It seems that Brazil might become a key market for the wines of Uruguay. Considering there is much less vitis vinifera planted for quality wine but also the commercial relationship regarding the exported goods. Yet I also believe in the strong domestic market as the local consumption is high (over 30 litres / capita) and increasing number of good restaurant, matching Tannat & Co with the fantastic food. Montevideo the centre of the wine making is also close to Buenos Aires the Argentinean capital (closer then Mendoza).

Uruguay is the forth largest wine producer in South America with 8500 ha of vines planted and around 270 wineries (but much more smaller producers) 20 of them exporting.

My first thought when I heard Uruguay and wine, was: what the heck? They don’t produce wine, or do they?! It was on the London Wine Fair (LIWSF) back in 2008 that I met Juan Andrés Marichal, from the Bodega Marichal. It was here that I started to discover the new possibilities of Tannat and a lot more…