Grape: Tannat
Region: Canelones, Uruguay
Features: Sustainable

Distributor's Notes:

"Artesana is a boutique winery in the acclaimed Canelones region of Uruguay specializing in Tannat, Tannat blends and Zinfandel, the only Zinfandel produced in Uruguay. Made with the highest quality estate-grown fruit, Artesana’s iconic wines showcase Uruguay’s distinctive terroir and its signature varietal Tannat. Artesana is located on an 80-acre estate in Las Brujas in the Canelones region, 30 miles north of Uruguay’s seaside capital of Montevideo. Canelones is the premier winegrowing region in Uruguay and home to the majority of the country’s vineyards. Ocean breezes keep the vines well ventilated and the combination of well-drained soils and 220 days of intense sunshine annually produces growing conditions similar to France’s Bordeaux region. Artesana wines are made with minimal intervention, allowing the character of the fruit to be expressed. Lots from the 13 blocks are fermented separately in small stainless steel tanks, giving the winemakers an abundance of options in constructing final blends. 15-20 day cool maceration regimes provide excellent aroma and flavor extraction. Barrel aging carefully accentuates the flavors of the wines in French and American oak for 12-24 months. Wines are bottled without fining or filtration and bottled-aged an additional 6-12 months. Beautifully accessible upon release, wines are structured to age up to 10 years or more. The Artesana vineyard is entirely hand-farmed. Sustainable, low-input, dry farming is practiced using the Integrated Pest Management program (IPM) to maintain the long-term health of the land. 20 acres of the 80-acre estate are planted to 13 blocks of Tannat, Merlot, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Franc. Meticulous pruning protocol results in approximately 2.5 tons per acre. Harvest takes place in late February and March."