Celebrating Two Unlikely Heroes of South America

Celebrating Two Unlikely Heroes of South America
This month Argentina and Uruguay both celebrate their unlikely champion grape varieties with Malbec Day on 17th April and Tannat Day on 14th April. ‘Grape days’ like this are, of course, conspicuous marketing tactics to drive sales. But these two grape varieties do deserve some celebration as their rise to become the leading varieties in each country was hardly an easy feat. From the ‘French grape’ to a bonafide Argentine classic Malbec has a long and largely unglamorous history in Argentina. It was first planted in the 1850s, along with a cartload of other European (mainly French) varieties imported from France at the time. Uptake of these new international varieties was gradual, but by the early 20th century, as Malbec was so well suited to the arid climate, it had undisputedly thrived through natural selection. It now accounted for three-quarters of Argentina’s vineyards. It was an unsung hero through, and not even called by name, simply known as the cepa francesa – the French grape. Although it provided good quality, Malbec was very low yielding. And so, in the heyday of Argentina’s jug wine production – the late 1900s – much of it was uprooted in favour of higher yielding varieties. And then in the 1990s, when Argentina set its sights on conquering the export market, no-one wanted to make this unknown variety its calling card. Instead, the ubiquitous Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay were pitched as Argentina’s new flagship grapes. Malbec plantings dwindled. Between the 1960s and 1990s, over 80 percent of Argentina’s Malbec was uprooted, and it seemed like a lost cause. However, Malbec’s fate turned once again. A few winemakers showed Malbec to visiting trade in Mendoza in the late 1990s, and this unloved grape piqued their interest. Positive international reviews gradually convinced winery owners that there might be an opportunity for Argentina to make its name with something a bit different. By the early 2000s there were a handful of converts who gave the cepa francesa a new Argentine passport to the world. The rest is history. Malbec today has rightly assumed its throne, and accounts for a fifth of Argentina’s vines and the lion’s share of exports. Not only is Malbec a very appealing variety, but it can also be one of the most exciting. There is no other variety that showcases the terroirs of Argentina so well. From the intense, bold and meaty Malbec wines of the towering altitudes of Jujuy to the elegant, fine and silky Malbecs of Altamira, or the boney and linear Malbec wines of Gualtallary. No longer an unrequited cepa francesa, Malbec today proves itself invaluable to Argentina’s vinous identity, and that certainly deserves celebration.
Turning the tides of Tannat Tannat first made its way to Uruguay in the 1870s, planted in the western border of the country by the River Plate – just over the water from Argentina. It was here that Pascual Harriague and a few other pioneers of the variety first gave this red grape a chance in the vineyards. Uruguay’s humid climate, with an average of 1,000mm of rain a year, meant its early viticulture was largely a survival of the fittest. Although hardy hybrid varieties dominated the scene, by the 1980s, there was one Vitis vinifera grape that continued to perform year on year – Tannat. When Uruguay underwent its conversion to fine wine production in the 1990s, the one variety that made it through the big cull was Tannat. Its thick skins were resistant to the rain and mildew, and its naturally high levels of acid and tannin made for powerful wines each vintage. Many Uruguayan winemakers say that rather than choosing the variety for themselves, Tannat chose Uruguay. It found a natural home in this climate and suited the meat-loving culture of this farming nation. This is, in typical Uruguayan humility, simplifying the story. Although Tannat might grow well in the climate conditions, Uruguay’s winemakers most certainly have put the work into taming it. This is one of the world’s most tannic varieties and – although that means its high resveratrol levels make for a compelling health argument – it requires sensitive management both in the vineyard and winery. After over a century of work with the variety, Uruguay has unquestionably mastered it. By managing yields and ripeness with quite significant green harvests, and managing tannins in the cellar with careful extraction techniques, Uruguay has forged Tannat into an approachable, energetic and ultimately enjoyable red wine. As the world’s largest producer of the variety, Uruguay offers a diverse range of styles of Tannat – from brooding dark wines to juicy light reds, with sparkling reds and light rosés in between. There’s a world of Tannat to discover in Uruguay, and 14th April is certainly a good excuse to dive in and have your own taste of this hidden gem. Postscript… What about Chile? Chile has an equally unusual flag to bear, Carmenère, with its fascinating story of near extinction to surprising rebirth. But we can talk about that on the 24th of November…
Amanda Barnes is an award-winning wine writer and specialist in the wine regions of South America. She is author of The South America Wine Guide, and has lived in the southern hemisphere since 2009.
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