While Tannat came from France to northern Uruguay, it is in this small South American nation wedged between Argentina and Brazil that Tannat has made a name for itself. Pascual Harriague brought Tannat vines from his native Basque region to Salto, northern Uruguay in 1870. Harriague’s fate is tied so intimately with Tannat that it became known by his name, and 

Tannat Day is held annually today, on the 14th April –the day Harriague passed away in 1894. 

From Salto where Harriague first planted it, Tannat has spread to all of Uruguay’s wine regions, and today is Uruguay’s most planted variety. In France, due to its powerful tannins, Tannat is rarely vinified on its own. However, in the warm, damp, Atlantic climate of Uruguay, Tannat shines alone.

Why is Tannat so great in Uruguay?

Daniel Pisano says his grandfather, an Italian immigrant, planted Nebbiolo, Barbera, and other familiar Italian grapes but his neighbors made better wine with Tannat as Tannat likes the humidity present in Uruguay.

With rich ripe fruit yet fresh acidity and Uruguayan production techniques that manage the naturally high tannins, and styles ranging from oak to unoaked, from fresh to lengthy time in the cellar, Tannat from Uruguay is worthy of your time and tongue! 

Tannat pairs well with rich robust cheeses like cheddar and smoky foods, especially those that come off the grill and served with chimichurri. Sue and I tasted the wines with a charcuterie board, and Marshall smoked a prime rib roast with an Uruguayan inspired crust, he grilled potatoes and Brussels sprouts, and I made a chimichurri using parsley and oregano from our garden for a tasty menu featuring four Tannat from Uruguay: 

• 2020 Giménez Méndez Alta Reserva Tannat $18 
• 2018 Pisano Reserva de la Familia Tannat $24
• 2018 Alto de la Ballena Tannat – Viognier $24
• 2019 Montes Toscanini Grand Tannat Premium $59
• samples provided to participate in an educational ZOOM and for review consideration

For more wines from Uruguay that aren’t Tannat, go here. For more Tannat wines and menu ideas, stay tuned! In the meantime, learn more here at the Tourism section of the Uruguay Wine website which lists wineries and their respective tourism options available to the public along with full contact details. Hoping to visit Uruguay myself one of these days soon! 

2020 Giménez Méndez Alta Reserva Tannat

ABV: 14%
SRP: $18
Grapes: Tennat
Imported by: Kysela Pere et Fils, LTD 

Considered the most gastronomic of their Tannat, the wine is soft and enjoyable. Planted in 1995, the grapes grow on clay, loam soils, and then the wine spent nine months in oak barrels.

Appearance:  Deep in color, cloudy, ruby, with a ruby rim

Aroma: Spicy, baking spice, spicy florals, as you move away from the glass it follows you, rose petals, rose perfume, carnation, cedar. 

Palate: Big and bold, we both thought, “Where’s the food?”  Tart cherry, tobacco, leather, tons of tannins, grippy, leathery, hits the front of the tongue. 

Pairing: This big boy needs food so much in order to be completely enjoyed, we went straight for the meats on the cheese plate to test our chops, the calabrese salami was nice, the pepper salami even better making us think of a pepper crusted steak on the grill, the Genoa salami was nice, Sue’s favorite was with the Snowdonia smoked aged cheddar bringing out fruit in the wine as well as taming the oak treatment. 

2019 Montes Toscanini Grand Tannat Premium 

ABV: 14%
SRP: $59
Grapes: Tannat
Imp0rter: Vinaio Imports

Made by Leonardo Montes Toscanini from their best  vinyards, the wine is unfiltered , and spent 18 months in American oak barrels.

Appearance:  So dark and dense, ruby, maroon, vibrant ruby rim

Aroma: Lots of luscious fruit, smells rich and decadent, cherry, raspberry, cranberry, sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, cocoa, chocolate covered cherry, like being in a sycamore canyon, very pleasant, makes you want to dive right in, 

Palate: Tart fruit, tart cherry, tart raspberry, lovely herbs, for a tannat this is a very smooth wine, big bold tannins, nice acidity, presence of oak, it is a very balanced wine, the quality fruit is evident along with some nice winemaking, this is a wine to lay down for a while, 

Pairing: Nice with the Snowdonia Cheese company aged smoked cheddar, nice with a mild cheddar, while the cheeses were nice with the wine, the meats were the star with the wine, very nice with the Genoa salami, loved the spicy calabrese, perfect with the pepper crusted salami. 

 

2018 Alto de la Ballena Tannat – Viognier 

ABV: 14%
SRP: $24
Grapes: Tannat and Viognier
Importer: Classic Wines

A Tannat to look for at a great price for the quality, the soft 15% co-fermented Viognier adds such an interesting touch to this big bold grape. Grown 11 miles from the sea with time in American oak barrels.

Appearance:  Deep and rich, plum with a pink rim

Aroma: Lots of red fruit, luscious fruit, cherry, raspberry, cranberry, plum, underlying florals, violets, apple blossom, cherry blossom, herbs, mint, spearmint, sage, insence cedar, vanilla, very interesting and inviting nose

Palate: Very bright cherry fruit, tart raspberry fruit, minty freshness, cocoa, big bold tannins, this is a rare tannat that can be enjoyed on its own with out for,

Pairing: Lovely with the Genoa Salami melting away the fat and leaving all the flavor, very nice with the spicy calbrese bringing out the earthen red peppers, best of all with the pepper crusted salami. 

 

2018 Pisano Reserva de la Familia Tannat 

ABV: 14%
SRP: $24
Grapes: Tannat
Importer: Saranty Imports

Black and blue fruit, strong tannins well rounded by the wood; this is a classical tannat in a sleek bottle with a clean lable.

Appearance:  Dense, ruby, corral rim

Aroma: Cherry, cherry tobacco, plum, richer riper fruit, black current tea, black pepper, loamy soil, rich soil, 

Palate: Tart cherry fruit, big tannins, some vegetal notes bell pepper or green bean, sage, red vines licorice, even through the oak treatment there is a nice freshness to the wine

Pairing: This wine is a completely different ball game when paired with food. Very nice with the dried fruit nut mix on the plate, the dried fruit softens the oak treatment of the wine, very nice with the mild cheddar, fine with the smoked gouda, fantastic with the Snowdonia smoked aged cheddar, lovely with the Genoa salami the wine melts the fat leaving a creamy richness along with a tart vivacity, great with the calabrese salami loving the spice and the richness, salami with a pepper rim is so much yumminess.