precipitate, leaving more of the brownish
tannins visible. The wine develops an amber
or tawny tint, which goes along with its less
fruity, more complex flavor.
Feeling and Taste in the Mouth When we
experience a sip of wine in the mouth, the
senses of both touch and taste come into play.
Astringency The feel of a wine is largely a
matter of its astringency and viscosity.
Astringency — the word comes from the
Latin for “to bind together” — is the sensation
we have when the tannins in wine “tan” the
lubricating proteins in our saliva the way they
do leather: they cross-link the proteins and
form little aggregates that make the saliva
feel rough rather than slick. This dry,
constricting feeling, together with the
smoothness and viscosity caused by the
presence of alcohol and other extracted
components, and in sweet wines sugar, create
the impression of the wine’s body, of