My first thought when I heard Uruguay and wine, was: what the heck? They don’t produce wine, or do they?! It was on the London Wine Fair (LIWSF) back in 2008 that I met Juan Andrés Marichal, from the Bodega Marichal. It was here that I started to discover the new possibilities of Tannat and a lot more…

The Marichal story goes back to the Canary Islands where they came over to settle down in Etchevarría, Canelones. It was around the end of the 30´s when the family started to produce wine and never stopped since then, today in the fourth generation, growing strong and delivering quality wine to Uruguay and the international market. Juan said -as we were driving on the highway towards north- he went to Mendoza to get some experience and came back to Uruguay in 2002 to help the family business.

With three million inhabitants half of them living in the capital of Montevideo, you have plenty space in the country side. Canelones north of the capital is one of the major districts when it comes to wine making with some sort of concentration when it comes to quality wine producing businesses as well, Marichal is one of them, located just a few km of Canelones.

The family business started off small and today it has 50 ha located in Etchevarría, Canelones all in the southern part of Uruguay. The selection of varieties are: Tannat, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir for reds and for whites, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. The winery has two different lines of wines one reserva range or collection and the regular line which is usually called varietal line. The premium varietal indication means that one variety is used only in the wine (noble variety) made in small volume and with no oak influence to express the terroir. While the reserve range (collection) will see a longer period in American-French oak barrels.

Juan was pointing out quality is important because of the relatively small size they´re only able to compete with quality wines. He was telling me that just one winery in Chile (e.g. Concha y Toro) produces twice the amount of wine then all of Uruguay in a year. While domestic consumption is impressive yet to welcome quality wine you need to approach all the people who appreciate this value.

The summers are not too hot, cool nights and as Juan was saying potential alcohol is always sufficient, he likes to taste and look very closely at the grapes determine the optimal time for harvest, this is important.
In the lower parts the major hazard is frost danger, more likely suitable for earlier varieties. Soil analysis is done to determine the best sites while irrigation is not practiced but if it has to be done it becomes fairly expensive. But usually there is plenty of rain water provided by nature, there is a sort of plant planted and growing between the vines in the rows which absorb water faster, Juan called it “festuca”.

Destalking happens with all the varieties, the winery has several concrete underground tanks, temperature control is with water (underground water). Pipes run thru the whole winery and the epoxy concrete vats (in which also works as a storage) have a metal plate which can cool the wine during fermentation. Juan was mentioning an interesting research (and I shall look into this deeper) about the stainless steel tanks, which are metallic and under a sort of charge which effects in the long run the wine. The earlier mentioned quality difference is made in the vineyards and in the winery. With lower yields and usually longer hang time (more concentration of sugar) the finishing wine gets to spend more time in the oak barrels, providing concentration and structure also the fact that harvest takes usually place during two different dates, one early one late can add to the complexity.

Balance is very important in the wine and in the vineyard. The quantity of leaf area and clusters is important. Lots of things can not be controlled – says Juan, let’s control things if we can. Like the selection of yeast and of course the temperature. Cold maceration happens most of the time, especially with the reds as there is no extraction of tannin, tannin is not dissoluble in water but in alcohol and during cold maceration there is no alcohol present, Tannat is in favour of this procedure.

Not only Marichal Winery likes to build on the Tannat rediscovery track but also the whole of Uruguay. Important from the wine tourism point of view as well. Tannat is very interesting and can deliver a lot of quality in Uruguay, as in seen in the Marichal Winery. The fruit expression is fairly big, good colour but with the aid of wood a mix of French and American in the winery helps to soften tannins. It’s generally a late ripening variety but earlier then Cabernet Sauvignon. The best place for Tannat is where the soil is less rich usually in higher sites as here water moves quicker. Juan was saying humidity is a threat as fungus can form, the best thing is if the big clusters are not touching each other and further apart from each other as well. To provide a good air circulation too.

I was trying to find the answer to why Tannat is doing so well here, I was hoping that Juan would tell me the secret. You know when you see a magic trick and you want to know the answer really bad, how the trick works. The down side is the trick looses its magic.

There seemed to be no secret, regarding Tannat or simply Juan wouldn’t want to destroy this magical moment. By tasting the Tannat later (especially Collection line) I settled with just to be amazed and enjoy the magic. Tannat and Uruguay, a perfect match, and Bodega Marichal shows how it’s done, properly.

Considering the hospitality, friendliness of the people and great food (fantastic meat) Uruguay is developing the wine tourism and it will be not far that people are going to visit the country for wine as well, proper wine tourism. Bodega Marichal is a definite address, simply because of the great hospitality and fantastic wines.

Address:

Bodega Marichal e hijo Ltda.
Juan Andrés Marichal
Canelones Ruta 64km, Uruguay
www.marichalwines.com

Tasted wines

Marichal Chardonnay Premium varietal 2008
Premium varietal means 1 variety only in small volume, no oak, expressing the terroir.
Pale colour, clean citrus and grapefruit in the nose. Good acidity, crisp, no wood. Medium intensity, easy to drink with a blossom and floral finish.

Marichal Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Pale colour, fresh mint, floral crisp with a good intensity. Dry, good zippy, easy citrus, fresh floral. Nice round finish with a hint of citrus/lime juice.

Chardonnay Reserve Collection 2006
60% fermented in oak, 6 months in oak, a mix of barrels. Straw yellow colour, whiff of oak, wood and toast notes, coconut, vanilla, medium acidity, soft finish. Round creamy notes at the end.

Blanc de Noir Reserve Collection 2007
65% Pinot Noir 35% Chardonnay.
Pinkish colour, wood with strawberry toast on the nose. Sort raspberry, jam/toast, crisp. Ripe, lovely breakfast start. Its really like a jam breakfast toast mixture.
Dry, good weight, wine with strength fairly high alcohol, toasty biscuit. Juice vs. skin, 10% moved out of juice, Pinot Noir.

Marichal Tannat Premium Varietal 2007
Under went a cold maceration on 5-7°C for 3-4 days to soften the Tannat. Good ruby colour, cool mint nose great mix of blackberry and red berry fruit, elegant nose.
Complex ripe, herbs, basil and cassis on the palate, delicate yet gorgeous, medium body, soft tannins indeed very gentle and pure fruit character, raspberry, cranberry with a mint touch with a herbal effect, smooth.

Reserva Collection 2005
70% Pinot Noir, 30% Tannat (2 different harvests)
Garnet colour with a purple hint, fading. Why Juan blended the “princess” Pinot which is an own entertainer with the robust and deep Tannat? A German importer liked it and buys it ever since. Fair enough.
Red fruit with a mint, touch of liquorice, yet there is something what disturbs the freshness of the wine, Pinot goes down despite being 70% in the blend. Tannat rules, here.

Note: The following two wines I was tasting by myself in Montevideo (hence the 2 different dates).
08/04/09
Marichal Reserve Collection Pinot Noir 2006
Pale ruby colour, soft velvety nose with red fruit character. Good acidity, soft smooth, fairly rich, with elegant skills, red fruit, cranberry, raspberry hint of plum and a smoky spice, tick of vanillia on the finish, very delicate, oak is present.

10/04/09
Marichal Tannat 2005 Reserve Collection
Good deep colour, complex spice notes, caraway, cinnamon, pepper with a mix of herbs in combination of black fruit, blackberry and plum whiff of coffee yet very ripe fruit on the nose. Deep indeed. Fine acidity, ripe yet soft tannins, balanced picture, rather complex again on the palate, good mouth feel with grip and density tick of spice on the finish line, well done, fabulous Tannat!

Tags: marichal

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