I recently attended a Uruguayan wine masterclass led by Master Sommelier Peter Granoff, and it was fire! I tasted through 11 wines and learned a lot:
💜 Uruguay has some of the oldest surface rock anywhere on Earth. The county is FIRM, a great majority of the land lying upon the Rio de la Plata Craton, a stable continental platform with crystalline rocks dating back to 2,200-1,700 million years ago.
💜 Only 5% is currently being exported, so there’s a whole lot more from their 211 established wineries to discover.
💜 It’s the only country to have 100% georeferencing, and Inavi has created an amazing platform that will take traceability to the next level. It’s very cool. Link in bio to check it out. Only in Spanish for now, but the English version is coming soon!
💜 Tannat is king here. For me, this grape is all about STRUCTURE. The acid, tannin and alcohol are all generally high but can be beautifully balanced by concentrated flavors of salty steak, blueberries and a purply perfume.
💜 There are a lot of young winemakers excited to elevate Uruguay’s standing in the world of wine. From a gorgeous Pet Nat by Bodega Cerro Chapeau to the underground works by Viña Progreso, I’m excited to explore more from this region.
💜 By far my favorite wine was a co-fermented 85% Tannat, 15% Viognier blend by Alto de la Ballena that was outstanding. Intense fleshy peach and blueberry flavors softened the acid, tannin and 14.5% alcohol to create balance and poise.
CHEERS!
