Tannat is a varietal known for making deeply tannic and intensely flavored red wines. Named after said tannins, Tannat is so richly flavored that it is often blended with other grapes such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Its complexity makes it a wonderful food pairing wine best suited for your heartiest cuisines.

While Tannat originated in Southern France, it has found its home in a rather obscure region. Uruguay currently makes more Tannat than anywhere else due to its consistently warm climate.

Tannat is still an underrated grape, though its success in Uruguay has drawn some attention in some rather unassuming places.

A few more notes on Tannat:

• The combination of tannins and acidity requires Tannat to age in oak anywhere from six months to several years.
• Tannat has one of the highest concentrations of polyphenols (antioxidants) in any wine in the world.
• There are two schools of thought when it comes to making Tannat wines in Uruguay: One is traditional, with maximum color extraction and lengthy aging. The second newer school of thought uses lighter extraction to make fruitier wines with no oak influence at all!

The following guide will illustrate what Tannat often tastes like (aroma, flavor, and structure). It will also tell you where it’s from, provide you with common food recommendations, similar varieties, and let you know why you should be drinking more of it!

While the flavor of Tannat will depend on several factors, like if it’s blended or how potent the tannins are, I usually find Tannat to taste of black cherry, currant, licorice, cardamom, espresso, smoke, and baking spices.

The lighter the winemaking style, the more you’ll be likely to notice red fruit flavors, while darker versions of Tannat will have more pronounced spice flavors.

Remember, wine tastes are somewhat relative. There may be some different tasting notes you consistently find while drinking Tannat.

While Tannat did not technically originate in Uruguay, it has become its predominant growing region since the late 1800s. It was likely introduced to Uruguay via the Basque region of southwestern France, where it can still be found today on a smaller scale.

Uruguay lies in the same latitude range as Argentina, South Africa, and Australia, so it’s not surprising that Uruguay is able to make good, if not excellent wines. Today, Tannat is Uruguay’s most planted varietal and accounts for almost 30% of all wines produced.

Tannat’s success in Uruguay is due to the region’s temperate climate, with warm summers and mild winters. The weather, humidity, and quick-draining limestone soil allow Tannat to ripen fully and develop those signature dark fruit flavors.

You can also find Tannat from Argentina (Salta), France (Basque Country-Madiran), and the USA (Oregon).

Other Pairings: Mexican food, burgers, stews, mushrooms, veal