Tannat who? Uruguay’s most widely planted grape. More than 25% of the country’s vineyards produce it. It was originally grown in the Western Pyrenees of France (and still is), but the grape was brought over to Uruguay by a Basque immigrant in the late 1800s. Similar to Argentina’s Malbec in having both a powerful, i.e. tannins, but smooth character, Tannat adds berry, spice and acidity which is making it more appealing to a lot of wine drinkers.
The 2013 Bodega Garzon Tannat we have on our list now is great example of this fun, somewhat new (to the U.S. market) grape. The owner has spared no expense in the creation of this winery in hopes to rival the finest wines of the world – even copying the concrete fermentation tanks used at Cheval Blanc in Bordeaux. Come and give it a try!