Comparison
Uco Valley Malbec vs Uruguayan Tannat
How Uco Valley Malbec and Uruguayan Tannat differ, dimension by dimension.
The short answer
The main differences: Uco Valley Malbec has more floral character; Uruguayan Tannat has more spice; Uco Valley Malbec has more earthy character.
Choose
Uco Valley Malbec
Choose Uco Valley Malbec if you want something more floral, earthier, fresher.
Choose
Uruguayan Tannat
Choose Uruguayan Tannat if you want something spicier, fuller and richer, more savoury.
Where they genuinely differ
Only differences large enough to notice in the glass are listed here. A gap of half a point on a five-point scale is noise, and WineHQ does not dress it up as a finding.
Floral character
Clear differenceBlossom, rose, violet, elderflower, acacia and related aromatic notes.
Uco Valley Malbec is more floral: high against low.
Spice
Clear differencePepper, clove, cinnamon and related spice notes, whether from the grape (as with rotundone in Syrah) or from oak.
Uruguayan Tannat is spicier: medium against low.
Earthy character
Clear differenceForest floor, mushroom, wet stone, clay and undergrowth notes. Frequently, though not exclusively, associated with cooler and more traditional styles.
Uco Valley Malbec is earthier: medium against low.
Body
Clear differenceThe overall weight and viscosity of the wine in the mouth — a composite of alcohol, sugar, extract and glycerol.
Uruguayan Tannat is fuller and richer: high against medium-plus.
Savoury character
Clear differenceNon-fruit, umami-adjacent character: meat, leather, olive, soy, broth, cured notes. Often increases with age.
Uruguayan Tannat is more savoury: medium-plus against medium.
Perceived freshness
Clear differenceThe overall impression of liveliness — a composite of acidity, alcohol balance, fruit character and the absence of tiredness. Distinct from raw acidity: a wine can be high in acid yet taste heavy.
Uco Valley Malbec is fresher: medium-plus against medium.
Where they are much the same
Just as useful: knowing which parts of the choice do not matter.
- Sweetness: Similar — both low.
- Acidity: Similar — both medium-plus.
- Tannin: Similar — both medium-plus.
- Alcohol: Similar — both medium-plus.
- Fruit intensity: Similar — both medium-plus.
Full side by side
| Dimension | Uco Valley Malbec | Uruguayan Tannat |
|---|---|---|
| Floral character | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | low (1/5) |
| Spice | low (1/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) |
| Earthy character | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | low (1/5) |
| Body | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Savoury character | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Perceived freshness | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Sweetness | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Acidity | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Tannin | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) |
| Alcohol | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Fruit intensity | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) |
| Aromatic intensity | medium (3/5) | medium (3/5) |
| Oak influence | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Herbal / green character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Carbonation | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Texture | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Serve at | 16–18°C | 16–18°C |
| Typical flavours | violet, blueberry, black cherry, graphite, dried herbs | blackberry, plum, liquorice, cocoa, dried herb |
Values are typical points within each wine’s range. Both wines vary — see the individual pages for how much.