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A guide to traveling around Maldonado, Uruguay. Bodega Garzón Winery and Vineyards in Maldonado

Travel guide to Maldonado in Uruguay

by Amanda Barnes April 23, 2022

Maldonado is emerging as one of Uruguay’s hottest wine destinations. With the wineries of Garzon, Alto de la Ballena, Viña Edén, Cerro del Toro and Bodega Oceánica José Ignacio being just a few worth visiting, this is one of the upcoming star wine regions of South America and a joy to visit. Check out our guide to visiting Maldonado.

How to get around Maldonado wine country

Maldonado is a pleasure to drive around, so hiring a car or organising a driver would always be my first recommendation for visiting the wineries and beaches. Otherwise there are a handful of wine tour companies in Punta del Este.

You can easily get to Maldonado from neighbouring Canelones and Montevideo (it’s only a couple of hours drive) or you can fly into Punta del Este directly. Both Montevideo and Punta del Este airports have international flights.

Where to eat & drink in Maldonado

Punta del Este and La Barra have a plethora of good restaurants, but one of the hot spots to visit is La Huella (Calle de Los Cisnes) in José Ignacio for seafood and steaks grilled to perfection on a picture-perfect sandy beach. For fine-dining in Punta del Este, try Lo de Tere (Rambla del Puerto), which has a great wine list too. The wineries around Maldonado also offer some exceptional cuisine, especially Balasto Wine Bar (Bodega Garzón), where Francis Mallmann’s team make top tapas and grills, or you can visit his other famed restaurant in the nearby village Garzón.

April 23, 2022 0 comment

Guide to central & northern wine regions in Uruguay

Uruguay Features Travel Uruguay Uruguay Wine Guide

A guide to the wine regions of Central & Northern Uruguay

by Amanda Barnes April 10, 2022

written by Amanda Barnes

Uruguay has much more to offer than just Canelones and Maldonado… there are also a host of wine regions in central and northern Uruguay. Get to know these off-the-radar regions in our guide to Rivera, Salto, Durazno & beyond.

Guide to Central & Northern Uruguay’s Wine Region

Sub-regions in Central & Northern Uruguay

Notable Producers

Best Wines to try

Map of Uruguay’s wine regions

Guide to Central & Northern Uruguay’s wine region

Although nowhere near as well-known as Canelones, many consider the northern region of Salto to be the birthplace of Uruguayan Tannat. After all, it was here, in this north-western province that shares rivers, waterways and expansive pampas with Argentina, that Tannat is believed to have first been planted by Pascual Harraigue.

Salto boomed in the early 20th century and had 124 vineyards during its heyday so the 60-odd hectares you find in Salto today are a mere shadow of the region’s former vineyard area. Nevertheless, these northern and central wine regions of Uruguay together account for almost 5% of Uruguay’s production and offer a very different dimension to the otherwise very coastal wine scene.

These wine regions have much warmer average temperatures than the coastal regions further south and, although this can present challenges for making fresh white wines, it brings benefits when it comes to ripening and rounding the tannins of the red wines. Northern and central Uruguay can be capable of producing attractively supple red wines with full body and a softer, more feminine structure, and are especially renowned for good quality in late-ripening varieties like Tannat and Cabernet Sauvignon.

April 10, 2022 0 comment

guide to where to stay in Mendoza, visiting Mendoza guide

Travel Argentina Travel & Culture

Susana Balbo opens luxury new hotel in Mendoza

by Amanda Barnes April 10, 2022

written by Amanda Barnes

Renowned Argentine winemaker Susana Balbo and her daughter Ana Lovaglio Balbo have opened a new luxury hotel in Mendoza with a concept of a ‘home away from home’ and customised luxury tourism experiences. Susana Balbo Winemaker’s House & Spa Suites is a handsomely restored villa with stunning artwork and a large pool and relaxation area, which leads out onto the seven individual spa suites.

A winemaker’s house in the heart of Chacras, Mendoza

The house itself is a stunning refurbished property, which has stunning artwork throughout, in the middle of the village of Chacras in Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza. As you open the main entrance door you are greeted by a beautiful large artwork by renowned plastic artist Sergio Roggerone — The Tree of Life. It is this artwork which inspired the names and themes in each suite: origin, coraje (courage), huella (footprints), legado (legacy), nosotros (us — family), audacia (boldness) and temple. There’s a lot of thought behind the artwork throughout the hotel, and there’s always a host on hand to walk guests through the art works and stories behind them.

April 10, 2022 0 comment

Casa Naoki wine hotel in Lujan de Cuyo in Mendoza, where to stay in wine regions Argentina

Travel Argentina Travel & Culture

Casa Naoki: A perfect place to rest your head in Mendoza wine country

by Amanda Barnes February 9, 2022

written by Amanda Barnes

At Casa Naoki, it’s hard not to get caught with your eyes on the horizon… whether that be snowy mountains, the flaming orange sky or even cascades of lightning moving across a thundery sky. Casa Naoki is all about its position high on the hillside with a perfect panoramic view over the wine regions of Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza. The infinity pool seems to drop off into the vineyards and fields below, where you can see farmhands in the distance working the vines.

Casa Naoki: More than a hotel, a home away from home in Mendoza

More a private home than a hotel, this is the house of the Dartley family who own Casarena winery. It is an exclusive residence available to hire — whether you are a couple or a group of friends. The whole house is at your disposition but, and here’s the big difference, the house staff is too… Which means you will barely need to lift a finger while staying here. A beautiful breakfast is laid out at your chosen time, there’s a fridge filled with snacks and a cellar filled with wine, and a personal chef on hand for special wine-paired dinners in the dining room or on the pool deck.

February 9, 2022 0 comment

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