Castel Pujol 2004 Tannat Region Cerro Chapeu (Uruguay), 12.5% alc. by vol., $6.99
I wandered into Wine Thieves in Lafayette, CA today in hopes of finding some Vinho Verde. These hopes were soon dashed, but I did see the above-captioned bottle of tannat and was intrigued. I bought two and it turned out to be an excellent purchase.
The wine had a somewhat matte red, garnet-like color and was sufficiently translucent that I could see the bottom of my one-third filled Vinum Extreme cabernet glass. I was told and read how "inky" this wine was supposed to be. It was not. Everything in the wine was subtle. The nose was light with whiffs of black currants. On the palate there were hints of pepper and black licorice. And despite what they say about tannat, it was not astringent at all, even though the tongue and lips do remain a bit dry. By the way, the label states that a small amount of cabernet sauvignon was put in the mix.
This is a great everyday wine. Pizza, pasta, BBQ etc. and so on. Think I'm heading back to Lafayette to get some more!