Uruguay

Purple/ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is lovely with plums, salinity and black raspberries.  Lush texture.  Light tannins.  Moderate acidity.  On the palate, there is some depth.  Black cherries with spice, and char.  Good finish.  This is very approachable and drinking well.  It would go nicely with a plate of pasta with a meat or mushroom sauce with a touch of spice.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  Excellent value.

The 2019 version of this wine was one of the better Tannats I have tasted and this one is even better.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has a bit of reduction but that blew off quickly leaving black cherries, black raspberries, spice, and a slight celery seed note.  Plush texture.  Medium tannins.  Good acidity.  Good balance.  On the palate, plums, black cherries with a touch of dark chocolate.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is drinking well now and should continue for another ten to fifteen years.  It is great on its own and will work nice with braised beef dishes.  

Violet in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black raspberries and char.  Creamy texture.  Medium tannins.  The palate matches the nose with black raspberries and char.  Good finish but a bit of heat.  This is more classic in style but without the formidable tannins.  It is drinking well now and should continue for another ten to twelve years.  A nice match for a grilled burger but would also be good with grilled vegetables.  

This is a blend of 80% Tannat and 20% Petit Menseng from Uruguay.  The Tannat grapes are destemmed and then macerated with the petite Mennseng on the skins.  The result is a lighter more approachable Tannat.  Ruby/blue in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is dusty with black cherries.  Medium bodied.  Silky texture.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, black cherries and gravel.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This is nice on its own and will work well with food.  This is a great choice for mid-week pizza or pasta.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

Ruby/blue in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has plums and raspberries.  Soft texture but firm tannins.  On the palate, black raspberries fruit and seeds (slight bitter note in a good way) along with some char.  Good finish with that same "bitter" quality.  This is a very nice wine that needs some time/air for the tannins to integrate.  This would work well with venison but also with pasta bolognaise.  Drink over the next ten years.  Great value.

It’s not easy to find an approachable Tannat, one that drinks well right out of the bottle. One of the reasons is that the Tannat grape has more, and larger, seeds than other grapes therefore the tannins are more aggressive. Tame that and you’ve got it nailed. Uruguay is a country pushing Tannat to the world and with great results. This 2020 is a lively robust wine that will change your mind about this misunderstood grape.

This is Cab Franc from Uruguay!  Purple/ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, bell peppers, tobacco and slight chocolate.  Medium bodied.  Light to medium tannins.  Lovely texture.  On the palate, this has juicy acidity.  Black cherry fruit with underlying char.  Long finish.  Blind, I would have guessed it from the Loire Valley.  Drinking well now, it should continue for another eight to ten years.  Nice on its own but better with food.  This would be a perfect wine with (Veggie) Burgers off the grill.  

This is a blend of 50% Tannat 30% Merlot and 20% Tempranillo.  Purple in color with ruby hues, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, black cherries, plums, chocolate and spice.  Medium tannins.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this drinks like a bold, young Bordeaux (which is a compliment).  Cherries, black cherries, cinnamon, and plums.  There is a nice complexity.  Its is drinking well but may still improve.  Either way, it should drink well for the next ten to fifteen years.  It drinks well on its own and will work well with roasted meats and vegetables.  

This is 100% Tannat.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cherries, dust, chocolate, spice and a hint of toasted oak.  Medium tannins.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, plums and black raspberries.  Moderate acidity.  This is very tasty.  Nice finish.  Drinking well now and should continue for another twelve to fifteen years.  Nice on its own but better with food.  This would work well with Lamb Chops.  An excellent value!

This is an intriguing blend of 85% Tannat and 15% Viognier.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with chocolate, cherries, and a slight coconut note.  Medium to firm tannins.  Full bodied.  Juicy acidity.  On the palate, cherries and other red fruits.  Moderate finish.  This is drinking well now and should drink well for another five to eight years.  This works better with food.  It would go well with roasted duck or chicken.