Bouza Tannat 2023

Bouza works with Tannat, a variety brought from southwest France that took root across the River Plate from the 1870s and became a defining grape of the region. Tannat is among the most tannic of black grapes, thick-skinned and high in colour and structure, and it ripens well in the warm, humid maritime climate near Montevideo, where deep clay and rocky soils give the wine body and grip. Farming follows respectful, low-impact agriculture. After fermentation the wine is aged for sixteen months in a mix of French and American oak barrels, where extended slow oxygen exchange is essential to tame Tannat's powerful tannins, rounding the structure and adding spice, vanilla, toast and a cocoa-edged depth. The colour is deep, dense violet-red. The nose shows dark plum and red fruit with black pepper, cocoa and tobacco. The palate is full-bodied and firmly structured, with the variety's substantial tannin softened by oak, fresh acidity and a long, savoury finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanting an hour ahead. It is a natural partner for grilled and braised red meat.