Uruguay on the Schuylkill
Quick – what’s your favorite Uruguayan wine?
Why the blank stare? Would you want to hear more if I told you that you’re missing out on Tannat, Uruguay’s lush, sexy grape? And what if I point you toward a $20 bottle from a winery owned by a Philly area resident?
Believe me, I’m not too far ahead of you. My first exposure to Tannat was on the floor of the Philadelphia Wine Show in May, as I spoke to Leslie Fellows of Artesana Winery. “Tannat makes a big red wine with dark fruit flavors and spicy character,” she yelled over the din, releasing the rich liquid into my glass. The grape, originally from France, was brought to Uruguay by Basque immigrants in 1870 and evolved into the country’s banner variety.
California-based Fellows is co-owner and director of Artesana. She explained that her uncle, Blake Heinemann, a resident of Ardmore, first traveled to Uruguay in 2003 and “kind of fell in love with the country.” In short order, he planted a couple acres of vines “in his backyard” before being convinced by winemakers Valentina Gatti and Analia Lazaneo to launch the winery in 2007. Heinemann had no wine background. “It was a good marriage” and a viable investment, said Fellows.
Artesana is the first American-owned winery in Uruguay, according to Fellows, and their focus is on Tannat and Tannat blends – solamente. With 80 acres situated in the Canelones region in the south, the vineyard is planted with Tannat, Merlot and Zinfandel, and they’re reportedly the only Zin producer in the country. Latitudinally, the region aligns with some marquee wine areas across the globe like Mendoza, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Canelones’s coastal Atlantic climate is often compared to that of Bordeaux, and the grapes benefit from well-drained clay soils and nearly two-thirds of a year of full-on sunshine.
To give a sense of scale, Fellows noted that they’re one of about 250 wineries in Uruguay, with a tenth of that group exporting fine wines. “I’m really excited that the (PLCB) brought in about 100 cases of my wine,” she shared, noting the winery produces at less than 2,000 annual cases. “It’s very, very hands-on, and we work very hard in the vineyard to produce a beautiful grape.”
Beyond the quality of the wines, Fellows thinks PA consumers might take notice of the price. “We knew the market couldn’t bear the $35 price tag…so we had to offer it at this much better value.”
Artesana’s Tannat and Tannat-Merlot are available in Pennsylvania for $19.99. Fellows says she is hopeful the state will renew its commitment by ordering selections from the 2012 vintage.
Mike and I spent an afternoon with a pair of Uruguayan bottles. Here are the results.
Artesana Tannat 2011
For starters, tannic and slightly austere, with a touch of Welch’s Grape Juice. Slightly vegetal (is that celery we picked up?), dark berries and black pepper. With a one-hour decant, it really blossoms and screams for a gaucho-style slab of steak. Some oaky-creaminess, unquestionable intensity and concentration. The austerity transforms to a pleasure play with an hour in the air. For wine of this caliber, a good value. 15% ABV.
Artesana Tannat-Merlot 2011
Pretty nose. Very much rounded by the Merlot, and the predominant elements on the palate are blueberry and blackberry, medium oak and moderate tannins. Light spice and full body, with a longish finish. Based on the explosive and bright fruit, Mike felt it resembled a California Merlot. I agreed, and/but the winemaking chops are unquestionable. 15.3% ABV.