Cerro del Toro winery and vineyard is the wine project of Japanese businessman Makoto Kambara who planted 28 hectares of vines within his large estate on a rocky hillside in Maldonado just a few kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean in a bid to make premium, coastal wines in this unique Uruguayan terroir.
About Cerro del Toro winery
Cerro del Toro winery was started by the Kambara family from Japan in 2016 with the goal of making top quality wines on their estate in Maldonado. Located on the northeastern face of the Cerro del Toro hill in an 800-hectare estate in Piriápolis, the family currently have 28 hectares of vines planted and are constructing a winery which will be open for tourism in the near future.
The Kambara family first came to South America in 1956 when Hideo Kambara arrived from Japan, following World War II, to Brazil and Paraguay looking for new business opportunities there. He arrived to Uruguay in 1975 and bought a 17,000 hectare estate in La Coronilla in Rocha where the family has a rice farm today.
In 1989, the family purchased the 800-hectare estate on Cerro del Torro. Given its historical importance as the wine estate of Francisco Piria in the late 19th century, the family decided to restart the tradition with the help of Norwegian businessman Lars Ugland and local vigneron Alvaro Lorenzo.
The vines are now producing their first vintages with very promising results.
About the vineyards of Cerro del Toro
The first vines were planted in early 2016 with local vine cuttings and a small selection of imported vines. The majority of the vines are red varieties, with mainly Tannat and Merlot, and a third of the plantings are white vines including mainly Albariño which has already become a hallmark of the winery. Other grape varieties planted include Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Gamaret, Lacryma Christi, Chardonnay, Viognier and Pinot Grigio.
The vineyard has been separated into different sectors and the soils are predominantly rocky soils with clay loam, granite, calcium carbonate and decomposed metamorphic rocks. Every aspect of the vineyard is exposed to the strong maritime breeze – just a couple kilometres from the sea – with a slope gradient of 12 to 15% and altitudes ranging from 60 to 128 m.a.s.l.
About the Cerro del Toro wines
Cerro del Toro wines are reflective of their coastal terroir, and the emphasis on the viticulture is sustainable and minimum intervention while the winemaking is focused on the best varietal expression.
At the moment Cerro de Toro winery is still producing its first vintages of the young vines and includes a Clásico and Reserva line.
CLÁSICO
In the Clásico you can taste an Albariño, a Pinot Noir rosé and a red blend, which are all focused on fresh fruit and varietal expression without any oak ageing and allowing the strong maritime influence to express itself in the wines.
RESERVA
The Reserva line currently includes a Tannat which has been aged in oak barrel and an Albariño which has been aged on the lees. The Reserva line is focused on making wines from select lots with a precise varietal expression.
SINGULAR
This premium line is focused on small-production wines with a focused expression that shows the refreshing Atlantic influence.
ALQUIMIA
This is the very top line of the winery which comprises terroir-driven wines which include a red and a white blend, as well as a varietal Tannat.
About the winemaker Martín Viggiano
Cerro del Toro winemaker Martín Viggiano is an up-and-coming 35-year-old Uruguayan winemaker who specialised in the wines and soils of Maldonado for his thesis. Having worked as a journalist before, he is new in the career of winemaking and has made it his mission to help advance Uruguayan Albariño with his work at Cerro del Toro and following two vintage experiences in Rías Baixas in Galicia in Spain.
Video about Cerro del Toro winery
Visiting Cerro del Toro winery & vineyard in Maldonado
Since last year, Cerro del Toro winery has opened for visitors and wine lovers to explore its steep, sloping vineyards and take in the views over Maldonado and the ocean. The winery includes a tasting room, wine shop and special wine experiences.
