When I imagine Uruguay, I picture beef – slabs of tender beef sizzling on open wood fires, fat dripping into the flames.
Grilled meat just screams for bold tannic wine. And as luck (or nature) would have it, Uruguay’s barbecue finds a worthy match in its signature grape, Tannat. Originally from southwestern France, this easily adaptable red grape found a home in Uruguay’s climate and diverse soils.
“Uruguay produces more Tannat [over a third] than anywhere else in the world and consumes more beef [per capita] than anywhere else in the world,” writes Amanda Barnes in the South America Wine Guide.
So what to do if you’ve sworn off red meat, but you’re eager to try Tannat with your next meal? Is it possible to go meatless in Uruguay and still enjoy this powerful red wine?
My gut told me “yes” if I found a recipe rich in umami, the savory taste best known as a key component of Japanese food. Tomatoes, roasted veggies and mushrooms all lend a heavy lift of umami to food, and cheese can supply the protein and fat to help bind with tannin when meat isn’t an option.
Hmmm… tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese – I’ve got myself a pizza! What an appropriate nod to Uruguay’s Italian influence. This pizza, though, would need to be gluten free to meet the dietary needs of a friend sharing this meal.
So, dish! – Socca flatbread roasted veggie pizza
Socca is a naturally gluten-free chickpea flatbread popular as a street food in Nice, France, and the neighboring Italian coastline. In Italy, it is called cecina (“made of chickpeas”) or torta di ceci (“chickpea pie”). There are similar versions in India and Northern Africa.
Socca is easy to make – simply equal parts chickpea flour and water (1 cup of each for a 10-inch cast-iron skillet), 1½ tbsp. oil, ½ tsp. kosher salt, and a teaspoon of your favorite spice. I chose ground rosemary.
Meghan Splawn mentions two tips I found useful for making socca:
1. Rest your dough for 30 minutes because chickpea flour takes longer to hydrate.
2. Get your skillet nice and hot by placing it under the broiler for 5 minutes.
Please see her full recipe for further details. To use as a pizza crust, I baked my socca for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F, rather than broiling it.
For the rest of the pizza, I modified this Taste of Home recipe. I upped the rosemary to a teaspoon, substituted feta for the shredded mozzarella and topped it all with grated parmesan. The veggies can roast (uncovered) on a baking sheet in the same oven as the socca. Cool the socca for 5 minutes, spread your favorite tomato pesto sauce (homemade or bottled), the roasted veggies and mushrooms, cheese to fill, and bake another 8-10 minutes. Finish under the broil for about 5 minutes.
Pairing – 2016 El Capricho Assemblage TTC
Located in Villa del Carmen (Durazno) in central Uruguay, the family-owned El Capricho winery was founded in 2010 and produced its first vintage in 2015. The warmer climate in this region of Uruguay allows for good ripening of later-maturing varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon. All grapes are estate grown and handpicked.
The Assemblage TTC (50% Tannat, 25% Tempranillo, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon) is fermented in stainless steel and aged without oak. That style – along with the sandstone soil – probably account for the surprisingly lighter style of this red blend than you’d find in a big bold Tannat.
Tasting notes: Bright red color, medium body, soft tannins. Delicate black cherry, black tea and a hint of eucalyptus. Slightly earthy. Food-friendly and a great choice to pair with roasted veggie pizza.
Bonus round – 2016 El Capricho Verdejo
What a pleasant discovery!
Verdejo, a white grape indigenous to Spain, seems to have settled down quite comfortably in central Uruguay. Light-bodied and “limey” with a nutty, grassy finish, the El Capricho Verdejo pairs beautifully with a burrito bowl. Be generous with the cilantro and lime! This burrito bowl recipe is easy. I substituted light sour cream for the mayo (sorry, Chelsea).
Sources for this post:
Please join a group of wine, food and travel bloggers on Twitter for Wine Pairing Weekend, Saturday, Feb. 9, at 10 am Central. We will focus on the food and wine of Uruguay. You’ll learn, for example, that there’s more to Uruguayan food than barbecue. Who knew?! Use the hashtag #WinePW.
Pinny at Chinese Food and Wine Pairings presents Uruguay’s Bodega Garzon Tannat Paired with Lamb Skewers and Beef Short Ribs
Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla gives us Brined Quail with a Numbered Bottle of Tannat
Cindy from Grape Experiences provides Taste Uruguay: 1752 Gran Tradicion Montevideo 2017 and Pasta with Caruso Sauce
David from Cooking Chat stirs up BBQ Baked Steak Tips with Wine from Uruguay
Wendy from A Day In The Life On The Farm presents Food and Wine of Uruguay; Chivito Sandwiches paired with Garzon Cab Franc
Jeff from FoodWineClick offers up Picturing Uruguay with Lentil Stew & Aguara Tannat
Kat from Bacchus Travel & Tours hints at a Hidden Gem: On the Hunt for Wine from Uruguay
Jane from Always Ravenous stirs up Discovering Uruguayan Wine Paired with a Winter Plate
Steven from Steven’s Wine And Food Blog shares Tannat and Brazilian Feijoada #WinePW
Deanna from Asian Test Kitchen says Relax Your Mussels with Uruguayan Albarino
Sarah from Curious Cuisiniere pairs Tannat from Uruguay and French Cassoulet
Nancy from Pull That Cork gives us Uruguay: a Wine and Food Sampler #winePW
Gwen from Wine Predator shares Uruguay: Influenced by Immigrants #WinePW
Jennifer from VinoTravels presents Bodega Garzón Tannat with Sausage Stew
Martin of ENOFYLZ Wine Blog writes A Taste of the #Food and #Wine of Uruguay
Nicole from Somm’s Table serves Two Rounds with Bodega Garzón Tannat: Chivitos and Chipotle-Coffee Flank Steak
Jill at L’Occasion rolls out To All The Foods I’ve Loved Before: Pairing Uruguayan Tannat