Although clearly a New World area for wine, it shares a Maritime climate similar to Bordeaux or Galicia, with most of this small country’s vineyards sharing this coastal influence, while there might not be very big variations on climate, diversity is not lacking from the soil types perspective, ranging from clay to granite, with a whooping 97 others in between!
Tannat was first introduced by Basque settlers, particularly Pascual Harriague in the 19th century, this varietal later became the flagship red wine of the country, but since then, winemaking has come a long way, as Amanda Barnes tells us.
At the 2024 London Wine Fair she’s put together a very diverse tasting – Exploring the Wild Side of Uruguay – which included 12 wines and a Red Vermouth to finish, where one could taste the innovation that seems to have settled in Uruguay’s DNA.
Starting with a Sauvignon Blanc (1) that was anything but ordinary, which was made with whole-bunch fermentation by indigenous yeasts with 2-year biological ageing – under a veil of flor – giving a minerality driven, tangy, nutty, dry and low alcohol (9%) mind-blowing wine. Then we moved to taste two Albariño wines side-by-side, one a traditional vibrant saline , fruity, floral style (2), where the other was… an orange wine (3)! With lots of minerality coming through along with herbs such as chamomile.
Next, we tried another duo, this time of Riesling, both excellent examples of the variety. Los Cerros de San Juan (4) presented a style very much in the Old World tradition—a linear wine, defined by its acidity and aromas of slate and flint, interwoven with white flowers like jasmine, creating a striking counterpoint to the more approachable and rounded character of the Bouza (5), with its floral notes and ripe stone fruit.
The following white was a lovely and delicate Torrontes Pet Nat (6) waiting to be drunk on a sunny afternoon in the patio or with a picada (cheese and cold cuts plate), this is a limited-edition wine and part of Gabriel’s Underground collection, the untraditional line he makes (characterised by experimentation and creativity), as opposed to the Overground line, which is characterised as “more civilised and welcoming”. Last of the whites, but not least, was a Malvasia and Trebbiano blend (7) grown in a terra rosa sandy soil that was exceptionally floral and intense.
The reds were kicked off by a Marselan (lovechild of Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache) which was delicate, with floral and fruity aromas and silky-smooth tannins – partly tamed by the 12-month ageing in cement vats – from Viña Eden (8). A Cabernet Franc from Garzón (9) followed, which is a very particular winery with Alberto Antonini as their consultant winemaker, their plots are all planted by soil types and microclimates, making the vineyards oddly-shaped and they’re also quite big on sustainability, including biodiversity, which meant preserving some of the forests in between plots and their fauna – that will compete to eat the delicious grapes during harvest times! Clearly, no penny was spared by the billionaire Alejandro Bulgherone in the name of making great wine. This was also a beautiful wine, with velvety tannins, refreshing acidity and some funkiness to its nose, with pepper, smoked meat and eucalyptus hints and seemed to crave some steak next to it.
Before the two Tannats, we tasted another meat-loving bold red from Las Violetas (10), a blend of Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Marselan that would continue to age fantastically as well. This wine was not only a blend of grapes but also a blend of regions and ageing, with part of the grapes coming from Colonia, Canelones and Maldonado and being aged in French and American oak but also cement amphorae.
As no Uruguay tasting would feel complete without it, we had two Tannat, one from Spinoglio (11) and another by Pisano (12), which showcased the current expertise of the winemakers at delivering smoother, more drinkable Tannat’s than ever. Pisano is run by three brothers following the “family recipe” for making wine, this winery has been family-owned for over a century! Funnily enough, Viña Progreso is Gabriel Pisano’s project, 4th generation winemaker and son of one of these brothers.
On a separate note, Spinoglio has repurposed their concrete vats (that were used to make wine in the 1900s until fairly recently) and are opening them, this year, as four 26m2 sustainable suites, connecting the olden days tradition with trendy modernism, giving visitors the possibility of staying in the vineyards and connecting with nature.
The cherry on top to this rollercoaster of a tasting, due to unexpected turns and surprising styles, was the red Vermouth from Basta Spirit (13), made from (of course) Tannat along with 27 botanicals and 4 different flowers (elderberry, chamomile, rose and hops), this was perfect on the rocks but also recommended for making a badass Negroni.
For more detailed information of the country’s history of wine, soils and producers (and travel recommendations!), please refer to the “The South America Wine Guide” that Amanda has written and the Uruguay Wines Website, and if you’d like a taste, please find some of the Wines of Uruguay here.
Although 27% of all vineyards in Uruguay are Tannat, it is very safe to say there is WAY more than Tannat to Uruguay, dare discover!
Wines Tasted:
- Compañía Uruguaya de Vinos de Mar, Sauvignon Blanc 2022 – 9%
- Familia Dardanelli, Entusiastas Albariño 2023 – 12.7%
- Bizarra Extravaganza, Albariño Skin Contact 2022 – 12%
- Los Cerros de San Juan, Familie Lahusen Riesling 2023 – 12.3%
- Bouza, Riesling Pan de Azúcar 2022 – 12%
- Viña Progreso, Pet Nat Torrontés 2023 – 11.5%
- Cerro Chapeu, Castel Pujol Folklore Blanco 2023 – 13%
- Viña Edén, Cemento Marselan 2020 – 13.3%
- Garzón, Reserve Cabernet Franc 2022 – 13%
- Finca Las Violetas, Blend Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Marselan 2020 – 13.5%
- Spinoglio, Diego Spinoglio Tannat 2021 – 14%
- Pisano, RPF Tannat 2021 – 14%
- Vermut Flores, Red – 18%
Photos: Fernando J. Garcia
