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Registered wineries on The Squeeze Magazine

Miolo

by Amanda Barnes June 30, 2016

Although the Miolo family history goes back to 1897, this is a very modern winery and operation. The Miolo group is the biggest premium wine brand in Brazil today and makes wines in Vale dos Vinhedos (where the impressive winery is) and also Campagna, as well as a few other small projects in different valleys around the country.

You’ll visit the state-of-the-art winery as well as the surrounding vineyards which have a beautiful view over the undulating hills. When you book your tasting, try to go premium to try their top sparkling, Millesime, as well as their Merlot and Chardonnay from Vale dos Vinhedos.

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June 30, 2016 0 comment

Featured Wineries Featured Uruguay Uruguay Maldonado Wineries Family Boutique

Alto de la Ballena

by Pablo Ortiz June 7, 2016

written by Pablo Ortiz

Alto de la Ballena winery is the modern-day pioneer of Maldonado and, although boutique in nature, it is still one of the region’s leading producers. Husband and wife Álvaro and Paula switched from the world of finance to the world of wine relocating from Montevideo to Sierra de la Ballena, a whale watching spot just a few kilometres from the sea, in 2000. The steep, granite and schist hillsides where their 8 hectares of vines are planted provide characterful terroir for their smooth, fresh and vibrant wines.

About Alto de la Ballena winery

Paula and Alvaro’s Alto de la Ballena winery may look unassuming from the outside, but this boutique project was a pioneer in Uruguay. In 2000, Paula and Alvaro quit their jobs in the city and bought 20 hectares of land just a few kilometers from the sea.

Although they had always been great lovers of wine, they had no experience making it before but had spent the past two years researching different terroirs in Uruguay before purchasing this virgin land. At first they were seen as ‘loco’ for planting on such poor soils with a much cooler maritime climate, which wasn’t producing any other wines at the time.

Within a couple years, however, people started waking up to the quality from Maldonado and today it is Uruguay’s most up-and-coming wine region.

The winery today has a capacity for producing 50,000 bottles of wine a year, although their annual production depends on the vintage. The winery is at the foot of the hillside and focuses on sustainable wine production.

About the vineyards

On the slopes of a hillside on Sierra de la Ballena, the vineyards face the west and are planted on rocky soils which can vary in composition although are all well-draining.

In the highest part of the vineyard, the soils are typically the poorest and rockiest with granite, quartz and schist, which is where they chose to plant their Syrah vines.

In the middle section, in a slightly less stony part, they planted Cabernet Franc. And at the foot of the estate they planted Tannat and Merlot on the richer soils which have some calcareous material and can be worked by machine (whereas the upper and middle sectors cannot). The Merlot, in particular, can make top quality, concentrated grapes – often producing less than a kilo per plant.

Alto de la Ballena is part of a sustainable viticulture program with other producers in Uruguay, seeking to have a low environmental impact and produce healthy grapes by doing careful canopy management and using cover crops. In order to minimise their losses from hungry birds eating the grapes, they have installed some protective netting and use lasers to scare them off.

About Alto de la Ballena wines

Focusing on the varieties they most like to drink, with Merlot and Cabernet Franc at the forefront, Paula and Álvaro make attractive and characterful wines.

The classic range includes a fresh and bright Viognier, which spends five months on the lees to add some complexity, and this is Alto de la Ballena’s only white wine currently.

This line also has their rosé which is a dry, refreshing blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Finally, the line includes a red blend of Tannat-Merlot-Cabernet Franc, which is their estate blend and a juicy wine for everyday.

ALTO DE LA BALLENA RESERVA

The Reserva line includes their three most emblematic red grape varieties: an elegant and aromatic Cabernet Franc, a rich and earthy Merlot, and the flagship wine of Alto de la Ballena – their full-bodied Tannat with a dash of Viognier. It’s an original blend, one which works really well and has become the calling card of Alto de la Ballena.

ALTO DE LA BALLENA CETUS

Cetus is the icon range of Alto de la Ballena and their Cetus Syrah is what I consider the best Syrah in Uruguay – a floral, juicy and long wine which comes from their highest-altitude and rockiest vineyards.

The Cetus Cuvée is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc and reflects Álvaro and Paula’s personal preference for Right Bank Bordeaux! Although this is much more maritime in style with fresh fruit aromas but a density and weight following time in barrel and years in the bottle before release.

About the winemaker

Ever since the first vintage, Paula has been heavily involved in the winemaking with the resident winemakers at the time.

Since graduating in winemaking, she has become the main winemaker and takes charge of the production from the vineyard through to the blending.

Flying winemaker Duncan Killiner from New Zealand has also been the consultant winemaker since 2006 for all the different ranges of wines. Duncan is an experienced winemaker in Uruguay, Chile and Argentina.

Visit Alto de la Ballena winery

You can visit Alto de la Ballena winery and Álvaro or Paula receive guests every day of the week with previous reservation.

You can contact them via email [email protected] and if you time it right you can enjoy the sunset from their terrace with wine and cheese.

If you want to add a picnic or lunch, then get in touch as Alto de la Ballena sometimes organise special meals for guests paired with their wines.

June 7, 2016 0 comment

Featured Wineries Featured Uruguay Uruguay Maldonado Wineries Big Brand Restaurant Architecture

Garzón

by Pablo Ortiz June 7, 2016

written by Pablo Ortiz

Garzón winery is the ambitious vision of Argentine billionaire Alejandro Bulgheroni who planted a jaw-dropping 240-hectare wine estate on granitic hillsides in coastal Maldonado. Not a penny was spared in his state-of-the-art winery with cement tulips and brand new foudres, and the thrilling portfolio of coastal wines is testimony to the precision viticulture and winemaking, as well as the great coastal terroir of Garzón.

About Garzón winery

Garzón winery and vineyard estate is the result of the dream of Argentine businessman Alejandro Bulgheroni and his wife Bettina to make a modern and emblematic winery in the coastal region of Maldonado. Under the guidance of their consultant winemaker Alberto Antonini, the focus of Garzón’s wine production has been in expressing the unique terroir through the maritime wine portfolio.

Beyond the vines and winery, Garzón also offers world-class gastronomy and tourism experiences, and sustainability is at the very core of the business plan. Garzón winery is the first sustainable winery beyond North America to have a LEED certification (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design), and the first in the world to have 100% of its facilities awarded Silver certification – from the offices to the wine cellar.

The 19,050m² building is fully compliant, has a green garden roof and is surrounded by vineyards and the native sub-tropical forest which retains the natural ecosystem in tact, conserving native flora and fauna in the region.

In 2018, the same year that the winery reached completion, it was awarded Wine Enthusiast’s New World Winery of the Year – one of the most prestigious accolades for wineries worldwide.

About Garzón vineyards

Located near the village of Garzón in Maldonado, on the eastern coast of Uruguay, Garzón winery was one of the modern pioneers of this region – which is now one of Uruguay’s most prized terroirs today.

The 240 hectare vineyard is separated into more than 1,000 lots which have each been identified for their different microclimate, orientation, levels of humidity, sun exposure and soil characteristics, which can have a profound impact on the character of the wine.

The estate has a great biodiversity with native forests and palm trees which remain untouched and conserved within the 2,200 hectare estate.

Soils in Garzón

One of the great attractions to making wine here was the special soil profile which the vineyards have, belonging to what’s known as the crystalline basement which is formed of some of the oldest soils on the planet – over 2500 million years old! The weathering and breaking down of these rocks has left a great wine terroir of weathered granite, also known as ballast.

The mineral rich ballast hills and slopes are very well-draining and vines explore deep in search for water. “These granite soils give a special energy and vibrancy to the wines,” says consultant winemaker Alberto Antonini.

One of the best places to see the ballast and the granitic soil profile is actually in Garzón’s winery on the underground level, where the large rocks remain intact and part of the architecture of the stunning cellar.

The climate in Garzón

The vineyards are just over 20 kilometres from the coast, and in the easternmost region of Maldonado, close to the border of Rocha. With around 160 metres in altitude, the vineyards receive regular coastal breezes and cooler temperatures, resulting in a very healthy environment for grape growing and good concentration in the grapes. The vineyards are all managed organically, and irrigation is required in some of the poorest soils.

All the grapes are harvested by hand and with a bunch selection in the vineyard, and another selection in the winery.

About Garzón wines

Garzón has a growing portfolio of wines and lines coming from their coastal vineyard in Maldonado wine region.

GARZÓN ESTATE

The estate line of Garzón is the young, entry-level wine range which includes mainly blends with white, rosé and red wines in the line up.

GARZÓN RESERVA

The Reserva line of wines is focused on expressing the individual character of each grape variety, as expressed in the Maldonado terroir. The range includes their most emblematic grape varieties including Tannat, Albariño and Marselan.

GARZÓN SINGLE VINEYARD

The Single Vineyard range includes wines from specific lots which best express the site and gives great typicity of the grape variety there. So far the range includes Single Vineyard Tannat, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot, Albariño and Sauvignon Blanc.

GARZÓN PETIT CLOS

The exclusive Petit Clos range at Garzón is a limited production of the winery’s top grape varieties from the very best sites and select vineyard plots in the estate. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat and Albariño each express the nuances of the terroir and are typically fermented in concrete tanks and aged in oak (just 30% in the case of the Albariño) to preserve the pure fruit expression and develop a more structured wine which will age well for many years.

GARZÓN BALASTO

Garzón Balasto is the icon of the winery, and one of the most iconic wines of Uruguay. The blend changes each year but the focus is on conveying the energy and vibrancy of this granitic, maritime terroir. This is the first wine in Uruguay to be sold on the Place de Bordeaux and is a limited bottling for the winery and highly sought-after.

SWEET & SPARKLING

Garzón also produces two sparkling wines, a Brut Rosé and an Extra Brut, which show the fresh, mineral character of this coastal region; and a sweet, noble rot Petit Manseng which spends three years in cask before being bottled.

About the winemaker

Alberto Antonini: Consultant winemaker

Alberto Antonini is one of the world’s most-respected flying winemakers and developed his career working with some of the most prestigious wineries in his native Italy, and around Europe, Latin America and Australia.

Perhaps best known for his position as Head Winemaker at Antinori in Italy, he recalls Piero Antonini fondly and sees him as a mentor: “working with Piero Antinori was a great learning experience,” says Alberto. “I understood how to combine tradition and innovation in a manner of making wines with strong identity and a sense of place, while also keeping in mind what the consumer is looking for.”

Alberto Antonini has been the consultant winemaker for Bodega Garzón since the beginning.

Germán Bruzzone: Head Winemaker

Germán was born into a wine family who have been making wine for generations in Canelones, ever since his grandfather established a family winery there in 1945.

He studied winemaking and viticulture at Tomás Berreta in Canelones and started working in 2002 at Don Cristóbal 1492, the later Bodega Spinoglio in 2005.

In 2009, he started at Bodega Garzón, at the very beginning of the project. Germán is one of the leading winemakers of his generation.

“Our objective is to make wines of the best quality with a strong identity, personality and a sense of place,” says Germán. “We make high end wines which are recognised for their quality worldwide.”

Visiting Garzón winery & restaurant

Along with the stunning architecture and landscapes, a highlight of visiting Garzón winery is the restaurant. With celebrated Argentine chef Francis Mallmann as the culinary director, the cuisine all takes a strong fire theme – cooked over the open flame and embracing local ingredients (including olive oil from the estate!)

The restaurant has a four, five and six course menu which is paired with Garzón’s wines, and can be enjoyed outdoors on the terrace or inside the beautiful restaurant.

You can also visit Garzón for a wine tasting and tour and there are several different tourism experiences on offer, from a hike through the nature reserve and a picnic in the gardens, to cooking classes and VIP tours taking in all the secret, hidden corners of the winery and its members’ club.

If you become a member of Garzón’s exclusive club, you will also have access to the 18-hole golf course designed by US Open Champion Angel Cabrera.

Book your visit online or over email [email protected]

Reservations are recommended for the restaurant and for a wine tourism experience, and Garzón winery is open every day in high season and Wednesday to Sunday in low season. Call in advance to check opening times and book your visit.

Videos about Garzón winery

Visiting the vineyards of Garzón

The team behind Garzón winery talk about the terroir, the wines and how the winery took shape.

The vision of owner Alejandro Bulgheroni

Alejandro Bulgheroni shares his own vision of why he started Bodega Garzón.

June 7, 2016 0 comment

Canelones & Montevideo Wineries Uruguay Family Boutique

Pablo Fallabrino (Viñedo de los Vientos)

by Pablo Ortiz June 7, 2016

written by Pablo Ortiz

Bodega Pablo Fallabrino, formerly Viñedo de los Vientos, is one of the most interesting wineries in Uruguay. Winemaker Pablo Fallabrino doesn’t like to play by the book, and his rule-breaking wines are a triumph for their unique character in the region. The winery and vineyards are located in the windy, coastal hills of Atlantida, east of Montevideo, which is great for zippy white wines and fresh reds like Nebbiolo. If you are in Pablo Fallabrino’s winery for a visit, try the Angel’s Cuvee – an amarone-style Tannat.

June 7, 2016 0 comment

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