Behind the Cork™ - Bouza Monte Vide Eu Red Blend

2019 Bouza Monte Vide Eu Red Blend ($67)

Red-blend wines are some of the best in the world.

This is a red blend from Bouza, is produced in the southern region of Montevideo in Uruguay. The name, Monte Vide Eu, loosely translates to “I see a hill” which is attributed to a sailor on expedition with Ferdinand Magellan upon seeing hills in southern Uruguay (today’s region of Montevideo).

This red blend is produced with 50% Tannat, 30% Merlot and 20% Tempranillo. The three varietals were aged separately between 9 and 16 months, depending on the plot, in French and American oak barrels.

This Bouza Monte Vide Eu red blend is deep ruby in color with aromas of cherry and plum. On the palate, this full-bodied wine has rich black fruit flavors, medium tannin and acidity, to go along with wonderful complexity and a nice lingering finish.

This is an excellent example of wines being produced in Uruguay with their signature grape, Tannat, as perfect as the Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

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

Sample Provided by Bodega Bouza via Creative Palate Communications

Ever Wonder? Why Do Wine Makers Produce Blended Wines?

In years past in the U.S., red wine blends were sold by the jug as "Red Wine" or "Table Wine."  These were inexpensive wines that were blends of grapes, vineyards or even vintages. This history has led to some people believing that blends are of lesser-quality than just pure varietals.

But we only need to look to France, home of some of the world’s best wines, to see that blends of high quality are very common.  France's famous region of Bordeaux produces red blends almost exclusively.  Depending on which bank the wine is from in Bordeaux, it will be a different blend. The Left Bank is known for its blends based on Cabernet Sauvignon while the Right Bank blends are Merlot based. These blends may also include Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Malbec.

Other famous regions known for their blends include the Rhône Valley that uses Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre and the so-called Super Tuscans from Italy that may include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and others.

The main reason that winemakers produce blends is to make the best wine possible. Blending different grape varieties is useful in accentuating a particular grape's virtues. But winemakers have also learned never to blend an inferior wine with a good wine because the result is usually an inferior wine. Again, the goal is to produce a wine that is actually better than the sum of its parts. And blending allows for wines that are well balanced and complex in their aromas, flavors, colors and textures. The blended grapes can add layers of flavor that will change through the process of taking the first sip, letting it sit on your tongue and then as you swallow.

Another thing you may not realize is that most wines labeled in the U.S. as single varietals are actually blends.  The laws state that for a wine to be labeled as a single varietal, it must contain at least 75% of the noted grape. But that leaves the other 25% for the winemaker to be creative and generally to blend in other grapes that results in their best possible wine.

So don't turn up your nose at red wine blends.  These can actually be some of the best wines in the world. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Bodegones Del Sur Cabernet Franc

2020 Bodegones Del Sur Cabernet Franc ($20)

In Uruguay, Bodegones literally translates as “still lifes,” pictorial compositions that represent foodstuffs and daily objects where wine always has a privileged place. Del Sur mean “from the south.”

This Bodegones Del Sur Cabernet Franc is produced in Uruguay’s Juanicó region which is just north of Montevideo in southern Uruguay. And, just as a reminder, Cabernet Franc is the parent grape of both Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon!

After a pre-selection of the grape clusters in the vineyard, a further grape-by-grape selection is then done at the winery. To extract all the desirable compounds from the grapes, maceration precedes as well as follows the fermentation with selected yeasts. Finally, 30% of the wine ages in American and French oak barrels.

This Bodegones Del Sur Cabernet Franc is medium purple in color with aromas of red fruit, raspberries and herbs. On the palate it is medium-bodied with medium tannin and medium-high acidity. It has red fruit and cherry flavors with just a hint of tartness. This is a young wine that could probably use a bit more time in the bottle to fully develop. (note: this wine was decanted for 30 minutes prior to serving).

The wines of Uruguay, including this Bodegones Del Sur Cabernet Franc, are great values that fit right in as a Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

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

Sample Provided by Juanico.com and Creative Palate Communications

Some Places to Consider Visiting in Uruguay's Wine Country

Continuing with the theme of wines in Uruguay, here’s some excellent material provided by in a recent “Uruguay Wine 101 Webinar” facilitated Creative Palate Communications and hosted by the following individuals:

  • Buenos Aires-based Joaquin Hidalgo, South American editor at Vinous and weekly wine columnist at Argentina’s leading newspaper

  • Martina Litta, Foreign Trade Manager for the National Wine Institute of Uruguay (INAVI), with specific responsibility for heading up Uruguay Wine, dedicated to the promotion of Uruguayan wines abroad

When considering a trip to Uruguayan wine country, one ought to include some or all of the following cities in their itineraries, all located in southern Uruguay:

MONTEVIDEO

The capital city of Uruguay is also the epicenter of viticultural gastronomy. The metropolitan area contains two thirds of the country’s vineyards, making it easy to visit some of the country’s most fabled wineries from here.

In the Ciudad Vieja (old city), a walk through the pedestrian district, from the Cabildo de Montevideo to Plaza Zabala, is an excellent introduction to historic Montevideo, within what was the walled city built in 1724. The port market a few blocks away is an excellent place to enjoy lunch. La Rambla, which runs along the edge of the city, offers another perspective on the life that bustles within, especially between Parque Rodó and Punta Carretas. At sunset, the pink granite of the walk lights up to create an enchanting atmosphere for Montevideans to begin their evening. Pocitos and the surrounding area is a great place to enjoy dinner. Wineries worth visiting include the classic Carrau, and the more modern Bouza and Pizzorno Winery. A little further away, in Juanicó, one finds Familia Deicas/Establecimiento Juanicó, one of Uruguay’s most historic wineries.

PUNTA DEL ESTE

The most famous city in Maldonado is also an obligatory stop on the wine tour. A couple of Punta del Este’s major attractions, along with the avant-garde architecture of its hotels, are two different versions of the sea: a calm one, found at a long beach stretching to the west along the Río de la Plata, with barely perceptible waves, and a wilder incarnation that runs north along the Atlantic shore. José Ignacio is a lovely town to visit along this coast. Inland, down rural roads, one finds wineries set in the hilly, sierra landscape. Wineries worth visiting include Garzón, Alto de la Ballena, Bodega Oceánica, and Viña Edén. In addition, there is Bracco Bosca in the Canelones region on the way to Punta del Este in Atlántida. All were founded within the last 20years and make wines for export. The newest winery is Cerro del Toro in Piriápol is in the Maldonado region.

COLONIA

Colonia del Sacramento is the capital city of the Department of Colonia and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1995. With its colonial architecture, cobbled streets, and tiled roofs, it doesn’t look too different to when it was founded back in 1680 on the shore of the Río de la Plata. Several wine and cheese makers are located in the surrounding area. Los Cerros de San Juan, the oldest winery in Uruguay, was founded in 1854 and is fifteen minutes away on the road to Carmelo. Housed in a recently refurbished stone building, its pulpería (seafood) restaurant is a journey into the past. Carmelo, meanwhile, is a peaceful town at the mouth of the River Uruguay. It boasts old vineyards, as well as more modern ones, along with luxury hotels and several country inns. The wineries aren’t too far away and can be visited by bicycle, except for Narbona, which is a little more remote. Campotinto, Almacén de la Bodega Cordano and El Legado are small, family-run wineries that have appeared in recent years. Familia Irurtia, in contrast, has a more industrial past that it is now looking to revive.

Behind the Cork™ - Basta Spirit Vermut Flores Rosé

Basta Spirit Vermut Flores Rosé ($16)

In a little bit of a ‘twist’ this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week is a vermouth, from Uruguay.

As was noted in a previous blog, vermouth is actually a wine - a fortified wine. And, it’s infused with a mixture of botanical products including fruits, herbs, spices and roots. After the wine is aromatized and fortified, the Vermouth may be bottled dry, or sweeteners such as sugar may be added to create the sweet style of Vermouth, like this one.

This Basta Spirit Flores Rosé vermouth is from Uruguay and is made from Tannat grapes that are pressed and left in brief contact with the skins to create a rosé. It’s 27 different botanicals include roots, barks, herbs, fruit and flowers such as rose, hops, chamomile and elder-flower.

It is sweet to the taste and makes for a refreshing cocktail when served over ice with tonic water, a slice of lemon and olives (as shown) or as a spritz with sparkling wine and a slice of orange. One way or another, this Basta Spirit Flores Rosé makes for a delightfully refreshing drink. Cheers!

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

Sample Provided by Basta Spirit via Creative Palate Communications