The most exclusive Tannat in Uruguay
Almost touching the border with Brazil is Casa Tannat, the northernmost winery in Uruguay. Halfway between the most important city in southern Brazil, Porto Alegre, and Montevideo, this boutique winery produces some of the most interesting Uruguayan Tannat thanks to its unique terroir, located two hundred meters above sea level, in the Gruta de la Marcela valley. Casa Tannat produces premium and ultra-premium wines, with an almost exclusive focus on, as one would expect given its name, Uruguay’s flagship variety: Tannat.
The brainchild of Horst, a businessman from Montevideo, and Claudia, a Brazilian and former model, the winery was born from their desire to reconnect with their respective homelands (after all, Brazil is practically just a stone’s throw away) after many years of working abroad. With the desire to produce top-quality wines worthy of being reserved for special occasions, they sought out a perfect terroir to make Uruguayan Tannat, with warm summers and dry winters and naturally drained soils. In 2009, they located the Gruta de la Marcela valley, grutas being a cave or cavern and marcelas being an indigenous herb commonly used in Uruguay to make a calming infusion. Taking well-trodden paths on a winding route through ancient mountain ranges covered in sparse forests and home to golden sandy loam soils, it is an idyllic setting with premises frequented by deer, known as axis deer (which appear on the wine labels), along with other local fauna and flora such as timbó, ibipirapita and green guava.
The vineyard is super boutique. With just three hectares of Tannat, one hectare of Cabernet Franc and half a hectare of Albariño, Casa Tannat carefully manages the vineyard to achieve a yield of just one kilo per plant for its Icono wines and 1.5 kilos for the rest of its lines. That means a lot of hand pruning, done in winter during June and July, followed by green pruning (thinning and topping) in December. Most of it done by Claudia! The harvest is done manually in summer, during the second half of January, earlier than in Canelones, Uruguay’s traditional wine region. These deliberately low yields produce intensely fragrant and fruit-forward Uruguayan Tannat wines, which need little or no wood to carefully preserve these qualities. Casa Tannat boasts four lines of Tannat, all made from the country’s finest Tannat grapes: Tannat Icono 474, Tannat Reserva 717, Tannat 398 and a Rosé; as well as the powerful white Albariño and a Cabernet Franc (the latter two only available locally). Tannat 474 and 717 are aged for 15 and 10 months respectively in French oak barrels. Tannat 398 is aged for 12 months in its own bottle.
What you should know
Their wines are among the most exclusive in Uruguay and are worthy of the best cellars. Wine tastings Being far from the sea, the climate in Artigas tends to be more extreme than in other parts of the country. Claudia recommends visiting in the fall or spring to really enjoy an outdoor wine tasting with magnificent views of the surrounding hills. Book a wine tasting, available Wednesday to Sunday, between 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. By reservation only. There is a tasting menu and also à la carte lunches. Where to buyAt select wine shops in Montevideo, Punta del Este, José Ignacio and São Paulo, check the Casa Tannat site for a complete list or buy from the Casa Tannat online store.
The amethyst mines of UruguayDiscover them with Safari Minero (the meeting point is 10 minutes from Casa Tannat)
Border with Braziland the cities of Artigas (in Uruguay) and Quaraí (Brazil). February is a good time to visit them, since the cities of Artigas and nearby Rivera celebrate carnival. (20 min)
Northern Uruguay WineriesCheck out our northern itinerary including another award-winning winery Cerro Chapeu (2 hours)
Hiking, horseback riding and bird watching in Lunarejo Valley Hikes lasting between 2 and 6 hours each with local guides (1 hour and 45 minutes by car)
Gold Rush in Uruguay at Minas de Corrales (2 hours drive)
Contact
Casa Tannat
www.casatannat.com
Gruta de la Marcela SN, Piedra Pintada, Artigas, Uruguay
Phone +598 92 465 056