Colloidal stability of tannins: astringency, wine tasting and beyond
Abstract
Tannin-tannin and tannin-protein interactions in water-ethanol solvent mixtures are studied in the context of red wine tasting. While tannin self-aggregation is relevant for visual aspect of wine tasting (limpidity and related colloidal phenomena), tannin affinities for salivary proline-rich proteins is fundamental for a wide spectrum of organoleptic properties related to astringency. Tannin-tannin interactions are analyzed in water-ethanol wine-like solvents and the precipitation map is constructed for a typical grape tannin. The interaction between tannins and human salivary proline-rich proteins (PRP) are investigated in the framework of the shell model for micellization, known for describing tannin-induced aggregation of beta-casein. Tannin-assisted micellization and compaction of proteins observed by SAXS are described quantitatively and discussed in the case of astringency.
Cite
@article{arxiv.0810.1136,
title = {Colloidal stability of tannins: astringency, wine tasting and beyond},
author = {D. Zanchi and C. Poulain and P. Konarev and C. Tribet and D. I. Svergun},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0810.1136},
year = {2009}
}