Expert’s Choice: Uruguayan Tannat

Tannat. It’s a punchy name that rolls off the tongue. In that respect it’s similar to its other six-letter companion in South America, Malbec, and the two have much in common in terms of stylistic appeal. Uruguay’s Tannat is so often misunderstood to be a synonym for tannic wine. Yet the traditionally tough French variety has relaxed in its South American landscape and become something much more approachable. Could Tannat be set to invade the wine shelves? For sure. There’s plenty to enjoy with supple, drink-me-now, fruit-laden styles, as well as structured I-need-time, more serious approaches.

Tannat’s history in Uruguay is relatively short. The grape arrived with Basque settlers in the 1870s, when it was called Harriague. Today most of the original plant material has been replaced by better quality French imports. It’s the most dominant variety, and the leading red variety in the country. Three-quarters of Uruguay’s vineyards are 20 years old or younger, and a similar proportion are smaller than 5ha, though the number of small vineyards has declined over the past decade.

Scroll down to see the top 18 Uruguayan Tannats

Production areas are clustered around the country’s south, with influences from the River Plate to the west and the Atlantic to the east. The Canelones region dominates the south, with two-thirds of the nation’s production. Indeed, more than half of all Uruguayan wines are produced within a 50km radius of its capital Montevideo. Well below Canelones in production terms come Montevideo itself and Colonia, San José and Maldonado; Durazno is in the centre of the country.

International influence

Maldonado is small in size, but big on reputation – and it won more high scores than Canelones in this tasting.In Maldonado, Bodega Garzón is the big name, a glamorous investment from Argentina, close to the Atlantic, exploiting the granite, the altitude and the ocean freshness. The consultant is Italian Alberto Antonini, who has created a little bit of Tuscan heaven with the immaculate vineyards. There are other international consultants in Uruguay: Michel Rolland has worked with Narbona in Carmelo and Maldonado; while Paul Hobbs is at Familia Deicas, working across Maldonado, San José and Progreso, Canelones.

Stylistically the best Tannats show a distinctive freshness, with well-balanced alcohol, so there’s less risk of plump, heavy, overdone wines. However the less successful examples still carry too much oak, and green tannin. This blind tasting focused on 100% Tannat, or blends with up to 15% of other varieties. It showed that 100% Tannat doesn’t need any friends to accompany it – but in terms of blending, Merlot and Syrah, and indeed Viognier, looked promising. Garzón has a particularly good Cabernet Franc-Tannat blend, for instance (£15.99, Liberty Wines, 2017 vintage). There is also a growing sense of adventure around the country’s top wines, with Tannat figuring in multi-varietal blends.

Wines shown were the top picks of 72 tasted blind at Decanter’s offices.

Sarah Jane Evans MW is one of our three DWWA Co-Chairs and a former Chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine

See the top 18 Uruguayan Tannats

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