Phenolic content in wine the ellagic and gallic acid found in the wood. In the vineyards, there is also a growing distinction being made between "ripe" and "unripe" tannins present in the grape. This "physiological ripeness", which is roughly determined by tasting the grapes off the vines, is being used along with sugar levels as a determination of when to harvest. The idea is that "riper" tannins will taste softer but still impart some of the texture components found favorable in wine. In winemaking, the amount of the time that the must spends in contact with the grape skins, stems and seeds will influence
The Wine Advocate The Wine Advocate The Wine Advocate, fully known as Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and informally abbreviated TWA or WA or more recently as RP, is a global bimonthly wine publication based in the United States featuring the consumer advice of wine critic Robert M. Parker, Jr. Initially titled "The Baltimore-Washington Wine Advocate" the first issue was published in 1978. Accepting no advertising, the newsletter publishes in excess of 12,000 reviews per year, utilizing Parker's rating system that employs a 50–100 point quality scale (Parker Points® or simply "RP"). These wine ratings have a significant effect on the sales of the