It has been long established that many European grape varieties have been able to adapt beautifully to the South American terroir, that they have subsequently become the emblematic variety of their new home countries. In much the same way that vintners have been able to reimagine the Carménère in Chile or the Malbec in Argentina, Uruguay’s winemakers have developed the Tannat to become their award-winning, emblematic red wine. Tannat is a red grape variety that is originally from the south-western region of Basque in France that is believed to have arrived in South America in the late 19th century. Basque immigrants are said to have brought the variety to Uruguay as they were looking for a grape that could withstand the country’s climate. Many years later, the grape became hugely popular and was eventually adopted as their national grape.

Tannat, the most widely planted grape variety in Uruguay, is known for producing full-bodied, complex red wines with high tannins and acidity. These wines are often aged in oak barrels, which can add notes of vanilla and spice during fermentation. They are typically dark in colour and have flavours of blackberry, black cherry, and plum, along with a distinctive earthiness. The cool climate and unique soils of Uruguay’s wine regions, combined with the Tannat grape’s natural characteristics, make for exceptional, award-winning wines that are revered around the world.

This grape variety was also introduced to Argentina in the late-19th century, but it did not gain the same level of popularity as it did in Uruguay until more recently. It was in the 1990s that winemakers in the Salta region of Argentina began to experiment with Tannat, and the grape has since become an important variety in that region. Today, in addition to France where it originates, Tannat is also grown in Chile and Brazil, along with Australia, Spain and the United States, where winemakers continue to explore the grape’s potential to produce high-quality, distinctive wines.

In Salta, Tannat is often blended with Malbec to produce wines that are rich and complex, with intense black fruit flavours, spicy notes, and firm tannins that are known for their ability to age well. The region’s high altitudes, hot days, and cool nights make it ideal for growing Tannat grapes, which require warm temperatures to ripen properly, but also need cool nights to retain their acidity. In addition to Salta, Tannat is also grown in other regions of Argentina, including Mendoza and San Juan, where it is often blended with other grape varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, to produce wines that are balanced and complex. In commemoration of World Tannat Day, which is being celebrated on Friday April 14, 2023, Thursday Food introduces you to five labels from Uruguay and Argentina.

Bodegas Carrau Amat Tannat of Uruguay is a 100 per cent varietal of the Tannat grape that is produced from vineyards in Cerro Chapeu, an area located in the north-east of that country, near the border with Brazil. The wine, made by Bodegas Carrau, spent 18 months in oak barrels then aged for an additional year in their cellars, resulting in a wine with an intense cherry red colour. Aromas of raspberry, prunes and cassis combined with subtle oak, provide complex flavours along with notes of chocolate, vanilla and black pepper. It has a firm structure with an acidity that provides elegance and length to the palate. Also expressed in the mouth are ripe and sweet tannins with a dry finish, which will develop well over time, thus achieving a more velvety style.

Decero Mini Ediciones Tannat is a 100 per cent varietal wine made in limited quantities from rare vines by Finca Decero at their Remolinos Vineyards in Lujan De Cuyo, Mendoza. This wine is purple-black in colour and highly viscous with a deep body and eponymous tannic structure. On the nose, aromas of cassis, black cherry, plum, dried cranberries, smoke and toasted bread are expressed. On the palate, it is fleshy and dense, with a subtle sweetness, fine tannins, great length, ending in a long and delicious finish.

El Esteco Don David Reserve Tannat is produced by Bodega El Esteco in the Calchaquí Valleys, home to the world’s highest vineyards. This Tannat is violet in colour and lively with deep, large, black tones enabling the type of tear formed in the glass to denote a very good structure and concentration. Its aromatic intensity is high, expressing spicy notes, cloves, white chocolate and vanilla. In the mouth, its tannins are representative of the varietal, with great structure as well as a medium-to-full body that culminates in a long, elegant finish.

Dos Minas Tannat is 100 per cent Tannat also made in the Calchaquí Valleys, by Dos Minas Wines. With a goal to produce wines that are young and fruity, the vintners behind this label were able to achieve a flavour profile of red fruits, mint, spices but in a fresher style. This means the wine is more aromatic, but has a higher acidity as well as being light to medium bodied. Ruby red in colour, it has aromas of eucalyptus, figs and menthol. On the palate, it is intense and sweet in flavour due to mature tannins, making it a savoury, ripe, and stylish red wine.

Lote Especial Tannat is a 98-point wine that won the coveted “Best In Show” medal at the 2020 Decanter World Wine Awards in London. Produced from vineyards in Salta’s Calchaqui Valleys by Bodega Colome, this wine is dark and deep in colour with floral notes of black fruit on the nose. It stands out for its concentrated, sumptuous and spicy flavour; and for the elegance and roundness of its tannins.

Happy World Tannat Day 2023! Salud!