One of the six taste sensations (besides fatty, salty, sour, sweet, umami) that is perceived over a large area in the back of the tongue. The taste buds for bitter are many thousands of times more sensitive than those for sweet. This was especially important for survival in the primitive times of mankind, in order to be able to perceive poisonous substances, most of which also taste bitter, very quickly. Bitterness must not be confused with the astringent effect caused mainly by tannins, but often occurs together with it. In wine, the tannin-like catechin is mainly responsible for the bitter effect. Bitter substances are present to a greater extent in aloe, artichokes, cinchona bark, hops, almonds, nutshells and orange peel. There are many alcoholic drinks flavoured with them, such as bitter vino, chinato, Vermouth and many more. An unpleasant bitter taste impression in the context of a wine address or a clearly negative colloquial term is hantig.
![]()
The glossary is a monumental achievement and one of the most important contributions to wine knowledge. Of all the encyclopaedias I use on the subject of wine, it is by far the most important. That was the case ten years ago and it hasn't changed since.
Andreas Essl
Autor, Modena