Hi Everyone! It’s been a while since we have written because our new venture, Pangaea Wine Bar, is getting going, picking up steam, and essentially monopolizing all of our already limited free time! But as part of our exploration, we’ve been very fortunate to have the opportunity to experience new and unusual wines. When you mention South America in the context of wine, it’s very common for either Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon or Argentinean Malbec to come to mind, or perhaps even Carmenere or Torrontes. But as part of Rachel’s certification class at Boston University, she was introduced to a grape that we have had in the past but from a new country: Tannat from Uruguay. Yes – Uruguay.
Tannat is a very tannic grape (the name being indicative) that originated in southwestern France. Madiran is the ancestral home of Tannat, in an area very close to the Pyrenees in an area which feels the influence of the Basque as well as the French culture. In France, Tannat is generally blended with Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc, or used to make Rose or Armagnac (a brandy similar to those found in Cognac).
Tannat made its journey to South America in the 19th century by Basque settlers, the most famous of whom is Pascual Harriague. In fact, in Uruguay, the grape is often referred to as Harriague. Tannat was introduced in California in the late 19th century, but did not receive much attention until later in the 20th century when South American wines came on scene. Sonoma’s Geyser Peak makes a nicely balanced Tannat, but it is not be widely available. The well balanced Tannat wines do have plenty of tannins and fruit, and can be easily decanted to soften it a little. Tannins in Tannat wines are generally more firm than Cabernet Sauvignon, but Geyser Peak’s offering has plenty of fruit and spice if you allow the wine to open. Tablas Creek has also embraced Tannat in Paso Robles. Bodegas Carrau is a great option from Uruguay if you can find it.
We recently tried two different Tannat blends that we were able to find on the shelves during a trip to Florida. (If you are ever in Fort Myers, you have to check out Total Wine on South Tamiami Trail – talk about a wine mecca!) One of the wines was a blend of Tannat, Syrah, and a small amount (5%) of Viognier. It was a very smooth, almost creamy flavored wine. It was interesting and enjoyable in flavor, but not our favorite of the two. The second Tannat blend that we had was a blend of 60% Tannat and 40% Merlot and was excellent. The Merlot provided nice fruit and soft flavors to balance out the Tannat, while the Tannat itself added all of the structure and tannins to give the wine a nice long finish. Because of the tannins, these wines have great aging potential. If the tannins are too much for you, decant the wine and let it breathe a bit: it will open up.
So next time you stop by your store, ask about a Tannat from Uruguay, or from southwestern France. You will be rewarded by a unique wine with powerful, and somewhat familiar flavors.
Drink what you like, like what you drink!
