We wrote about the wines of Uruguay a few weeks back, and reviewed some interesting and delicious white wines. One was an addictive Vermouth made from the Tannat grape, which we have subsequently bought half a case of. It really is great. Another was a wonderfully crafted Sauvignon Blanc. You can read about them here. These were somewhat surprising, as we had not really delved into the white wines from this South American country.
This review, and the wines below, are all about red. When you talk about red wines from Uruguay you immediately focus in on the Tannat grape. Originally from the Madiran region in southwest France, this grape makes a dark, robust and tannic red. At least that is it’s historical description. When treated by a master however, the juice can be elegant and complex, shedding its brutish skin for something far more enjoyable. It can make world class wines, without question. Here, in Uruguay, the big, red wine grape runs smack dab into some winemaking masters, and the finer side of the grape emerges. It is by far the most widely planted grape in Uruguay, and the country’s signature varietal. That has been changing a bit however, and you’ll find Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc all emerging on the red side.
But this is about Tannat, with one exception. We’ll start with that one and then plunge into the swirling depths of the Tannat grape.
2020 Bodegones del Sur Vineyard Select Cabernet Franc – this comes from carefully farmed vineyards in the southern part of Uruguay,
where yields are controlled to maintain grape quality. The grape clusters are pre-selected in the vineyard, and then go through a second selection process at the winery. Long maceration extracts maximum qualities from the skins. 30% of the wine is aged in a combination of American and French oak. Our thoughts?
The juice is a medium dark ruby, tending toward purple. The nose is full of cherry cough drop. It is vibrant. Herbal notes, green pepper and some unusual confectionary aromas make the wine complex and different. On the palate it is medium bodied, fruity and elegant. It exhibits great length, and is a very well made wine. The profile is unusual for a Cabernet Franc. This would be great with food and actually would make a fine picnic wine. You should find it for $15 – $20.
And now the Tannats:
2018 Pisano Reserva de la Familia Tannat – the Pisano family started their Reserve line of wines as a limited production of their best wine,
reserved for their family’s consumption. As they shared some with friends, the general awareness and demand for this wine grew, and it is now their most prestigious range of wines. Grapes are harvested by hand, and the Reserve is only made in outstanding vintages. This wine is 100% Tannat, from a cool Maritime climate and is aged in French oak barrels for between 10 and 12 months. Our impressions:
Medium dark purple in color, the wine is very brilliant in the glass. On the nose predominantly red fruit presents, with forest floor and spices. The fruit is somewhat lean on the palate, while the spice components come though nicely. It is medium+ in body, balanced and long and clearly made in a more European style. Nice wine. SRP $24
2019 Montes Toscanini Grand Tannat – this wine is made from the best lots in the vineyard, which are thinned to keep yields down
and quality up. After hand harvesting the grapes are sorted at the winery, crushed and macerated for more than 22 days. The juice is put into concrete vats to undergo a gentle setting period before going into oak barrels for an 18 month aging process. Further aging in the bottle completes the long journey from vineyard to glass. 100% Tannat and 14% alcohol. What did we think?
A very dark wine, purple red and opaque. The nose is complex, with floral notes, pine, chocolate and mulling spice mixing with the dark fruits. The palate is fruit driven, with brisk tannins, excellent balance and a very long finish. This is a baby still and will benefit from decanting, as will all of these reds. There’s also a little bit of a savory component. Here is a wine that will stand up to wild game, a boar ragout or your favorite cut of steak right off the grill. Excellent wine. SRP $59 and worth that price.
2018 Alto de la Ballena Tannat – Viognier – this wine is 85% Tannat and 15% Viognier, so sort of a Tannat version of the classic
French Cóte Rótie. The Cóte Rótie would feature Syrah as the red grape in the blend. This version comes from low yield vineyards, a consistent theme with these reds. The Viognier skins are added to Tannat grapes and they macerate together for three days. After fermentation the wine is aged for nine months in American oak. Let’s take a look:
A dark purple to ruby wine in color, this has a nose of red berry fruit with floral notes. It has medium+ body and medium+ tannins. On the palate the core is all frit, with some black pepper coming in towards the end. This is very well made and an excellent wine, SRP is $24. Great value there.
2020 Giménez Méndez Alta Reserva Tannat – another 100% Tannat wine, also made from hand harvested and selected grapes. A
6 day low temperature cold soak is followed by a long fermentation. American and French oak barrels are used for the juice’s nine month aging. Different lots are individually made before final blending of the finished wines. Alcohol comes in at 14%. What did we find?
This juice is a dark ruby in color with a reserved nose of red berry fruit. There is a touch of char to the oak. The palate is also on the lean side. It has medium body and also medium tannins. A bone dry finish is quite long. This is a great food wine, which paired well with some Manchego. Some time in the glass opens up the flavor profile a little more. SRP is $18.
2019 Bouza Monte Vide Eu (Tempranillo, Tannat, Viognier) – the Tannat, Merlot and Tempranillo are vinified separately, each
with hand selected grapes, berry by berry. Each varietal then goes into French or American oak depending on the individual wine. Aging time is between 9 and 16 months. Our thoughts:
Here the color is a dusty purple red. Dark berries dominate the nose, with caramel and a hint of oak. On the palate there is more oak and brisk tannins, but the wine is approachable and well integrated. The tannins build higher toward the end. Fruit forms the core here, lasting through the long finish. Decant for an hour or two. SRP $67. Maybe a bit pricy there.
The wines above represent some excellent red wines, with complexity, depth and a variety of flavor profiles. We should mention that all of them improved with some air time. In some cases we returned to the wines the next day. In some we put in a squirt of argon and left them for two weeks. Flavors deepened and integrated. In all cases we suggest decanting these to let them open.
The wines of Uruguay are worthy of everyone’s attention, whether you prefer red or white. The good news is that they are becoming more and more available.
A votre santé!
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