The language in which the Tannaim of Israel and Babylonia wrote is referred to as Mishnaic Hebrew (MH), or in Hebrew Lešon hakhamim, meaning the language of the Sages. The original grapevine clones brought from France by Basque immigrants produced wines that were likely very astringent and grippy, just like in Madiran.

It’s ‘robust, brooding and tannic enough to pair well with full-flavoured meat dishes, but has plenty of ripe dark fruit to balance the power’, said Decanter’s Amy Wislocki. Petite Sirah: Originally French, Petite Sirah and its powerful flavors are now largely found in California. In addition to Madiran, Tannat is also produced in Irouléguy, Tursan and Béarn, and it is a minor constituent of Cahors wine. We offer a broad range of day-trips, nights-out and holidays with our pristine fleet of coaches and minibuses. In northern California, Westwood Estate Wines planted their vines in the late 1990s and they produce either a blended or varietal Tannat.Tannat found a natural affinity with the Uruguayan climate and with over 1,600 hectares dedicated to the variety around Uruguay’s different wine regions, there’s a huge diversity of styles of Tannat to discover. Included in these youthful styles of Tannat, there are some great examples of Tannat rosé and even sparkling Tannat, proving that this really is a variety of many faces.

Tasting Note: Floral lift on the nose with complex spice and notes of rosemary and white peach; fresh on the palate, the acidity driving things along with further herbal, citrus and greengage fruit flavours. Tannat has been touted as one of the “healthiest” red wine grapes, thanks to much higher levels of antioxidants (like resveratrol).Despite the shocking astringency that high tannin wines have when they’re young, it’s one of the key traits that allows red wines to age well for decades. From Uruguay the vine spread to Argentina and from there flying winemakers promoted the grape's resurgence in California at the end of the 20th century. Oak barrel aging – while oak introduces wood tannins, it also allows a steady oxygen entrance to the wine, which helps the wine taste smoother.

The region’s entire reputation is built around the full-bodied, Tannat-based red wines that are produced here. The newer vines tend to produce more powerful wines with higher alcohol levels but less acidity and complex fruit characteristics. Tannaim ( Amoraic Hebrew: תנאים [tannaˈ(ʔ)im], singular תנא‎ [tanˈna], Tanna "repeaters", "teachers" [1]) were the rabbinic sages whose views are recorded in the Mishnah, [2] from approximately 10–220 CE. In conclusion, expect French Tannat to have feisty tannins, an opaque “black wine” color, elevated alcohol, and cellar-worthiness. There’s no doubt Tannat is key to both Uruguay’s past and future, and there’s been no lack of innovation with this traditional variety in recent years.Micro-oxygenation – (aka “microOX” or “microbullage” in French) – is the process of introducing teeny, tiny amounts of oxygen during the winemaking process to soften the overbearing structure and make the wines more approachable at a younger age. The modern school of Uruguayan Tannat is focused on a more youthful style with much lighter extraction (and ergo less tannin, although nonetheless Tannat always has a high level of tannins), juicier fruit and will often be released just a year or two after vintage — quite often without any oak ageing whatsoever. Known as the heart of darkness, the region of Madiran is responsible for highly expressive red wines, focusing on the rare, dark variety of Tannat.