Enjoying the lesser known wine Tannat

One of the lesser known grapes that I have come to enjoy is Tannat. It is a red wine grape that is typically grown in South West France in the Madiran AOC. It is also grown in Tursan, Bérn and Irouléguy, one of my favorite red wine regions in France’s Basque country.

The wines produced from Tannat are high in tannins and, as a result, are frequently blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Fer to soften its astringency and make it more approachable. In addition, modern winemaking techniques introduced in the region emphasize the fruit more, and the use of oak aging also helps soften the tannins.

A French Tannat is characterized by its firm, tannic structure with raspberry aromas and the ability to age well. They usually have a deep, dark color with high alcohol levels. Rosés from Tannat produced in Irouléguy go through a limited maceration period to keep them from becoming too tannic. The resulting wines are full-bodied and very fruity.

Unfortunately wines from this region are very difficult to get. In 1990 a winemaker in Madiran, Patrick Ducournau experimented with adding controlled amounts of oxygen aeration to the Tannat during fermentation and ended up developing the modern winemaking process of micro-oxygenation.

Oddly enough, Tannat was introduced in Uruguay by Basque settlers in the 19th Century, and today it is considered the “national grape”. It has done very well in Uruguay and is often blended with Pinot Noir and Merlot. A beautiful dessert wine, Viñedo de los Vientos Alcyone Licor de Tannat, is unusual and one that should not be missed.

Plantings of Tannat, also known as Harriague, have been steadily increasing as Uruguay’s wine industry grows. The Tannat wines produced here are characterized by softer and more elegant tannins with blackberry fruit notes.

The grape was introduced in the United States in the late 19th Century at the University of California-Berkeley’s vineyards from France. It received little attention until the late 20th Century when the wines from South America began gaining notoriety. There are also vineyards in Virginia which have planted Tannat and are producing some fine wines from it. One of Old House Vineyards new reds, Bacchanalia, has Tannat as part of the blend. Unfortunately the first bottling sold out months ago, and we are eagerly awaiting the next one.

Without a doubt, check out wines made with Tannat. You are in for treat.

Monroe Baisden is the owner of Chateau du Reaux, a wine shop on East Davis Street. E-mail him at