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The Two Faces of Tannat
Copyright Greville Havenhand, Wine on the Web, July 2008
Recent
medical research has indicated that Tannat is the grape that is most beneficial to the heart because of the high concentration of Procyanidins. It has been said that there are more of these magic compounds in
a glass of Madiran than in a bottle of Australian Shiraz.
As its name suggests it is a grape that makes very tannic wine. It was long known in its native region – South West France, notably in Madiran but also in the lesser known but often excellent Irouleguy. The legendary Alain Brumont of Montus fame and the Laplace family of Chateau Aydié have shown that with the right treatment and sufficient ageing these rich, full wines could match any reds other than the top classics. In Irouleguy the local co-operative and makers like Michel Riospeyrous of Domaine Arretxea are challenging their neighbouring appellation.
Tannat grapes
Like a true Basque one Pascual Harriague took his native grape to Uruguay in 1870,
and for years it was actually known as Harriague, but it was then decided to give it its more known name and the wine industry there began to modernise itself and to
compete not only with Tannat in its native France but to make a wine to be enjoyed, and thus to sell, in the wine drinking world. It is now its flagship grape. Ironically it
was a Madiran winemaker, Patrick Ducorneau, who was called upon to improve the standard of wine making. Patrick was the inventor of micro-oxygenation, a system of
continuously bubbling minute quantities of oxygen through the wine, softening it and hastening its maturity. This has given Uruguayan Tannat an approachability which
emphasises the full bodied, raisiny, spicy and at time luscious potential of the grape which is sometimes missing from the more austere wines from South West France.
At the recent London International Wine Fair it was interesting to compare them. There was an Uruguayan stand – "Uruguay, Tannat Country". Though not a great deal
of French Tannat was on show the co-operatives from Irouleguy and Madiran were present.
Of course, with such a tough grape it is often blended, and you can tell how tough
when Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are used to soften it. Of the Uruguayan straight Tannats I really liked Pizzorno's Tannat Reserve – a great big burst of plums
and damsons, perfect with a venison casserole. Juanico name many of their wines after Pascual Harriague "Don Pascual". The classic Tannat somehow had coffee and
pine resin on the nose and the tannins were almost velvety. Also watch out for the "Lym" range from Gimenez Mendez. Traversa add ten per cent of Merlot to their
Tannat, softening it so that if you like stone fruits and spice and a wine with a bit of grip to go with barbecued steak, try this.
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Juanico Don Pascual Tannat
Impressed by these – and more – from Uruguay it was with a little trepidation that I
visited the stands of the two Basque country co-operatives. I have long been a fan of the wines of Irouleguy – but I was a little disappointed. Domaine de Mignaberry was
the best, but is now a mere 60% Tannat. The Cabernet Sauvignon adds black currant flavours and some complexity. It is a fine wine but I am afraid that it had less
immediate appeal then the Uruguayans. The Omenaldi, which has 80% Tannat was better with a beefy structure married to red fruit. They also have a rosé made largely
from Tannat and made largely for the tourist trade on the Basque coast. Full and firm it is an excellent summer wine. As for the Madiran I much prefer those of the independent producers.
Unusually for me the New World wines get my vote. Watch Uruguay.
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Last updated on July 23, 2008