Bodega Oceánica José Ignacio have been cellaring their Albariño and Tannat wines in a rather unusual place… 15 meters underwater off the coast of Uruguay! In the innovative Ultramar project, owners Marcelo Conserva and Natalia Welker decided to age their water in an underwater cellar to see how it aged and evolved differently. On a recent visit, I got to taste the results and I can certainly tell you it does make a difference!
The inspiration came from the vineyard and winery’s position just 10 kilometers from the sea… They wanted to find a way to get more involved with their maritime influence and also get the villagers of José Ignacio involved. Now Marcelo and Natalia make a bi-annual dive to their underwater cellar with the help of local fishermen and divers in order to deposit new vintages, and pull up some of the aged vintages.
The Ultramar project also goes further than just the underwater cellar, but Marcelo and Natalia (who are passionate about sustainability and design) in fact collect and use recycled fishing nets and plastic from the sea to make the bags for the wines, and use stones collected on the beach which are engraved by a local artist as the natural wine label.
Interview & tasting of Bodega Oceánica José Ignacio Ultramar Albariño wines in Uruguay
Although this is the first underwater cellar in Uruguay, they have been able to benefit from the experience of Wapisa in Argentina — which also has a cellar underwater in Argentina’s Río Negro province. But while Wapisa is ageing Malbec under water, Bodega Oceánica José Ignacio have decided plunge Uruguay’s most emblematic grapes in the cellar: Albariño and Tannat.
I think ageing Albariño in the watery cellar is a genius idea because the tangy salinity and coastal character you get with this wine (even the land version!) makes it a perfect match for the beautiful sea-crusted bottle. It evokes a seaside sensation and feel just opening the bottle, as the bottle itself has the aroma of the sea. The wine too, is remarkably different…
Bodega Oceánica José Ignacio wine tasting
Albariño 2021
Maldonado / $$ / Drinking window <10 years
This is always one of my favourite Albariño wines in Uruguay, which shows lovely typicity of the variety with notes of fuzzy peach and a really fresh coastal character. It has a delicious maritime tang and a long, vibrant finish. Perfect for seafood, or Uruguayan caviar!
Albariño Ultramar 2021
Maldonado / $$$ / Drinking window <10 years
This is wild to taste the same vintage, effectively the same wine, and see how just 9 months stored in the sea has changed it so much. It still has that lovely coastal freshness and great acidity, but it has a more evolved character, a slightly deeper colour and an oiliness and greater richness to it. The trademark salinity is still there, but the finish is longer and more concentrated. It’s definitely different, and I loved it! (I also love the regular Albariño too, so you can’t go wrong either way!)
Ámbar 2021
Maldonado / $ / Drinking window <12 years
This is a lovely new addition to Bodega Oceánica José Ignacio’s smart portfolio: a 50-50 blend of Chardonnay and Albariño co-fermented on the skins for 7 months in a clay tinaja (amphorae). The result is a light orange (amber!) wine with notes of peach and dried blossom, with a vibrant acidity, attractive salinity and a more textured finish. A really appealing style and a great intro to orange wine.
Pinot Noir Rosé 2021
Maldonado / $ / Drinking window <8 years
This is probably the winery’s most famous wine, and one which sells out within months on their very doorstep! It’s a favourite in Punta del Este as this suits the coastal climate and local seafood wonderfully: a fresh, maritime rosé with delicate floral notes from Pinot Noir.
You can visit Bodega Oceánica José Ignacio and taste all the wines, including the Ultramar project, in their beautiful estate with its vineyard and olive grove.
Read more about visiting in our winery guide here!
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