Viña Progreso winery is a concept rather than a physical place. Winemaker Gabriel Pisano started to make more experimental wines and when a buyer snapped them up, he quickly had to make a legal company – although the wine production is between a couple different wineries in the Canelones region, with a main base in his family winery – Pisano.

Gabriel Pisano is one of the most promising young winemakers in Uruguay today. He is happy to break the rules and try new techniques and varieties, many of which result in wines of excellence. His experimentation with his family in sparkling Tannat is now a permanent wine in the Pisano portfolio, and his open barrel fermentation method for Tannat (and his icon wine Sueños de Elisa) is being adapted by many other winemakers around the country. Viña Progreso Bodega Experimental is a highlight in Uruguay’s contemporary wine scene, and Gabriel Pisano is one to watch.

 

About Viña Progreso Bodega Experimental

Gabriel Pisano started making his own wines in his personal project, Viña Progreso, in 2009. After various harvests around the US, Chile, South Africa and Spain, he decided to make his own experimental wines to explore different techniques and varieties in Canelones, Uruguay, where he grew up.

These are all vinos de autor, with a personal style and focused on respecting the fruit and variety and using minimum intervention in the winery. They are wines without any dogma and which embrace the spirit of experimentation and discovery.

 

About the Viña Progreso vineyards

As the name suggests, the grapes all come from Progreso in Canelones. Gabriel purchases grapes from different growers in the region, including his family’s 30-hectare estate Pisano Family Vineyards.

The region of Progreso is known for its gentle hilly slopes and clay-calcareous soils with a mild climate moderated by the maritime influence.

 

About Viña Progreso wines

Within the portfolio, Gabriel has two main lines: Underground and Overground. The gorgeous labels are all designed by his Aunt, Elisa, whose art reflects his free and creative style of winemaking.

UNDERGROUND

Underground is a line focused on exclusive and unique wines, usually made from Tannat, which are made in very limited qualities. Some of the key wines in this line include Sueños de Elisa, a Tannat made in an open barrel with native yeasts; an unoaked Barrel-less Tannat; and an Old Vines Tannat.

OVERGROUND

Overground is a line focused on the lesser-known grape varieties grown in Uruguay, including Sangiovese, Viognier, Cabernet Franc and Syrah, as well as Tannat.

 

About the winemaker, Gabriel Pisano

Quite literally born in the vineyards in 1983, Gabriel Pisano learnt to love the vines and winemaking from a very young age. He studied winemaking at the national viticulture school but believes most of his training came from his father and uncles at the family winery, Pisano, in Progreso.

It was here that he helped to create the world’s first sparkling red Tannat made with a traditional method, Brut Nature Tannat Negro. He was also instrumental in the development of Pisano’s EtXe OneKo late harvest Licor de Tannat, combining techniques used in making Port and Amarone.

Having worked harvests with David Ramey (Sonoma, California), Beyers Truter (Stellenbosch, South Africa), Dany de Wet (Robertson Valley, South Africa), at Clos Apalta (Colchagua, Chile) and at Mas Doix (Priorat, Spain), he has cultivated experience in different areas of the New and Old World and applied them to his winemaking in Uruguay.

A key part of Gabriel’s winemaking philosophy is to harvest the same grape at different periods in order to give him a palate of profiles to play with in looking for original aromas and flavours. He isn’t afraid to take risks, often using low or no sulphites and prefering native yeast ferments.

 

Viña Progreso Experimental Winery

 

Visiting Viña Progreso in Canelones

As the winery does not have a physical space, only rented areas, Viña Progreso is not open for visits. You can, however, visit Gabriel’s family winery Pisano where you can purchase some of the wines Gabriel makes in the family shop.