On the tail end of a two week trip touring Argentina and many of its wine regions, we agreed to one final adventure before making the long trip back to Washington, DC. From Argentina's capital Buenos Aires, you can take a three hour ride via ship to Montevideo. Montevideo is the capital of Uruguay where approximately two-thirds of Uruguay's three-plus million residents reside.
Although Uruguay is South America's smallest country, it is their fourth largest wine producer with over 21,000 acres planted. Most of the vineyards in Uruguay are located in the hills north of Montevideo; particularly in the Canelones and San Jose departments.
Surprisingly, the primary grape grown is Tannat which is classified as Uruguay's national grape. Tannat is also grown throughout Virginia and produces juicy red wines with high levels of tannins. In Uruguay, Tannat wines are characterized by more elegant and softer tannins with blackberry fruit notes. You can also find Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc as well as many other wine varietals.
Uruguay is a beautiful country. A beautiful boat ride, the stunning architecture, and the delicious wines were a fitting end to a thrilling lifetime adventure.
This article is the final installment of a six-part series dedicated to Argentina's wine industry (reference Part 1: Exploring Argentina, Part 2: Meet my new friend Torrontés, Part 3: Wine Tasting in Mendoza, Part 4: The Majestic Malbec, and Part 5: Wine Tasting to Weezer).
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