Wine Time

From Bit-Player to Stardom aFter migrating From FranCe to soutH ameriCa, tannat is writing uruguayan wine History

by Trevor Burton | photography by Trevor Burton Several grapes have migrated from the “Old World” and found tremendous success in the vineyards of South America. This is the tasty story of one of them, Tannat. Back in France, Tannat is somewhat of a bit player. It’s used to produce wine in the Madiran region of southwestern France but that’s about it.

Tannat crossed the Atlantic in seek of fame and fortune. On our side of the Atlantic, it is in Uruguay that Tannat vines have put down roots. Uruguay is totally different from the two behemoths of South American wine. Argentina and Chile thrive on the climate provided by the Andes mountains. However, all of Uruguay is at or close to sea level, not a mountain worthy of the name anywhere near. But Tannat does well here, definitely better than back home in Madiran.

A little bit of history. The first Tannat vines to arrive in Uruguay were shipped across the Atlantic in the 19th-century by settlers from communities between southern France and northern Spain. Tannat’s Johnny Appleseed was Don Pascual Harriague. He’s typically given credit for the grape’s dissemination around Uruguay. For a long time the name, Harriague, was used as a synonym for the grape. Tannat has adapted perfectly to the local soil and climate. It has become the national red grape variety of Uruguay, accounting for approximately one third of all wine produced in the country.

There’s no surprise about the type of wine Tannat produces, deep and loaded with tannins. That brings me to an important point. Wines from the Tannat grape are not only hearty in nature, they’re good for your heart. Tannat wines have some of the highest oligomeric procyanidin levels—an excellent thing from a heart-health point of view. All red grapes, particularly those with thick skins and high skin-to-pulp ratios, contain oligomeric procyanidins. But measurements single out Tannat as having the greatest concentration—three to four times more than other red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon.

There’s some evidence of this, going back to the old country. Tannat’s benefits can be seen in the surprisingly long lifespans of residents of the département of Gers. Gers is one of the French départements located in the wine region, Madiran. Gers has more than double the national average of Frenchmen in their nineties. Tannat, good to taste and good for you. What’s not to like?

Perhaps the reason that Tannat is so widely grown in Uruguay is that it goes so well with the country’s main product, beef. Beef is the country’s main export and a whole bunch of it is consumed by Uruguayans themselves. Annual consumption is 132 pounds per person; that’s over two and a half pounds each week. That requires lots of Tannat.

Uruguayan soils, geography, and maritime climate are similar to those found in the famous French region of Bordeaux, but warmer and more humid. Most of Uruguay’s Tannat is grown in the southeastern corner of the country, close to the Atlantic Ocean. Coastal breezes mitigate the high summer temperatures and cool nights preserve acidity in the grapes. As is typical with New World wines, Uruguayan Tannat is less acidic, more full-bodied, and more fruit forward than its French cousin.

Uruguayans love their wine and most of it is consumed in the country. But more is being exported every year. Goody for us; it’s fairly easy to find a bottle at locations around the lake. This has to be the perfect wine to pair with that steak you pull off the grill on a summer’s evening. And, as I’ve said, it’s good for you. Enjoy.