Wines made from Tannat grapes of Vin de Pays

Discover the best wines made with Tannat as a single variety or as a blend of Vin de Pays.

More informations about the variety Tannat

Tannat is a red grape variety from Béarn which belongs to the cotoïdes family. Present in several vineyards of France, it occupies nearly 3,000 ha. Its leaves are reddish with tan patches. Its bunches are either of normal size or larger. Its berries have a thin skin and are rounded. Its foliage has a swarthy appearance. This variety must be pruned long because it is vigorous. It likes sandy and gravelly soils. Tannat is often exposed to leafhoppers and mites. It is also somewhat susceptible to grey rot. It has 11 approved clones, including 474, 717 and 794. Once mature, this variety produces acidic, fruity, tannic, acidic and full-bodied wines. Various aromas emerge, notably tobacco, cinnamon and exotic wood. Tannat is rarely used alone. It is combined with iron-servadou to obtain a fruitier taste or with cabernet sauvignon to be more rounded.

More informations about the region of Vin de Pays

Vin de Pays (VDP), the French national equivalent of PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) at the European level, is a quality category of French wines, positioned between Vin de Table (VDT) and Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC). This layer of the French appellation system was initially introduced in September 1968 by the INAO, the official appellation authority. It underwent several early revisions in the 1970s, followed by substantial changes in September 2000 and again in 2009, when all existing VDT titles were automatically registered with the European Union as PGI. Producers retain the choice of using either the VDP or PGI titles on their labels, or both - in the form "IGP-Vin de Pays".

What are the typical flavors of the Tannat grape variety?

News about the grape variety Tannat

Argentina harvest report 2022: ‘wines with excellent ageing potential’ 

The grapes have been picked and Argentina is able to file another successful harvest for 2022, to match the previous four years. However producers are reporting that 2022 was the most singular of recent vintages, with each region experiencing its own challenges. Mendoza ‘The 2021-2022 season reminds me of a good Hollywood movie,’ said Martín Kaiser, viticulturist at Doña Paula in Mendoza. ‘It certainly kept us entertained. Our hearts were in our mouths all the way through, but it had a great end ...

Uruguay harvest report 2023: Low yields but high quality 

With 5,848ha under vine Uruguay is becoming one of the most closely observed emerging wine producers in the world, with the focus here mostly on quality whites and the flagship Tannat reds. Uruguayan wine regions are coastal, meaning that their climate is defined by prevailing winds from the Río de la Plata and the Atlantic Ocean, which usually ensure plenty of rainfall, especially in summer. However, this wasn’t true of the 2023 harvest. Uruguay suffered from its most severe drought in 50 years ...

What do Tannat wines taste like?

Red wines made from Tannat are classically deep-hued and intense with a lush kernel of black fruit, from plums to black cherry and cassis, wrapped in plenty of tannins that can range from bold to fine-grained and supple, with decisions in the vineyard and the cellar resulting in varying styles. Scroll down to see tasting notes & scores for 15 top Tannat wines Balance is always the key, and some of the best recent examples of Tannat wines integrate the variety’s tannin content with natu ...