10/10/06 Dregs

Welcome to Vine to Wine, this is your host Linda Moran. Yesterday we discussed a wines legs today I thought we would address a red wine's "dregs". The "dregs"  a term that although it really isn't very scientific, or savory sounding, is one that we all probably have to admit to using once in awhile. It is usually in reference to the sediment in the bottom of a bottle of red wine, especially when inadvertently poured for an unsuspecting sipper. It is definitely not appealing to look at and it is equally unappealing to drink. That sediment is the tannin that has dissipated from the wine and sunk to the bottom of the bottle. Tannins come along with the grape skin giving the wine its red color and some of its astringency, or that feeling of having wool sweaters on your teeth. As a wine ages the tannins will seem to soften and they will also begin to accumulate in the bottom of the bottle. Normally if the wine has thrown a good deal of this sediment we would take the initiative to decant the wine. A process in which we pour the drinkable wine out of the bottle and off of the sediment. We then dispose of the nasty sediment and avoid the issue of the dreaded "dregs" altogether. However, I have heard of chefs saving the sediment and adding it to marinades for red meat. But whatever the encounter with the dregs now you know what they are and where they come from. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at vine to wine dot net and thank you for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.