2020 Tannat
In Stock
To Tannat or not to Tannat, that is the question. Unlike Hamlet’s query, the answer to our query is easy. Definitely Tannat. Native to France but adopted as the national grape of Uruguay, very little Tannat is planted in the U.S. And that’s a shame because the Tannat grape produces a super delicious, full-bodied yet approachable wine with all of the firm structure and complexity you’d expect in a classic red with a special verve all its own. Rich aromas of black cherry and plum with hints of coffee, sweet pipe tobacco and leather combine with distinct barrel notes of vanilla and smokey oak. This wine is full-bodied with finely structured tannins, rich black fruit, and a long lingering sweet oak finish.
Wine Specs
Vintage
2020
Varietal
Tannat
Appellation
Monterey
Vineyard
Hames Valley
Harvest Date
Sep 25, 2020
pH
3.71
Aging
50% French oak 50% Hungarian oak, 18 months
Bottling Date
July 19 , 2022
Alcohol %
13.9
Wine Profile
Vineyard
The fruit for our 2020 Tannat was grown on our sustainably certified Hames Valley
Vineyard in the Hames Valley AVA. Located at the southern end of the Salinas
Valley, this lesser-known appellation is flanked by the Santa Lucia Range to the west
and the rugged Gabilans to the east. Sheltered from the afternoon winds, Hames
Valley possesses some of the largest diurnal temperature swings in Monterey
County, with a 50° day-to-night fluctuation quite common. The combination of
warm days, crisp nights and an incredibly long growing season make this an ideal
locale for big, tannic reds.
Varietal Composition
Tannat
Winemaking
The grapes were handpicked into half-ton bins, destemmed and crushed into small
fermentation bins. During fermentation, we gently punched down the cap three
times per day and held the juice on the skins for two weeks before pressing. At
dryness the must was drained and then pressed to stainless steel tanks. After
settling the heavy solids, the juice was racked clean to small oak barrels for
secondary fermentation and aged for 18 months before bottling unfiltered to
preserve the structure and tannins.
Cases Produced
306