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Show Me Wineries That Are Selling This Wine
| Country of Origin: |
France |
| Region of Origin: |
Gascony |
| Typical Product: |
Red |
| Structure: |
Very Heavy |
| Climate: |
Warm - Hot |
| Soil Type: |
Rocky |
| Serving Temp: |
60 - 65F |
| Ageability: |
5 to 10 |
| Blends: |
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| Sauces to Pair: |
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| Meals to Pair: |
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| Other Names*: |
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Tannat's origins lie in the Basque region of Southwestern France in the Madiran region where it has been grown in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains for several centuries. Records are available as far back as the 1700s. In Madiran, Tannat must be blended with Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc to carry the Appellation name to soften it slightly. Think about that for a second. Cabernet Sauvignon is used to soften Tannat. That should indicate just how big and tannic Tannat can be.
Tannat emigrated to the new world in the late 1800's. It has remained a niche player in the US but has adapted so well to Uruguay's climate, that it has virtually become the National grape. Some sources put it total production at roughly 1/3 of all wine produced in Uruguay.
Tannat is a dream for vineyard managers due to its ease of growth. It handles frost better than most and is an average producer, providing sufficient volumes to make it economically viable but not so much that heavy thinning must take place to retain the grape's character. It's not a late ripener so frost or early rains rarely cause a problem before harvest. In the US, it is often ripe up to a month before a number of other red Varietals.
Tannat has very thick skins, which account for much of its heavy tannic structure. The skins also give it strong resistance to mildew and rot. The berries are blue-black in color and are bunches are tightly clustered. According to Tablas Creek, one of the few California wineries to make a Tannat, its only problem is the thickness of it's stems which strongly hold the berries making destemming difficult without destroying the fruit.
If the winemaker embraces the natural tannins in the Tannat, it is ages well with some vintages improving over 20 years.
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| * used in California |
(Please click on the Winery name for more information)
Thomas Coyne Winery
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2006 |
$20.00 |
Only 100 cases produced |
Idle Hour Winery
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2017 |
$40.00 |
Heringer Vineyard |
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