bad wine; it is closed. Decanting or a few years in the cellar will transform it. If you want to drink tonight without waiting, check out fruity reds.
Three bottles to get into the profile
The tables give the theory. Here are three bottles available today, at three price points.
The admission fee
Argentinian Cabernet Sauvignon, clean structure and black fruit. Tannins are present without being harsh.
Dona Paula Los Cardos · €9.40Improve accuracy
High-altitude vineyards in Mendoza. The same grape variety, with more freshness and finer tannins.
Caelum Terroir Cabernet Sauvignon · €14.90The tannin asserts itself
Tannat in its Argentine version, from Cafayate. Massive, structured, made for rich dishes.
El Porvenir Amauta Tannat · €16.50
Tannin is not a fault
Many people say they don't like tannins, when what they actually dislike are green tannins – those from grapes picked before maturity, which are rough and leave a dry bitterness. A mature tannin, on the other hand, coats the mouth and blends into the fruit. The difference lies in the vineyard, not the cellar.
This profile also rewards patience. A ten-year-old Cabernet is no longer rough: the tannins have mellowed and given way to notes of leather, tobacco, and undergrowth.
The two-glass test
A ripe tannin makes you want to come back for more. A green tannin dries out and tires. If after a glass the mouth feels rough and saliva is absent, the wine will not improve with age.
The Baroudeur du Vin Team
What we're being asked for on tannic red
What exactly is a tannin?
A compound found in grape skins and seeds that creates this astringent sensation. Our article What are tannins? explains it in detail.
How to soften a wine that is too tannic?
Decant it for an hour, serve it slightly cooler, and above all, pair it with a fatty or protein-rich dish. Tannin binds to proteins, which is why a rib of beef makes all the difference.
Do all these wines keep?
No. Tannin is a condition for aging, not a guarantee. Acidity and substance are also needed. The entry-level wines in this category are made to be drunk within three years.
Which wine with rib of beef?
This is the classic pairing for this profile. A Cabernet, an aged Syrah, or a Nebbiolo. Our prime rib guide compares the options.
I don't like tannins, what should I get?
Check out light reds, where tannins are subdued, or fruity reds, where they are blended into the fruit.