The Science of Tannins: Why Some Bordeaux Wines Feel Velvety

Why Bordeaux’s Velvety Wines Capture Travellers’ Imaginations

Visitors travelling through Bordeaux often share a similar experience: they take a sip of a well-crafted wine from Saint-Julien, Margaux, Saint-Émilion, or Pomerol and suddenly notice a texture that feels soft, smooth, and almost velvety on the palate. This is the work of tannins — natural compounds that give wine structure, grip, depth, and refinement.

Yet tannins are rarely explained clearly. Many travellers know the word, but not what tannins are, where they come from, or why Bordeaux’s terroirs and winemaking styles produce such a spectrum of textures — from firm and powerful to silky and elegant.

This blog explores the science behind tannins and explains why certain Bordeaux wines feel luxurious and velvety, helping visitors appreciate what they taste in a deeper and more sensory way.

What Are Tannins? A Simple Explanation

Natural Polyphenols with a Big Job

Tannins are polyphenolic compounds found in grape skins, seeds, and stems. They are also present in oak barrels. They are responsible for:

• Structure
  
  
• Texture
  
  
• Astringency
  
  
• Ageing potential
  
  
• Colour stability
  
  

When you feel a dry, gripping sensation on the gums or cheeks after sipping a young red wine, that is tannin at work.

Why Bordeaux Has Naturally High Tannin Wines

Bordeaux relies on grape varieties rich in tannins:

• Cabernet Sauvignon
  
  
• Merlot
  
  
• Cabernet Franc
  
  
• Petit Verdot
  
  
• Malbec
  
  

These grapes contain significant tannin levels in their skins and seeds. Combined with Bordeaux’s climate and winemaking traditions, the region naturally produces wines with strong structural profiles.

The Different Types of Tannins in Wine

Understanding tannins becomes easier when you break them into categories.

Skin Tannins

These are the most desirable tannins. They are:

• Softer
  
  
• Rounder
  
  
• More elegant
  
  
• Key to velvety textures
  
  

Seed Tannins

Seed tannins are:

• Firmer
  
  
• More bitter
  
  
• More aggressive
  
  

Winemaking techniques minimise seed tannin extraction to avoid harshness.

Stem Tannins

Stems add:

• Herbal notes
  
  
• Crunchy texture
  
  
• Structure
  
  

Some winemakers include stem tannins intentionally, especially in Cabernet Franc.

Oak Tannins

Oak barrels contribute:

• Sweet spice
  
  
• Toast
  
  
• Vanilla
  
  
• Gentle tannin texture
  
  

New oak increases tannin; older barrels introduce less.

How Tannins Shape Wine Texture

Texture is one of the most overlooked dimensions of wine. When travellers remark that a wine is:

• Smooth
  
  
• Plush
  
  
• Velvety
  
  
• Soft
  
  
• Polished
  
  

…they are describing tannin quality.

Velvety Tannins

Velvety tannins feel:

• Soft
  
  
• Dense
  
  
• Gentle
  
  
• Silky
  
  
• Plush
  
  

They spread across the palate like suede rather than gripping like sandpaper.

Firm Tannins

Firm tannins feel:

• Dry
  
  
• Grippy
  
  
• Tight
  
  
• Structured
  
  

These are common in young Left Bank Bordeaux.

Powdery Tannins

Powdery tannins resemble cocoa powder:

• Fine-grained
  
  
• Textured
  
  
• Elegant
  
  

These often develop with bottle age.

Chalky Tannins

Chalky tannins feel like fine mineral dust on the palate. They are associated with limestone-rich soils, especially in Saint-Émilion.

Why Some Bordeaux Wines Taste Velvety

1. Merlot’s Natural Tannin Profile

Merlot produces softer tannins than Cabernet Sauvignon. When grown on clay-limestone soils (particularly in Saint-Émilion and Pomerol), the tannins become lush and velvety.

This is why Merlot-based wines from the Right Bank often taste:

• Plush
  
  
• Smooth
  
  
• Gentle
  
  
• Seductive
  
  

2. Ripeness Levels

Warmer vintages produce riper tannins.

Ripe tannins feel smooth; unripe tannins feel hard and bitter.

3. Clay and Limestone Soils

Certain Bordeaux soils produce naturally velvety tannins:

• Clay → deep, rich, velvety
  
  
• Limestone → chalky, fine, elegant
  
  
• Gravel → firmer, more linear
  
  
• Sand → soft but lighter
  
  

Clay is the key to velvety textures, which is why Pomerol’s blue clay is legendary.

4. Gentle Winemaking Techniques

Producers craft velvety wines using:

• Cold soaks
  
  
• Gentle pump-overs
  
  
• Minimal seed extraction
  
  
• Modern temperature control
  
  

These methods soften the wine’s structure.

5. Oak Ageing

New French oak barrels add sweet, round tannins that integrate with grape tannins, creating a plush, layered texture.

6. Bottle Age

Over time, tannins polymerise (bind together), becoming smoother. A powerful wine from Pauillac or Saint-Estèphe becomes velvety after 10–20 years.

The Role of Bordeaux’s Grape Varieties in Tannin Texture

Merlot — The Velvety Master

Merlot is responsible for the most velvety wines in Bordeaux. When grown on clay soils, it develops:

• Plush fruit
  
  
• Soft contour
  
  
• Round, enveloping tannins
  
  

Cabernet Sauvignon — Structure and Depth

Cabernet tannins are firmer when young:

• More angular
  
  
• More structured
  
  
• More powerful
  
  

With age, these tannins soften dramatically.

Cabernet Franc — Floral and Chalky

Cabernet Franc tannins are:

• Fine
  
  
• Powdery
  
  
• Slightly herbal
  
  

They often feel chalky on limestone soils — a texture many travellers find fascinating.

Petit Verdot — Dark and Intense

Petit Verdot adds:

• Dense tannins
  
  
• Colour
  
  
• Mid-palate weight
  
  

Small amounts enhance structure without making wines harsh.

The Science Behind Velvety Tannins

Polymerisation

As wines age, tannins join together into long chains. Long tannin chains feel smoother than short ones. This process happens:

• During fermentation
  
  
• During barrel ageing
  
  
• Over the years in the bottle
  
  

Protein Binding

Tannins bind with proteins in your saliva, creating the dry sensation known as astringency. Wines with softer tannins bind less aggressively, feeling smoother.

pH and Acidity

Higher acidity sharpens tannins; lower acidity rounds them.

Bordeaux wines balance acidity and tannin in ways that create refined textures.

Alcohol Levels

Warmer vintages increase alcohol, which can give tannins a silkier feel.

Skin Thickness

Thicker skins = more tannins.

Clay soils often produce grapes with thicker skins, which intensifies tannin volume — but if ripeness is perfect, this results in velvety density rather than harshness.

Where Travellers Can Taste the Softest Tannins in Bordeaux

Saint-Émilion

Clay-limestone soils produce:

• Silky tannins
  
  
• Plush mid-palate
  
  
• Floral aromatics
  
  

Travellers exploring Saint-Émilion often experience some of the region’s most welcoming textures.

Pomerol

The most velvety wines in Bordeaux come from Pomerol’s blue clay plateau. Wines here are:

• Dense
  
  
• Smooth
  
  
• Luxurious
  
  
• Long-lasting
  
  

Margaux

Margaux produces wines with:

• Soft, perfumed tannins
  
  
• Elegant texture
  
  
• Floral accents
  
  

Saint-Julien

Known for refined structure and balance.

Pessac-Léognan

Cabernet Sauvignon from this region often shows incredibly polished tannins thanks to gravel-clay combinations.

How Travellers Can Learn About Tannins in Bordeaux

Nothing compares to learning through taste. Travellers visiting Bordeaux can explore the tannin texture directly in the vineyards and cellars:

• Compare young wines vs matured wines
  
  
• Taste Merlot vs Cabernet Sauvignon
  
  
• Explore clay vs gravel vs limestone soils
  
  
• Try barrel samples during ageing
  
  
• Feel tannins evolve with each sip
  
  

For visitors who want an in-depth education in tannin structure, Wine Tours Bordeaux region offers curated experiences at estates known for velvety Merlot and polished Cabernet blends.

Final Reflections: The Texture That Defines Bordeaux

Tannins are more than a sensation — they are the architecture of Bordeaux wine. They determine how a wine feels, how long it lasts, and how it evolves. They shape the difference between a firm, youthful Médoc and a velvety, seductive Pomerol.

Understanding tannins helps travellers decode Bordeaux’s wines with greater confidence. And there is no better place to learn than in the region itself, tasting directly from the source.

For travellers who want to dive deeper into texture, structure, and terroir, Bordeaux Wine Tours provides an immersive, hands-on opportunity to explore Bordeaux’s most expressive vineyards.

From the first sip to the last note on the finish, tannins guide the journey — and Bordeaux offers one of the most captivating tannin landscapes in the world.