The Tannat grape is native to the Southwest of France, and was introduced into the State of Rio Grande do Sul by the Caxias do Sul Experimental Station. It is a cultivar diffused in the Serra Gaucha region with the purpose of elaborating varietal red wine for blending. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the enological potential of the Tannat grape for red wine in this region. To achieve this objective, variables related to the berries, clusters, must, and wine were evaluated from the 1987 to 1994 vintages, in a vineyard established in Bento Gonçalves, RS, Brazil. The results showed that Tannat grapes have large clusters (216.1g) and small, spherical berries (1.54g). The must showed a high titratable acidity (155mqL-1). The wine had a high concentration of total phenols (43.0), tannins (1.9gL-1), anthocyanins (539mgL-1), potassium (1,856mgL-1) and sum of higher alcohols (512mgL-1). The sensory evaluation showed a wine with an intense red-violet color, tannins, relatively hard and having the flavor of small red fruits. It is recommended for blending with other red wines toincrease their color and structure and to produce varietal wines. Furthermore, it may be better if aged in oak barrels.
enology; grape; Vitis vinifera; wine; characterization
