Abstract
Astringency is one of the most important sensory characteristics of red wine and can be defined as “the complex of sensations due to shrinking, drawing or puckering of the epithelium as a result of exposure to substances such as alums or tannins.” In red wines, the main mechanism proposed for astringency perception is the interaction and precipitation of salivary proteins, in particular proline-rich proteins, by red wine polyphenols, mainly tannins. Furthermore, it is also known that this interaction is affected by other red wine compounds. The understanding of how different wine constituents contribute to astringency will enable growers and winemakers to have more control over the characteristics of the produced wine. The present chapter provides an overview of latest advances in mechanisms for astringency and summarizes relative analysis methods and enological steps that can modify wine phenolic composition and modulate astringency.
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