Tannat
Tannat is a red grape variety native to the foothills of the Pyrenees, more specifically Béarn and the Madiran area, where records of the variety date back to the 18th century. Its name is thought to derive from its defining characteristic: its naturally high tannin content. Long associated with southwest France, Tannat was successfully introduced to Uruguay in the 19th century, where it has become the country’s signature grape variety. It is also grown in several other New World wine regions.
In the vineyard, Tannat is a vigorous, relatively late-ripening variety, producing compact bunches of thick-skinned berries. It is particularly well suited to sunny climates and well-drained soils. Naturally high in phenolic compounds, Tannat produces wines with remarkable structure, but careful winemaking is needed to reveal the variety’s full elegance.
Tannat produces intensely coloured, powerful wines with a pronounced tannic structure, high natural acidity and excellent ageing potential. The wines can be firm in their youth, developing greater fullness and complexity with maturation and bottle age. The aromatic profile combines ripe black fruit and spice, sometimes with notes of liquorice. Although Tannat is often blended with other varieties to soften its tannic structure, it is equally capable of producing outstanding single-variety wines with considerable character, particularly in Madiran and Uruguay.
