Why Does Red Wine Make Your Mouth Dry?

You might notice how when you drink red wine it can make your mouth feel dry, but when you drink white wine it doesn’t. Red wine can make your mouth feel dry, because of the tannins. In white wine there are no tannins. White wines usually have lots of bright fresh acidity that makes your mouth water. Red wine has acidity, but it also has these tannins. The tannins are actually drying as they coat your mouth. If you think about steeping a cup of tea for too long and the taste is really astringent, it shuts your mouth down. That is the tannins and the same thing is found in red wine. 

Learn Wine featuring Master Sommelier Emily Wines