6 Wines You Should Know for International Tannat Day
International Tannat Day is celebrated on April 14th, commemorating the day in 1894 that Pascual Harriague passed away. Harriague was Uruguay's original champion of Tannat, first planting the grape into Uruguay's hallowed ground in the 1870s. Tannat has contributed to establish Uruguay as a world-class wine country and helped to earn international recognition for the wines made from the French grape. So on this International Tannat Day let's get to know it's origin of Madiran in Southwest France, a few Uruguay interpretations, and a couple grown in the Golden State. Don't forget to cook up a delicious steak to pair!
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6 Tannats you need to know about
Whether you're old school or new school, Tannat has brilliant expressions from a multitude of continents produced in a world-class way. Here are six Tannats I recommend from its origin, Madiran, as well as Uruguay and California.
Courtesy of Pizzorno
Click here to purchase 2022 Pizzorno Maceration Carbonica Tannat (SRP: $19)
Tannat makes a a full-bodied wine, and the good folks at Pizzorno set out to create a style that preserves freshness. How to do that with a full bodied grape like Tannat? Use carbonic maceration! This technique is coveted in Beaujolais, with the handling of the Gamay grape in a fresh and fruity way. What it does for Tannat is pretty mind-blowing! Dive into a lighter on its feed interpretation of a classic wine.
Courtesy of Bodega Garzón
Click here to purchase 2018 Bodega Garzón Tannat Single Vineyard (SRP: $29.99)
Owner and visionary, Alejandro Bulgheroni, set out to establish a world-class vineyard in the Maldonado District of Uruguay, one hour from the Atlantic Ocean and the epic beach cities of José Ignacio & Punta del Este. The team was assembled: Alberto Antonini was brought in to design the vineyards, Christian Wylie was brought in as the top executive, and Francis Mallmann was brought in to imagine the food program.
Courtesy of Château Peyros
Click here to purchase 2017 Château Peyros Madiran Viellies Vignes (SRP: $23.99)
Château Peyros is located in the heart of the Vic Bilh—or “old country”—in the local dialect. Shaped by Pyrenean moraines, the Madiran region is composed of a succession of south-north oriented valleys. Its multiple slopes have an east-west exposure and a rocky sub soil that makes for unique full bodied wines made from the rustic Tannat variety. The cellar of Peyros is a balance between tradition and modernity, pushing the boundaries of softening Tannat for international consumption, while also preserving the brilliance of the grape in its origin.
Courtesy of Domaine Berthoumieu
Click here to purchase 2017 Domaine Berthoumieu Madiran "Charles de Batz" (SRP: $24.99)
For a bit more of a modern take on a juicy Tannat, dive into the Domaine Berthoumieu Madiran cuvée Charles de Batz. The family has run the estate since the 1850s and their current co-owner & winemaker Didier Barré is regarded as one of the top winemakers in the region. He and his wife Marie-Line have been the custodians for a few decades and continue to evolve the impression Tannat receives within the region and beyond.
Courtesy of Moose Mountain Vineyards
Click here to purchase 2019 Moose Mountain Vineyards Nattan But Tannat (SRP: $58)
Richard Schmidt is a reproductive endocrinologist, and his focus on helping give the gift of life gave way to discovering another passion: farming and giving life to wine. The vineyard was planted in 2008 and is named for Richard’s rescue dog Moose, who has been there as his greatest companion through some really challenging times. Now assistant winemaker and sales manager Ulises Bentancor gets to help focus on the primary variety from his home-country Uruguay while seeing how it handles the California climate and differs from the Uruguayan counterparts.
Courtesy of Tablas Creek
Click here to purchase 2020 Tablas Creek Vineyard Tannat (SRP: $50)
This marks the 18th vintage of Tannat for Tablas Creek, showing their prowess the the variety in a part of California that has shown a proclivity for growing and producing the unique variety. They add a wee bit of Cabernet (3%) to round out the wine, but the chewy tannins and tobacco notes give way to generous dark fruits and umami qualities. Give Tablas Creek a visit next time you're on the westside of Paso Robles, you will not regret it.
