KJ Collage - dry teeth

[wondersofwine]

When I speak of tannins in red wine I may say something like "tannins are softening nicely but wine might be even better with two more years in bottle" or "still very tannic" to indicate where it is in the aging/maturing process. With white wines I might describe one as crisp and slightly acidic, or well balanced or even use the term mellow if acid is not noticeable. (I don't know if the term mellow is generally used with wines or is considered a plus--I look on it as a positive aspect). Some German spatlese wines are so low in alcoholic percentage (8% is fairly common) and go down the throat so easily that one is in danger of forgetting that it is alcohol and drinking it too rapidly rather than sipping delicately. I had to be reminded of that once in Munich while drinking Gumpoldskirchner. If you are really thirsty, have water on hand too to slake the thirst.
Anyway, you should note tannins to indicate the wine's drinkability now and potential for further aging. If the fruit balances the tannins, that bodes well, but if the tannins are highly noticeable without much fruit detectable, it may be a poorly made wine or from inferior grapes. Does this make sense?