An essential component of red wine, tannins are a group of compounds that come from the stalks, pips and skins of red grapes. It tastes astringent and "mouth-drying", and makes your mouth "pucker". The amount of tannin detected in a wine is a useful indicator of its maturity as young red wines have more aggressive tannins than mature red wines. Over time, as wines age, tannins "soften" and give the wine a certain full-bodied weightiness that is very enjoyable There are many kinds of tannin. Some tannins taste bitter while ‘ripe tannins’ contribute a rich and velvety texture to the wine while green tannins are drying and harsh to the palate.