2009 Pueblo del Sol Tannat

I just recently received a bottle of 2009 Pueblo del Sol Tannat from TasteVino and decided to twist it open (Yes- it has a screw cap!) and try it with dinner.  I'll bet most are asking,"what is Tannat?".  Well, Tannat is a grape varietal with origins in Southwest France, with wines from the Madiran AOC being most well known.  Immigrants brought the grape to South America and it has become the national grape of Uruguay, with much being grown to the north in Brazil as well. 

You're probably also saying,"wine from Uruguay?".  Well, you'll be surprised to know that there are over 20,000 acres of vineyards and 270 wineries.  But most of the wine is sold domestically, so we haven't seen much over here.  I hope we'll be seeing more as the varietal can be powerful and tannic like its French relative, or fresh, unoaked and fruity. 

When the wine first hit the glass I could tell it was going to be full of fresh fruit as I smelled blueberries along with many floral notes.  On the palate it was full of fleshy fruit with a touch of minerality, medium body and flavor length.  This is an everyday drinking wine as it is unoaked with a 12.5% ABV.  I definitely recommend this wine, especially for the value it brings- you can find it online for under $10.  (WCWG Score: 85)

Other producers which can be found include Bodega Bouza and Bodegas Carrau.  And if you're still interested in this grape you can find it in southern Italy and Sicily from Mirabile Winery.