During a blind wine tasting, someone handed me a glass of young red wine and when I tasted it I noticed that dry, almost scratchy sensation on my tongue that lingered for a few seconds before fading away. The instructor explained that what I was feeling was not a flavor but a tactile sensation caused by tannins. I kept thinking about that for days: what exactly do these compounds have that makes them dry out the mouth like that? I researched phenols and astringency in wine in depth, and what I found also has direct connections with coffee. In this article, I’ll tell you everything I learned. Let’s begin!<\/p>\n