The ultimate guide to the wineries, producers, and wines in the wine region of Colonia in Uruguay. Your guide with information about wine tourism, wine hotels, and restaurants in Colonia.
Campotinto winery was founded by the Viganó in 2013 and although the boutique winery has a petite production, it sells out like hot cakes with plenty of fans who come to visit the cosy guesthouse and wine tasting room in the heart of Carmelo.
About Campotinto winery
Founded by the Viganó family who originated from Fiesole in Tuscany, Campotinto was born in 2013 with the dream of making a new home in Carmelo and enjoying the beauty and peace of the place. It started out as a boutique winery but the dream soon evolved to become a small hotel, tasting room and real estate project, although winemaking and vineyards have always been a key pillar.
Tannat was the obvious choice for Campotinto’s star grape variety but within the boutique winery the winemaking team also produces a small production of Viognier and some other red blends, as well as a Medio y Medio – a sparkling wine in homage to the traditional Uruguayan sparkling wine enjoyed at the port of Montevideo.
The key to Campotinto’s wine production is its artisanal dimension which gives an eye for detail from the meticulous work in the vineyard to the hand selection of bunches in the winery.
About Campotinto’s vineyards
With 4.5 hectares of vines planted in their estate, Campotinto predominantly has Tannat (around 65% of its vines) planted which is 14-years-old and also has some Viognier which was planted 10 years ago. Campotinto also has some old vines (around 30 years old) of Moscatel and Ugni Blanc.
Campotinto also sources some Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Marselan from some neighbouring growers. All of the vineyards have a clay loam soil and on average yield two kilograms per plant, and around 7,000 kilograms per hectare.
The vineyard work is all done by hand and in an artisanal manner, with a heavy green harvest taking place each year in order to gain good concentration and full maturity in their grapes.
About Campotinto wines
Although boutique in size, Campotinto has quite a diverse production with several lines and wine styles. The top line of the winery is their Icon range which includes Super Icono Tannat, Icono Tannat and Gran Reserva Tannat, each of which is made from low-yielding grape vines for good concentration and spends time in French and American oak barrels.
Within the top line, Campotinto also produces two parcel wines: Chacra 1 Tannat – Tannat, which comes from two different Tannat parcels which are vinified seperately and then blended; and Lote 28 & 29 Tannat Marselan, which are also select lots of these varieties. The final wine in the top line is Campotinto’s fragrant Viognier.
Within the everyday range, Campotinto has two blends both based on Tannat with Merlot and Cabernet Franc respectively. These blends are youthful wines focused on fresh fruit expression and are unoaked. Tannat del Litoral is another unoaked Tannat wine which is made with minimum intervention winemaking techniques in order to get the best varietal definition.
In addition to its still wines, Campotinto makes a sparkling Medio y Medio wine and a fortified Licor de Tannat.
About the winemaker Daniel Cis
With more than 20 years experience as a winemaker in the region, Daniel Cis is one of the most sought-after consultant winemakers in Carmelo and western Uruguay. Born into a wine-producing family with a small winery in Carmelo, he is the fourth generation that works in the vineyards and wine production.
“Being a winemaker is a choice to share life with my family filled with emotions and satisfaction,” says Daniel. “It is a big responsibility day to day in order to try to achieve the best quality of grapes every vintage, and to be able to make wines that are unique and unrepeatable. I live for wine, and live between wineries and vineyards. Each day is a challenge especially as each vintage is so different – but that’s what I love about it and it brings me great joy!”
Visiting Campotinto
Campotinto is much more than just a winery, but in fact the family’s dream to make wines in Carmelo evolved into a charming inn, or posada, a wine tasting room and a real estate venture for people who want to have their own home, vineyard and wine production in Carmelo.
You can visit the boutique winery for a tour and tasting any day of the week (11am till 7pm) and taste through their exclusive portfolio of wines. Most visitors to Campotinto however, will stay for more than just the tasting and tour and its home-style cooking at the wine tasting room is popular for lunch and dinner with its seasonal menu which takes advantage of local ingredients, including organic fruit and vegetables from their garden.
The countryside inn is a charming place to stay in Carmelo, with 12 cozy rooms all surrounded by the vineyards and handsome gardens. Guests at the posada can take advantage of some of the many outdoors activities they have on offer ranging from bicycle rides and vineyard walks to cricket and volleyball, or you can simply lounge by the pool with a glass of wine.
