What Is Cellar Reflections?
Cellar Reflections is a series exploring how Virginia wine grapes show up over time—in my cellar, in blends, and in real life. These posts aren’t tasting notes or winery profiles. They’re reflections on what I choose to drink now, what I choose to age, and why certain grapes keep earning space on my shelves. Past editions: Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc.
Some Think Tannat is Only for Blending
When I first discovered Virginia Tannat about 20 years ago, I was struck. The woman pouring at the tasting bar told me, “It’s luxurious and sexy.” She was not lying. So much depth, tons of earth and grippy tannins, bold fruit, and it left my mouth dry and begging for more. I could not believe that they were telling me they were among a small number of producers bottling it as a single variety outside of Uruguay.
The French generally blend Tannat with Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon to soften the grape’s epic tannins. In Virginia, Tannat is an exciting component of blends like Jake Busching’s F8, Paradise Springs PVT, and one of my perennial favorites, Arterra’s Crooked Run. These blends take those intense tannins and capitalize on them! Even when you throw a small amount in as a blending component, as Horton did with their Nebbiolo in the 1995 vintage, it adds an intense structural element that holds up over years and lends its aging superpower to the wine (does Nebbiolo need that help? Likely not). I have still been sipping 2016 and 2017 F8 and it remains absolutely majestic thanks to the magical interplay between Tannat and Petit Verdot.
Why Virginia Tannat?
I keep coming back to Virginia Tannat for a few reasons:
- Sheer power and punch. This wine is distinctive and unforgettable with intense tannins and ripe, dark fruit. The astringent sensation the tannins leave behind makes it instantly recognizable.
- Virginia Tannat benefits from time—almost without exception it ages and remains excellent – for well longer than ten years.
- Blended with some of the more popular, softer grapes it adds depth and richness that make a wine savory and exceptional.
Arterra has been a long-time go-to, with Jason Murray’s deep understanding of this grape in Virginia shaping my own understanding of Tannat. Even in Virginia’s toughest growing years like 2018, his Tannat showed up with bold flavor and has aged with grace.
Last night we attended Virginia Wine Benefit’s Generous Pour Fundraiser and there were three great Tannats I sipped there:
- Kendall Anderson from Winery at Bull Run poured his 2023 Mill Rock Tannat which was expressive, fruit forward, and powerful.
- Kylie from Common Wealth Crush poured the Gold Medal winning 2023 Trot Rock, which was a joyous and fresh expression – one third was pulled off the skins to reduce the tannins, and despite that, this wine was inky dark. I’ve gotta swing back by and grab a few of this one.
- Rachel from Stinson poured her 2024 Rosé of Tannat – bright, acidic and gorgeous – perfect for the summer. It reinforced my adoration of this Virginia gem.
Tannat vines are susceptible to intense cold, and Virginia vineyards have lost them in the very worst winters we’ve had with deep prolonged freezes without a break. It definitely needs the right site to ensure it can withstand tough winters and come up strong again the next year.
With all the press and drama about the dangers of consuming alcohol and “no safe level” blather, it’s important to consider that wine does give us healthy and important antioxidants (note: you still should consume it responsibly – one to two glasses gives you plenty of the benefits). Wine Folly notes that Tannat is one of the healthiest wines due to its high levels of antioxidants and resveratrol. I’m a health nut now.
Virginia Tannat as a Solo Act
Some of my very favorite Virginia Tannat producers, some of which I cellar for the long haul…
- Jake Busching Wines – Tannat – 2016 and 2017- This deep, dark pleasure is incredible. He is still selling and serving the 2017 vintage. The oak is very well integrated and the intensity of Tannat is soothed and refined. This wine is in it’s prime drinking time now, and will likely remain there for some time. If you don’t sip this with a rare cut of filet, I don’t think you’re actually living.
- Arterra – Tannat – 2013-present I’m down to the 2023 Vintage in general right now, with I think a 2016 hiding somewhere on the racks. Jason’s Tannat is quintessential full fruit, rich tannins, an amazing wine. His Tannat vertical dinner remains one of my favorite Virginia wine events – hearing him talk about each growing season and how it impacted the wine in my glass – and this is amazing proof that Virginia Tannat ages for the long haul, and does it beautifully.
- Walsh Family Wine – Tannat – Multiple Vintages and Vineyard Designations From the beginning Walsh Tannat was exceptional – I will never forget the Staggerwing 2017 Tannat (they lost access to the vineyard so never again will we see anything quite like it sigh). They have currently released the Bethany Ridge and Dutchman’s Creek Tannat – their focus on single vineyard designate bottles is incredibly exciting to me – in the same weather/growing season, how does site impact the wine? Cannot wait to sample these.
- Stinson – Tannat 2017 Boy did this blow my mind. I grabbed a bottle on my first visit to Stinson after we moved to Charlottesville. It sat on my rack for about 4 years. When I brought it to Matt’s Virginia Tannat vs the World event, it blew the doors off of everything else and took the winning position. This wine showed so well it beat Uruguayan Tannats and earned the group favorite. I’m gonna get back there for some newer vintages and check out their entire lineup.
I used to think I would put a vertical together and have all these Tannats to taste across vintages – that has yet to happen. As a result, I drink a bunch of them with friends, family, and all by myself, and I find that today I have a very low inventory of Tannat overall. But this stuff will age and blow your mind – it retains so much of the fruit and power even ten or more years from harvest.
You really want your mind blown? Check out Virginia Tannat as a Rosé. Stinson makes a shocking and incredible one (and it’s in distribution at Wegman’s – which means it’s in my grocery cart a good bit in the summer!). Joshua Cataldo from Cataldos Perfezione has just released his inaugural Tannat rosé vintage too. The high acidity and powerful fruit delivered by this grape makes an intense and wonderful Rosé. I haven’t been to the Wine Collective to try it, but will get there soon. And most exciting of all – white Tannat – Parallax’s What’s This – no skin contact in this wine leads to an amazing white blend that was one of my favorites in 2024.
Virginia Tannat Blends: Brute Force Tamed, Lending Backbone and Style
When I think about some of my favorite Virginia red blends, many of them have Tannat as a key component. Jake Busching’s F8, Arterra’s Crooked Run, Walsh’s What Will the Women Drink. These are wines I can age that will retain profound structure – I feel like throughout the sip it’s tight – not as in “needs more air to open up” but as in nothing falls off or falls apart – it holds the fruit together from the first moment to a long lasting finish. Full, round, joyous. This grape adds so much to blends, and that’s why you might find a small percentage of it added to other single variety bottles. Blend it with the strength of Petit Verdot and something softer like a Merlot or a Cabernet Sauvignon, and you find the mellow fruit flavors hitting your mid palate with that long tannic finish at the end. Savory. I adore these blends.
Final Thoughts: Virginia Tannat Is Playing the Long Game
Whether bottled on its own or blended with intention, Tannat continues to prove it belongs in serious Virginia cellars. These wines don’t rush—and they don’t need to. Virginia Tannat doesn’t just age—it settles in, gets comfortable, and shows you exactly what Virginia Wine is capable of being for the long haul.
Are you brave enough to sip full strength Virginia Tannat?
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