Tannat, Uruguayan pride

Their pride might be cows … If Uruguay is populated by only 3 million inhabitants, there are cattle are 6 per person.
Their pride might also be the tremendous growth of the local olive oil, including the famous Colinas de Garzon begins to play in the major internationally.
No, the Uruguayan pride is unquestionably the Tannat. It must be understood that in this country, which is also known as “South America Tuscany” one rolls off gently kilometers from vines planted along routes that stretch to the East or West …
If there are a lot of European grapes in Uruguay, Tannat, this variety of the Madiran, which comes from tannin in the Occitan language, became the hallmark of this small country wedged between Argentina and Brazil. Tannat is sort of the signature of the powerful and colorful wines from this country. For the record, this is a Basque immigrant, Pascual Harriague (the majority of people in this country are descendants of Europeans) who introduced this variety in 1870.
Unlike wines of Madiran, the Uruguayan Tannat is a remarkable finesse. Winemakers have understood and during one of my vineyard tours, a few kilometers from Carmelo in the south, the owner had the word “Tannat” at the mouth! Probably in homage to France …
Today, Uruguayan wines begin to keep a nice place on the wine market in the world. It must be said that Uruguay has a climate and a very specific landscape: its cool nights and the maritime influence gives a true singularity in South vineyards. Unlike wines of Madiran, the Uruguayan Tannat is a remarkable finesse. They are also mainly locals who benefit, as only 10% of the areas export their wines. I would have forgotten the main: Uruguayans are among the biggest consumers of wine in Latin America!