Travel
Uruguay is a rather triangular-shaped little country squeezed between giants Brazil and Argentina. Luckily for its inhabitants, it is located on the Atlantic coast of South America, with miles and miles of beautiful beaches stretching North East towards the Brazilian border.
So, besides the Stagnari Viognier, I can also recommend the Bouza tannats, and a Don Pascual Reserve Cabernet Franch, which I enjoyed very much. If you are ever in Uruguay, the beauty of it will be that you can get an amazing wine for just under $20, and a world champion like Stagnari´s Dayman Tannat will cost about $40.
- Win Two Nights For Two At A Wine Estate!
My One Ingredient Dinners are a unique dining experience for the foodies of Cape Town. One carefully chosen ingredient spreads itself over all four courses of the evening; showing just how much can be done with one ingredient! After a demonstration...
- Wine Tasting For Beginners
One of the best things about travelling or going on vacation is that it’s a time to indulge in all kinds of unique food and drink. Seeing different parts of the world gives you the opportunity to try food you might otherwise never get to enjoy, or just...
- Following The Wine Routes Of Greece
Wine is an important part of the culture of Greece, both in terms of social traditions and religious significance. Being a Mediterranean country, the climate is perfectly suited to growing a number of varieties of grapes, from which wine is produced....
- Making Friends On The Road. A Wine Tasting With A Twist
Just after we finished our boat trip up and down the Douro River, our ever surprising and resourceful guide, Luis from EcoTours Portugal asked us if we wanted to go for a wine tasting before saying goodbye to him. Hell yeah! He made some phone calls...
- Aruba: Vino Vince
Using various types of grapes and local fruits in several combinations, Vicente Kock has been able to produce local wine for the past quarter century. Shamu grapes (of Indian origin from Surinam), Galland grapes (Mediterranean grapes), and costa grapes...
Travel
Uruguayan Wine Country
 |
| At the Stagnari winery, Uruguay |
The country´s climate is extremely good for grape growing, and the local wine production is very respectable. But Uruguayan wines are a delight known mostly to hardcore connoisseurs around the world. The country´s production is, though excellent, to small to call attention in the big markets.
In my travels, the Uruguayan wine that I have seen the most of in the strangest places has been the Preludio reserve red, made from a blend of five grape varieties. To the best of my knowledge, this is the Uruguayan wine that has accomplished the most solid reputation abroad over the years. I remember I was quite surprised to find it on the wine list on a Mediterranean cruise, for example.
The vineyards of Uruguay are certainly not on the map of the world´s famous wine regions, however, there is much to see, both in the outskirts of the capital city (Montevideo) and in the rest of this green prairie of a land, where hills are low and rather scarce.
When I visited the Stagnari vineyards for the first time, I was pleased to find that some of my favorite wines came from an equally admirable environment. Stagnari produces my latest favorite; a Viognier to die for, as well as several gold medal-winning reds I have been known to enjoy many times.
My visit to the winery, located in the outskirts of Montevideo and surrounded by green pastures as far as the eye could see, was on the occasion of a celebration, as one of the winery´s Tannats (the full-bodied red that Uruguay is famous for, and which is typical only of our country and France) had won the Golden medal at a top international contest in Europe.
The party took place on the second floor of a two-storey wooden construction, shaped like a stylish hut surrounded by huge glass windows out to the long stretches of grape vines. I remember I was intoxicated by the sight of all that green beauty from the comfort of the cozy room, where several Uruguayan-style open flame barbecues were in full fling. An amateur at visiting wineyards at the time, I also wondered at the beautiful rose bushes that lines the grape vines. I would later find out that the roses kept some insects away, which could be very harmful for the vines. Admiring the beauty of those roses, all I could think of was, “thank God for those insects!”
Since that time, I have seen many local wineries and added several new blends to my list of favorites. Though I am not exactly a connoisseur, I have done my share of wine tasting around Europe, in Greece, France, Italy, and Spain; and I have tried many great wines in California as well. Personally, I am always taken by wines that have personality, wines which taste like nothing I have had before.
If you are planning a visit to Uruguay and are interested in wine, Bouza, Joanicó, and Stagnari are three wineries you absolutely must see. Other than that, you can relax and enjoy everything Montevideo has to offer or take a trip to the exotic beaches of Cabo Polonio or the glamorous Punta del Este. Whatever you do, I think you will agree with me that Uruguay is an undiscovered paradise, and its fantastic and affordable wines are certainly an important ingredient in the mix.
About the author: Veronica Pamoukaghlian is a filmmaker and writer from Uruguay. Her personal travel blog can be found at The wander life.
- Win Two Nights For Two At A Wine Estate!
My One Ingredient Dinners are a unique dining experience for the foodies of Cape Town. One carefully chosen ingredient spreads itself over all four courses of the evening; showing just how much can be done with one ingredient! After a demonstration...
- Wine Tasting For Beginners
One of the best things about travelling or going on vacation is that it’s a time to indulge in all kinds of unique food and drink. Seeing different parts of the world gives you the opportunity to try food you might otherwise never get to enjoy, or just...
- Following The Wine Routes Of Greece
Wine is an important part of the culture of Greece, both in terms of social traditions and religious significance. Being a Mediterranean country, the climate is perfectly suited to growing a number of varieties of grapes, from which wine is produced....
- Making Friends On The Road. A Wine Tasting With A Twist
Just after we finished our boat trip up and down the Douro River, our ever surprising and resourceful guide, Luis from EcoTours Portugal asked us if we wanted to go for a wine tasting before saying goodbye to him. Hell yeah! He made some phone calls...
- Aruba: Vino Vince
Using various types of grapes and local fruits in several combinations, Vicente Kock has been able to produce local wine for the past quarter century. Shamu grapes (of Indian origin from Surinam), Galland grapes (Mediterranean grapes), and costa grapes...