2023 Tannat

Tannat has a bit of a ‘bad boy’ reputation.  It originally hails from the Gascony region of southwest France, and particularly the Madiran AOC.  There it is renowned for its high levels of tannin, so high that the vintners in Madiran often blend in Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc to help ‘soften’ the wines.  The technique known as Micro-oxygenation, where minute amounts of oxygen are metered into the wine, was specifically developed to accelerate the aging of Tannat in an attempt to tame the tannic monsters that this grape produces.  Perhaps due to its over extracted nature, Tannat has never achieved much notoriety in Europe.  However, when introduced to South America by Basque immigrants Tannat has had tremendous success, so much so it is considered the ‘National Grape’ of Uruguay.

According to Oz Clarke in his book, “Grapes and Wines” Tannat has record high levels of a particular type of tannin called procyanidins.  Procyanidins are a subclass of flavonoids found in commonly consumed foods that have attracted increased attention due to their potential health benefits.  Mr. Clarke goes on to note that healthy ninety-year old men are ‘surprisingly common.’ the in the deep southwest of France, the home of Tannat.  Food for thought.