Why do tannins matter in wine?

Why do tannins matter in wine?

Dennis Overstreet (Wine Expert) gives expert video advice on: What is 'bouquet'?; Why do tannins matter in wine?; What is the difference between hard tannins and soft tannins? and more...

Tannins are things that come from the grape skins. These are, if I can say, if we were on the Titanic, and we see the life raft that is thrown out there. Tannin preserves the wine and gives it the capability of aging. Now there are soft tannins that happen with maturity that gives the wine a different character. Tannin is something that you recognize on the roof of your mouth. It is something that almost akin to, if you chewed on a teabag, that none of us do. But we would have this astringent quality that pulls our gums back and our teeth want to fall out immediately. That is tannin, and that is a preserver of wine. It is sort of that tattoo, that if you become a member of the Satan Slaves. You want everyone to know, you're powerful. You've got tannin. That's what it is. You need a tattoo.