Wine Blogging Wednesday #37: Tannat

Virtual wine tastings continue to gain in popularity. It certainly helps promote a sense of community among wine bloggers. And it can be a lot of fun.

Today is the 37th Wine Blogging Wednesday. Originated by Lenn over Lenndevours, this may be one of the longest continuous series of Virtual Wine Tastings online. It certainly continus to grow in participation and popularity. Over 40 bloggers are likely to participate in this latest event. Dr. Vino actually chose the theme for today’s event. The theme is Indigenous Grape Varietals.

This was certainly an easy theme for me as I love trying indigenous varietals from all sorts of different countries. I also had plenty of available options in my wine cellar. But which one would I choose?

After much deliberation, I chose the Tannat varietal in a wine from Uruguay.

Tannat has its origin in France, possibly in the Basque region. But is most closely connected to the Madiran region, at the foothills of the Pyrenees, though it is grown in a few other regions of France as well. But in the late 19th century, Basque immigrants brought Tannat to Uruguay. The varietal adapted well and has since become the national red grape of Uruguay. More Tannat is now grown in Uruguay than France. Of course the U.S. has tried their hands at Tannat though it was only in 2002 that it was actually recognized as a legal varietal in the U.S.

Tannat is an easy varietal to grow. It ripens late, is frost hardy and is a consistent producer. The grapes have thick skins which make them more resistant to powdery mildew and botrytis. About the only problem with growing Tannat is its thick stems which cling tightly to the grapes and can be tough to remove when needed at harvest.

Tannat makes robust wines, with intense color, strong tannins and a spicy finish. It may be used alone or blended with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc.

The particular wine I chose was the 2002 Vinedos de los Vientos Tannat ($23). It is 100% Tannat and only has a 12.5% alcohol content. It has a bit of a rustic nose but with tinges of dark berry. It is very dark red in color. On the palate, there are many fruit flavors, like plum and blueberry. There are also traces of leather and smoke. The tannins are moderate though strong enough that food is needed to tame them a bit. The finish is long with some nice spice, more black pepper and clove. It definitely has a different element to its taste, something I cannot identify but which makes this a bit different from other wines. Though in a good way.

I had this wine before, at least a year ago, and the additional aging seems to have mellowed its previously rustic taste. I think this wine would improve even more with continued aging.

I paired this wine with a chicken curry dish over rice and I thought it went well. The hot spiciness of the dish did mellow out the tannins of the Tannat. The curry sauce was more creamy which I think contributed to the mellowing. I enjoyed the wine very much with this dinner.

Overall, I consider this wine a Drink & Buy. It is something different and has a good taste. Give Tannat and Uruguay a try!