What is Tannat and Can it Make You More Youthful?

Another week another wine...and this time we're cooking up something special.

My good friend (who happens to be a Sommelier) is in town from Texas and he brought an outstanding selection of unique wines to try from the Texas High Plains. Today I will be sipping on a Tannat produced by Calais Winery; a leader in producing premier wines from 100% Texas grapes. While this one may not be available at your local bottle shop, I would encourage you to check out their website here, because you can place an order online and have your Texas Tannat shipped directly to you!

So, what is Tannat? It is a grape that originally grew in Southwest France but is now the #1 most-grown varietal in Uruguay (where it is known as the "national grape".) The thick skins on this grape make it somewhat resistant, which is why experimental vines are popping up all over the place - from Texas to Oregon, to Maryland and Virginia - and beyond. People are eating (or drinking!) this stuff up! Why? It's feisty, it's tantalizingly tannic, and it will hit you like a punch in the mouth!

In fact, this grape actually led to the development of a wine-making technique called micro-oxygenation, which was discovered as an attempt to tame this wild beast of a grape. Because of it's searing acidity, Tannat is often used as a blending grape, though many producers like to use 100% Tannat in their wines to really take advantage of its full bodied magic and palate-wrecking properties.

When you pour Tannat in your glass, you can expect it to be inky black, highly astringent, and beautifully bold in flavors. While this grape has been described as a "chameleon" since it tends to take on different flavor profiles depending on where it's grown, overall you might expect notes of black licorice, cardamom, smoke, and dark fruits.

Why drink Tannat? Well despite the fact that it's seriously sultry, it's actually deemed to have the highest level of resveratrol, an antioxidant that has been heavily studied since the early 1990's. Lab studies have produced promising results suggesting red wines high in these antioxidants have anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancerous effects, AND can slow aging as well! So, don't worry, Corkers, if your botox clinic is shut down, just reach for a bottle of the good stuff and you'll be looking and feeling youthful in no time!

(***Note, wine still contains alcohol and the American Heart Association recommends no more than 1 glass per day for females and no more than 2 for males.)

Oh, and you can't really write a blog about Tannat without mentioning the benefits for your wallet. You can buy an insanely delicious bottle for about $15, so your dollars will take you further with this varietal than, say, a Pinot Noir.

I'm exceptionally excited to try a Tannat from Texas, especially since this grape can fluctuate so much depending on where it was grown. If you love this wine and want to experiment with one from the great state of Texas, be sure to check out Calais Winery online....because everything's bigger in Texas, and I'm guessing this bold babe will be no exception!

Don't forget, you can subscribe to my blog on my home page so you will be notified any time a new blog is published! Tune into my IG @thecandidcork to watch me taste this Texan Tannat; all of my WOTW features are saved to my highlight reel.

Any specific varietal you'd like to see featured? Drop a comment, send a DM, or shoot me an email; I love getting your recommendations!

Cheers, Corkers!