Uruguay 2019

 

Bodega Narbona

To learn more about the Tannat variety, I visit three wineries in Uruguay, the country which has made Tannat its national grape variety. It is a tricky grape, very small and big seeds. It needs time to ripen, and then the alcohol levels shoot up.

The first winery I visit is Bodega Narbona. It is a beautiful property, dating back to 1909. A lot of the old equipment, including vintage cars, is still there. However, the winery was abandoned at some point. It then got restored, with vineyards quite young right now. At present, the winery produces 10,000 cases per annum. The tasting took place in the beautiful cave.

Sauvignon Blanc is the major white variety in Uruguay. The 2018 wine here has aromas of cut flowers and quite tropical flavours. The wine is not as acidic as some (88 points).

The big surprise, and actual best wine of the tasting was the 2018 Rose, based on Tannat. Only young vines are used for this wine. There is less than one hour skin contact of the juice, to avoid strong tannins, and then the wine is matured for four months in 600L used French oak barrels. The result is a fresh, flavoursome wine, tasting of red berries and strawberries. It is quite well structured, dry and with some length (92 points).

The 2015 Pinot Noir is less successful. It is grown on different soil profiles, limestone, clay/silt, and sand. The dark cherry taste of this quite acidic wine includes some unusual citrus notes and a salty flavour (88 points).

The first Tannat is from 2016, a high yielding wine (13t/ha) from young fruit; fresh, fruit forward and easy drinking (85 points). A more serious wine is a 2014 blend of Tannat (45%), Shiraz (45%), and Petit Verdot (10%). The flavours are of black and blue fruits. It starts smooth on the front palate, but gets a bit unbalanced on the long finish (89 points).

The most serious wine of the tasting is a 2014 Tannat. Here the yield drops to 8t/ha ( more on Tannat yields in a later post). The wine is matured for 12 months in a mix of French and American new and second use oak. The wine has a deep purple colour, with blackberry, black cherry, and plum flavours. The alcohol is at an acceptable level of 14%. The tannins are firm, and do not detract from an overall smooth impression (91 points).

Bodega Bouza

Bodega Bouza is another 10,000 cases winery, only 30 minutes from Montevideo. As such, it has quite a strong tourist orientation, with a big tasting room and vintage cars.

Albarino is the other main white variety next to Sauvignon Blanc. The 2018 Bouza Albarino is fresh and straight forward with citrus flavours and some earthy characters. This aromatic wine was not so exciting on its own, but went down well with Ceviche (86 points).

The 2017 Merlot is a soft and fruity wine with red plum and cherry flavours. This quaffer falls off on the finish a bit (87 points). One of their most popular wines is the strangely named Monte Vide Eu. The 2017 is a blend of 50% Tannat, 30% Merlot and 20% Tempranillo. It is a barrell selection. The nose of this wine is intense, yet the wine is actually quite light. This is also quite a simple, easy drinking wine, with fine tannins and a short finish (88 points).

Bouza regards itself as a Tannat specialist. It vinifies quite a few blocks separately, and releases one block each year (more or less) as a single vineyard wine. The 2016 Tannat is called B26. I was looking forward to tasting this. Would this give me a good idea about what Tannat can do? The wine is matured for 15 months in new French oak. The colour is deep purple and the nose is intense, quite dense. The plum and blackcurrant flavours dominate the oak, and the structure is fine, but the tannins are a bit coarse. While the alcohol of 15.5% was not as obvious, as the figure might suggest, it certainly felt slightly hot on the finish (91 points).

The search for a great Tannat continues.

Bodega Garzon

Bodega Garzon is by far the largest Uruguayan winery with 200ha of vineyards, and with the most serious international ambitions. It is owned by a billionaire, and it shows. The vineyards are beautifully manicured and the buildings, opened in 2016, spectacular. In many ways, it reminds me of Craggy Range in New Zealand. Somebody comes in with a bold plan and the means to execute it. It is also an interesting example of what can be achieved with vines much less than 20 years old. Mr. Antonini of Italy has been a consultant for this project and is often involved in the selection and blending process.

                            

Export manager Cecilia Curi and winemaker German Bruzzone take me through the tasting.

White wine is focussed on Albarino. The 2018 Reserve is clean, fresh, floral and fruity (88 points).The 2018 Albarino Single Vineyard is a step up. This wine is matured in tulips (eggs). 10,000 bottles are made. It has more intensity, more body and an oily texture. The mouthfeel is round and pleasing and there is vibrant energy through to the back palate (92 points). 

The 2017 Pinot Noir Single Vineyard is of a soft style, with strawberry flavours dominant. It is a bit fruity for my taste (89 points). Can the combination of young fruit, 5000 plants/ha and 6-7t/ha yield really create a world class Pinot Noir? The 2017 Cabernet Franc Reserva has an attractive bouquet. This is a delicate wine, tasting of blue fruit, with silky tannins (92 points). The 2017 Marselan Reserva, a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, is an unknown to me. It has a deep purple colour, and is quite intense, but I find the flavour profile a bit simple. Minerality and acidity dominate the back palate (88 points).

After this, we come to the top bracket. The 2017 Tannat Reserva was picked quite late, due to the cooler conditions. The soil profile of porous granite worked well in this not so dry year. Flavours of plum and redcurrant deliver a good mouthfeel. The alcohol of 14.5% is well integrated. This is an elegant wine, with firm tannins which do not overwhelm (93 points).

My favorite Uruguayan Tannat turns out to be the 2017 Tannat Single Vineyard. It comes from a cool block in the vineyard. It has more depth and elegance than the Reserva, with black fruits dominating. This is a full-bodied wine at 14.5% alcohol, but it is neither fat nor hot on the palate. The mouthfeel is attractive, as the wine leads to firm tannins and minerality on the finish. This is a well balanced wine with a good future (94 points).

The top wine in the portfolio is the 2016 Balasto, referring to the porous granite soil in the vineyard. This wine is a blend of 45% Tannat, 25% Cabernet Franc, 18% Petit Verdot, and 12% Marselan. This wine has been matured in large barrels of untoasted French oak for 20 months. The Cabernet Franc provides welcome freshness to this very elegant wine. The flavours are of black fruits and the Tannat component delivers firm tannins. The grape varieties are well integrated; a wine of substance (95 points).

Bodega Garzon shows fantastic promise, given the young vines of this winery. It is interesting to note that this winery has chosen a Tannat blend as its signature wine. While I enjoyed the 100% single vineyard Tannat, it points to the fact that a blend can add some more interest and complexity to this difficult variety.