The Five Distinct Terroirs in Six Areas of Uruguay

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In Uruguay, the combination of three soil types (clay mixed with different original materials) and its relative proximity to the sea have created six distinct wine making regions:

Northern Shore (Light Tan): This terroir spans the departments of Artigas, Paysandú and Salto along the shore of the Uruguay River. This is a continental terroir, with a temperature range between day and night of up to 20 degrees, and high relative humidity. The soils range from river bed gravel to calcareous clay, with varying amounts of lime and sand. The Northern Shore region accounts for just under 3% of total surface area under vine at 408 acres.

Southern Shore (Burgundy). This region includes Colonia, Río Negro, and Soriano where the influence of the Uruguay River can be seen in the sedimentary soils of Carmelo while the San Juan River has created rockier ones. This region accounts for 5.2% of the area under vine in Uruguay.

Metropolitan (Yellow): This region is made up of San José, Canelones, and Montevideo. It houses two-thirds of the country’s wineries and boasts 83.4% of total surface area under vine at 12,076acres. The greatest determinant of the soils is the Río de La Plata, while the climate is maritime. The deep, clay soils also feature strips of pink granite and make for a terroir well-suited to growing Tannat. Due to the region’s long history, this is where the country’s other classic varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, are grown.

Oceanic (Blue): The region includes Maldonado and Rocha. However, only the former is of importance, with 7.3% or 1,053acres under vine, while Rocha accounts for just 0.3% with47 acres. In this region, the changing orography (topographic relief of mountains) is important, with the Sierra de la Ballena reaching a height of 1,600 feet above sea level and contributing a mixture of granite and ballast to the soils, while the climate is oceanic. White grape varieties dominate here.

Center (Dark Brown): Here, Durazno, Florida, and Lavalleja are the most relevant in terms of area under vine, although they still only account for 0.7% of the total with 109acres. The soil and climate are similar to that of the Metropolitan area.

North (Green): Rivera and Tacuarembó comprise this region with vineyards here that are planted in different geological formations rich in iron. The climate is continental, with significant temperature ranges and the area experiences more hours of sunlight than elsewhere in Uruguay. Cerro Chapeu, which is 720 feet above sea level and borders Uruguay, is an area where sugars and color tend to be more concentrated. In all, it has 84aces of vines, or 0.6% of the total.

So, there’s a top-level summary of the various wine-growing regions of Uruguay. See more on Uruguay’s Tannat and White Wines and stay tuned for additional wines to be featured from Uruguay. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - A Couple of Delicious White Wines from Uruguay

Bordered by the Uruguay River, the Río de la Plata, and the Atlantic Ocean, Uruguay today boasts 180 wineries, most of them family-owned, that between them produce 10 million cases of wine annually.

Uruguayan’s tend to prefer reds and over the last 30 years Uruguayan wine has become synonymous with Tannat. But, given the country’s oceanic climate, white wines influenced by the sea are now also beginning to attract attention as producers new and old look to venture into new territory. Uruguay is beginning to produce a growing range of flavors to tempt curious drinkers.

Here are two fine examples of delicious white wines from Uruguay:

2022 BraccoBosca Ombú Moscatel ($16)

The Ombú is a native tree of South America. On their winery, there is one Ombú tree where the previous landowners used to hide golden coins. So, the family that owns the winery has always thought there is treasure buried there. But, actually, they believe the real treasure is the vineyard where they produce this exclusive wine. This Wine is made from 100% dry Moscatel. It is pale straw in color with green highlights. On the nose it has medium-intensity notes of citrus, pear and sweet notes of honey. On the palate it is light bodied, with flavors of apricot, mandarin Orange and honey, Although it is not really sweet, it does have slight sweet flavor on the finish. (13% ABV)

2022 Marichal Sauvignon Blanc ($14)

This wine is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc from Etchevarrîa, Canelones which is located just 25 km from the Rio de la Plata. The vineyards are divided into two parcels, one that is 8 years old and the other that is 22 years old. The wine was manually harvested and fermented for 15 days without malolactic fermentation or oak aging. It is medium straw in color with aromas of grass, melon and herbs. On the palate it is medium-bodied with fresh citrus flavor and a hint of tartness to go along with the refreshing acidity. (12.7% ABV)

Both of these white wines from Uruguay are nice examples of the quality and affordability of wines coming from their country. These are great examples of wines that fit right in as Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by the noted wineries via Creative Palate Communications

Some Facts about Wines from Uruguay

Uruguay is home to a proud winemaking tradition in an unusual location, and a far cry from the desert-and Andes-dominated landscapes associated with most vineyard regions in the South America continent.

• Uruguay means “river of the painted birds” in the indigenous Guarani language

• In Uruguay, the dominant factor is the Atlantic Ocean, whose winds, storms, and tides ensure a cool climate.

• Uruguay is about the same size as the U.S. state of Wisconsin and its population of 3.5 million is roughly that of Connecticut. In terms of planted vineyards (14,804 acres), it’s a little smaller than Alexander Valley in California’s Sonoma Valley.

• In terms of worldwide production of Tannat (tahn-naht), Uruguay is second only to France. And, in Uruguay, Tannat accounts for 27% of vineyard plantings.

  • In Uruguay, Tannat is also known as Harriague (Ha-ree-AH-gay), surname of the first producer to plant it in the country

• Other principal grape varieties include:

  • Reds: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc

  • Whites: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Albariño

• There are 180 active wineries

• The oldest winery in Uruguay dates back to 1854 and is called Los Cerros de San Juan

• Most wineries are family businesses with many now in the 3rd and 4th generations

• Today, Uruguay has a dual character: on the one hand it continues to produce in a traditional style to suit local tastes, with Tannat dominating the scene. On the other, alternative and innovative styles, such as sparkling whites and much lighter reds are appearing

Next time, we’ll take a look at the five distinct terroirs located in six separate areas of Uruguay. Until then, Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Three Tannat Wines from Uruguay

Uruguay is home to a proud winemaking tradition in an unusual location, and a far cry from the desert-and Andes-dominated landscapes associated with most vineyard regions in the South America continent. In Uruguay, the dominant factor is the Atlantic Ocean, whose winds, storms, and tides ensure a cool climate.

Uruguay is about the same size as the U.S. state of Wisconsin and its population of 3.5 million is roughly that of Connecticut. In terms of planted vineyards (14,804 acres), it’s a little smaller than Alexander Valley in California’s Sonoma Valley.

In terms of worldwide production of Tannat, Uruguay is second only to France. And, in Uruguay, Tannat accounts for 27% of vineyard plantings.

Here are three fine examples of Tannat from Uruguay:

2018 Pisano RPF Tannat Family Personal Reserve ($24): Made from 100% Tannat, this RPF (Reserva Personal de la Familia) was originally created with the aim of preserving very limited quantities of their best wines for the personal consumption of the Family. Today it represents their most exclusive and prestigious wines. It is medium purple in color with aromas of red and black fruits. On the palate it has rich black cherry, plum and raspberry notes. It is full-bodied with firm tannin and medium acidity. It was decanted more than an hour before serving.

2020 Giménez Méndez Alta Reserva Tannat ($18): This 100% Tannat that was planted in 1995. The grapes are hand harvest and hand selected, destemming and crushing. It underwent pre-fermentation maceration for six days before fermentation for 12 to 15 days. Post maceration during 8 days to optimize the color, flavor and tannin. It was then aged for nine months in American and French oak. Finally, a blend is produced with wines of the same variety obtained from different plots. It is deep purple in color with aromas of dark stone fruit and black cherry. On the palate it is full-bodied with rich plum and prune flavors along with smoky tobacco flavors from the nine months of aging in French and American oak. It has medium tannin and medium-high acidity. It was decanted more than an hour before serving.

2019 Montes Toscanini Gran Tannat Premium ($59): The harvest of these Tannat grapes is 100% by hand. Once they are in the tank, the maceration lasts more than 22 days while undergoing intense pumping over on skins and seeds. This Gran Tannat undergoes malolactic fermentation and is then left to rest in concrete vats to undergo natural clarification and stabilization. It was then aged in the best oak barrels in the winery for 18 months before going through a period of aging in the bottle. It is deep purple in color with aromas of red and black fruits with a floral hint. On the palate it is rich and complex with a great depth of character with delicious dark fruit flavors and vanilla. It was decanted more than an hour before serving.

If you are not familiar with the wines of Uruguay you should consider trying a few. They are making very nice wines of good quality at very affordable prices. That make these three Tannats a great fit as the Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Look for more great wines from Uruguay in upcoming features. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by the noted wineries via Creative Palate Communications

Some Fun Facts about Winery AVAs

Last time we looked at American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) and how their distinguishing features are set up to define unique wine-growing regions. But AVAs are different, and more specific, then a wine appellation.

An appellation is a geographical way of organizing where the grapes are grown. For example, Sonoma Valley is an appellation. But, within the appellation, there may be several AVAs (i.e., Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, Alexander Valley, etc.).

Here are some AVA Fun Facts:

• When a petition is filed to create a new AVA, it has to include detailed descriptions of the features that distinguish the proposed AVA from the surrounding regions and and how it effects grapes are grown, along with evidence to support the claims of these distinctive feature.

•  If a wine label states a specific AVA, then at least 85% of the grapes must have come from that region.  

• Unlike many European wine growing regions, there are no restrictions on the type of grape that must be grown within each AVA.

• AVAs can reside entirely within a single-state or cross over multi-states. Multi-state AVAs include the Columbia Valley, Columbia Valley and Walla Walla Valley that are shared between Oregon and Washington but there are many others across the U.S. There are two multi-state AVA that include parts of four states - the Ohio River Valley AVA (Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia) and the Upper Mississippi River Valley AVA (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin).

• The AVA system was set up in the United States in 1980.

• As of August 2020, there were 267 established AVAs in the United States.

• The first U.S. AVA was the Augusta AVA in Missouri that was established in June 1980.

• The latest AVA to be added is the Gabilan Mountains AVA in California’s Central Coast. It was added on August 15, 2022.

• California has the most AVAs, with 147.

• Many new AVAs are proposed and pending across the U.S. For a full listing, see the TTB website.