Wine tours in Uruguay
Uruguay
Region
Uruguay
Season
All year around
Duration
To be defined.
Briefing
To be defined.
Tour description
Uruguay enjoys the ideal geographical location to excel in the production of fine wines. Situated in the southern Hemisphere between the parallels 30 and 35 S, like its fellow wine-producing countries of Argentina, Chile, South Africa, and Australia and New Zealand. The clay-based soil and the balanced distribution of sun, rainfall, and temperature in Uruguay are optimal for the growth of the vines, which lie among the gently undulating hills without any artificial irrigation.
The wines produced in Uruguay generally have a lower alcohol content as morphological ripeness comes with 12 to 12.5 per cent potential alcohol. As in New Zealand, the wine attains a natural balance between acidity and fruitiness. While the tannins are clearly present in the wines, they have a soft and smooth character.
The Tannat, the emblematic Uruguayan wine.
The Tannat grape was introduced into Uruguay in 1870 by Basque immigrants and has transformed itself into the "national variety", adapting itself perfectly to the local soil and climate. Considered an exotic grape variety, demand for Tannat is increasing rapidly.
Uruguay is the only country in the world where significant amounts of Tannat are grown, more even than in its native Madiran and Irouléguy in south-west France. Tannat now represents approximately a third of all wine produced in Uruguay. Tannat makes a red wine of intense colour, good aroma and body which is well suited to accompany beef and other red meats.
Uruguayan wineries have also devoted to producing red wines of the best French grapes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, or white wines like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, with outstanding quality.
We organize wine tours to Uruguay to visit some famed wineries located near Colonia, Montevideo and the south east of the country, where you can taste the different varieties of the Uruguayan wines, including the local Tannat.