What are tannins?
Tannini: tan-NEE-nee. Plural of tannino. Stress on the second syllable.
Ask a sommelier or winemaker if you keep hearing the word and want to understand it. This question will never make you look bad — it shows you're genuinely engaged.
Cosa sono means 'what are'. Tannini are phenolic compounds found in grape skins, seeds, and oak barrels that cause the drying sensation in your mouth. Understanding tannins unlocks much of wine language.
Questo vino ha tannini duri o setosi?
Does this wine have firm or silky tannins?
Duri — firm/hard. Setosi — silky. Key texture descriptors.
I tannini si ammorbidiscono con l'invecchiamento?
Do tannins soften with ageing?
Yes — this is one reason why great Barolos need 15-20 years.
Sento un'astringenza piacevole.
I notice a pleasant astringency.
Astringenza — astringency. The physical sensation tannins create.
Tannins are a defining feature of many great Italian red wines. Barolo and Barbaresco (Nebbiolo-based) have some of the most powerful tannins of any wine in the world — when young they can be almost brutal, but after 15-20 years they evolve into extraordinary silkiness.