Tannat

When you talk bout wine, tradition often comes up as an important topic. Tradition in terms of variety and place and practice is held up as a worthy value. I agree with this for the most part and would more likely drink a Chianti than a "Super Tuscan" for that very reason. Now on the other hand, some Super Tuscans a 100% Sangiovese, a truly traditional and perhaps indigenous Tuscan variety. So there.
And Brunello, which seems traditional as such, was "invented" around 1888. So it is old and traditional, but not that traditional and not that old.
The classic French variety, Cabernet Sauvignon, is a bit older than that but not nearly as old as Pinot Noir. And for that matter Syrah, known as Shiraz in Australia come originally from Iran and is named after the city of Shiraz.
So how old does a grape or a wine type have to be to be traditional or authentic?
The answer to this question will have an effect on what you think about new world wines, none of which are made from new world grape varieties. Some great wines are being made in countries with a short wine-making history. These wines are being made with European varieties but in new world styles.
Because wine should be an expression of place, new world wineries are inventing new traditions. I mean to say that by taking a foreign grape but growing it in a new place and then making wine out of it, it creates wines distinct from the traditional wines made from that type of grape in the old world. So new traditions are being established, and they are legitimate and authentic.
I would go and say that most people who complain about the lack of tradition or lack of authenticity in new world wines ironically often call for new world wines which taste more like old world wine. A recipe for inauthenticity!
All of this comes to mind because of the Tannat from Uruguay I drank the other day. Produced by Catamayor and distributed by Petersen Imports in Massachusetts, for whom I work, the wine is great!
The Tannat grape is grown traditionally (there's that word) in Madiran in southwest France and is known to be one of the most tannic grapes there is; hence the name.
For some reason the grape is also traditionally grown in Uruguay. Go figure. It seems the Basques brought Tannat over and planted it in 1870, before there was such a thing as Brunello in Italy. I have tasted a few of the Uruguayan Tannats over the last year. So far the best i have tasted is the Tannat Reserve of the Family from Catamayor. The regular Tannat from Catamayor is a real bargan at under $12 per bottle. It is dark, way less tannic than those from France but still pretty dense and deep, if not super complex.
You can pair it with food the way you would with a red Bordeaux or not too ripe Cabernet.
In general it is worth seeking out Madirans and Uruguyan Tannats, as the grape is wonderful in all its iterations.