Last Saturday, June 11, we enjoyed a new edition of the Tannat and Lamb Festival, this year at Bodega Varela Zarranz.
What is this 100% Uruguayan festival about?
Well as you know, Tannat wine is the flagship wine and the most produced variety in our country. Because it is a very tannic and structured wine, it goes very well with red meat. Among them, lamb is the one that pairs best with it, because it is an intensely flavored meat, which needs a wine that enhances it, and nothing better than Tannat for that. This is why we can say that they are the perfect pairing!! Also in addition, lamb is one of the most produced meats in the Uruguayan countryside, another reason why this pairing is so typical of our country.
We enjoyed this festival at Bodega Varela Zarranz, a winery that in our opinion is one of the most beautiful in the Canelones area. It has it all: history, gardens, beautiful facilities, family tradition combined with the latest technology and of course incredible wines, including some of the best sparkling wines in the country.
We were received by Mariana Varela, 4th generation of her family, who was delighted to host our visit and told us first-hand the history of her family and their winery. We truly love it when we are received by the owners of the wineries themselves as this undoubtedly adds a special plus to our experience.
Upon arrival we toured the facilities with Mariana and later we had lunch enjoying the special pairing of lamb and tannat while a guitarist accompanied us with his music, to give even more color to this special day.
Thanks a lot to our hosts for such a beautiful day and to all the friends who accompanied us and made it possible with their usual joy.
Photo: Tavis Davidson