A place to begin. Room to explore.

Your palate. Your starting point.

Choose the statement that sounds like you today. These are starting points, not tests or ranks. Every question is open to everyone.

Follow your curiosity

Notice the grip—not a test of toughness.

Tannin can feel drying or gripping around your mouth. Cabernet Sauvignon is a useful example to explore, although individual bottles vary.

You do not have to learn to enjoy a strong drying sensation. Describing it gives a wine professional a useful clue for suggesting another style.

Explore this topic

Try the wine with food if you are curious, and compare your reaction. Avoid treating every Cabernet as identical or assuming that a wine with less tannin is less interesting.

Choose another question

A working guide from PairedBest. Matthew and Tom will keep adding personal experiences, preferences, and winemaker conversations.