Tannat is a thick-skinned, black-berried grape that has gained notoriety as the principal ingredient in the local wines from the southern French region of Madiran. Here, its inherent tannic astringency is tempered by blending with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Although it may owe its French name to its high tannin content, the vine is almost certainly Basque in origin and was also taken to Uraguay by Basque settlers in the 19th century where it has gained recent acclaim. This is a masculine, gamey wine with strong aromas and flavors of leather, forest floor, black plums, and fire roasted nuts.