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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2013 and 2017 (based on 31 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 88.8 pts. and median of 89 pts. in 6 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Weinberg Falls on 7/16/2019: I read a book lately which discussed the elements involved in tasting a wine. One of the more complex or obscure elements of taste is how the wine goes down - does your body ENJOY receiving this liquid? It's a difficult metric to describe, and something so subtle or subjective that I rarely see it being mentioned on here. This wine is a wonderful example of a drink that is almost defined by this element; a few minutes after drinking this, both my girlfriend and I felt awful!
I know Madirans are rustic by nature, but swallowing this bitterly tannic and woody black liquid was tough going. Perhaps this was a bad bottle, but there were elements there that indicate that at some stage this could be a pleasant drink. There is a wonderful dark chocolate and plum nose, and, just before the tannins suck the life out of your tongue, a palette of blackcurrant, prunes and clove. I'm sceptical, however, that humanity will survive the period of ageing or decanting this wine would require to be anything other than utterly ropey. (475 views) | | | Tasted by Bro on 5/8/2017 & rated 89 points: Je réitère mon appréciation de ce vin et de son excellent rapport qualité prix ... Achat à renouveler ... (831 views) | | | Tasted by Bro on 5/6/2017 & rated 89 points: Robe d'un rouge violacé ... Nez sur le sous-bois, les épices et le bois ... Papilles sur le cèdre, les mûres et la réglisse ... Longue finale et bon rapport qualité prix ... (758 views) | | | Tasted by forceberry on 3/30/2013 & rated 89 points: Opaque black-red color that reminds me more of blackcurrant juice concentrate than anything vinous! The nose is quite rich and expressive with aromas of blackcurrants, some leather, a little ripe red fruit and integrated hints of vanilla and spicy oak character. On the palate the wine feels very fresh, youthful and concentrated with flavors of blackcurrant, dark cherry, black forest fruits and some tannic astringency with toasty hints of oak looming in the background. Acidity is quite modest here, but instead the tannins are very prominent, aggressive even, keeping the wine very tightly-knit, structured and dry-tasting. The astringent, tightly-wound finish is quite long with long-lingering flavors of toasted spicy oak, tannic bitterness, some bright minerality and hints of savory forest fruits.
A classic, tannin-driven Madiran that feels very tight and structured despite its modest acidity. Probably not the best choice for a wine bar wine, because this feels still very primary and even with more bottle age, you'd need something hearty to go along with this. This is definitely stuff I'd leave in a cellar for a decade or more. Not recommended for people who are afraid of tannins. Very good value at 7€ for a 12 cl glass. (852 views) | | | Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 12/22/2012 & rated 88 points: Opaque purple red violet color; reduction, tart black fruit, brett nose; tight, very tart black fruit, balsamic, iron palate; needs 3 years; medium-plus finish (757 views) | | | Tasted by avp on 6/21/2011: Raspberry to currant fruit on the open nose with a touch of oak spice.
Medium bodied, tight and refreshing structured palate with bright fruit, oak spice and decent length.
Very young traditional Madiran. Needs a few years to develop complexity. (1842 views) |
| Domaine Labranche-Laffont Producer web site
Producer info on AU importer web siteTannat Varietal character (Appellation America) | Wikipedia
A southern French variety, it's most commonly found in the southwest part of the country near the Pyrenees. Characteristically, it has hard tannins, raspberry aromas, and a fair amount of astringency. Given those tannins, it's successful as the base for French roses, where tannins are minimized by little skin contact. In blends, particularly in California, Tannat adds bite to what might otherwise be flabby or soft wines resulting from overripe grapes.
Wine from the Tannat grape is typically rough and tannic when young, but with aging will mature into a full-bodied red wine. Modern winemaking in France (Madiran appellation) has begun to emphasize the fruit more and utilize barrel aging to help soften the tannins, with the wines typically spending about twenty months in oak prior to bottling.
The Tannat vine was introduced in Uruguay by Basque settlers in the 1870’s and began to flourish as it readily adapted to the local soil and climate. Today it is often blended with Pinot Noir and Merlot, and is made in a variety of styles including those reminiscent of Port and Beaujolais. Although considered Uruguay’s national grape, Tannat is also grown in Argentina, Australia, Brazil and in Italy's Puglia region where it is used as a blending grape.
Tannat wines produced in Uruguay are usually lighter in body and lower in tannins than those from France. In France, efforts to solve the harsh tannic nature of this grape led to the development of the winemaking technique known as micro-oxygenation. Vineyards in Uruguay have begun to distinguish between the "old vines" that are descendants from the original European cuttings and the new clones introduced in the 1990’s. The newer vines tend to produce more powerful wines with higher alcohol levels but less acidity and complex fruit characteristics, although some wineries utilize both vines to make blends.
First brought to the US late in the 19th century by a UC Berkeley agricultural professor, Tannat plantings did not receive much attention until the 1990’s when California producers, most notably in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Paso Robles viticultural areas, began using it in blends with Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese and Syrah. In 2002, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms formally recognized Tannat as a separate varietal.
In the vineyard, Tannat is one of the easiest varietals to grow, ripening late and being frost hardy. Unlike other varietals, it is not prone to overproduction and so does not require thinning. The grape’s berries have thick skins, which make it resistant to powdery mildew and botrytis, and which contributes to the varietals naturally high tannins. One notable difficulty with growing Tannat is its thick stems, which cling tightly to the berries and can be difficult to remove at harvest.
Tannat has significantly higher polyphenol content than other red grapes, making it the most bioactive variety with regards to oxidative reactions in food. Doctors have recommended Tannat as being the best wine grape for cardiopulmonary health because it contains a large amount of the antioxidant procyanidin, a chemical which helps bolster blood vessels and increase oxygen flow to red blood cells, ultimately helping to avert cardiovascular disease.
Tannat makes decidedly robust wines, with pronounced aromas of tobacco smoke, plum or ripe berries. The wines also tend to be dense purple-red in color, with significant tannins and a wonderfully spicy finish. Notable California producers include Bonny Doon Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Tablas Creek Vineyards in Paso Robles.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comSouthwest France Comité Interprofessionnel des Vins du Sud Ouest | Les vins du Tarn-et-Garonne on-lineMadiran Vin de Madiran (l'ESAT de Madiran)
The Madiran appellation is where red wines were born to go with magret and confit de canard. Alain Brumont is a master of this deep, dark-fruited, powerfully grippy style, the tannins melding satisfyingly with the fat of the meat. HT: |
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