Uruguay not on your wine map? It should be! Due east of Argentina, this coastal country has been quietly producing quality wine for years now. This is a stunning white that cleverly blends Chardonnay with a touch of a rare Italian variety Arneis. This grape is only really found in the north of Italy, and indeed this is the only vineyard of it in all of Uruguay! The result is subtle, savoury and a little nutty. There are some complex flint/matchstick tones, with plenty of almond and pear. This is really savoury, with clean acidity and although weighty it is not overbearing. Really great stuff.

The world of wine keeps on turning, and each year, we’re discovering great new bottles from parts of the globe which are starting to get a foothold on the international wine scene. There’s been plenty of talk about Uruguay recently, and after checking out the produce of Vinedos de los Vientos, it’s not difficult to see why: this New World winery in the heart of Uruguay’s premier grape growing region is delivering seriously impressive results. Vinedos de los Vientos as it is today may have been set up in the late 90’s, but it’s an operation with a strong connection to the viticultural history of Uruguay, and seeks to inject some of that sense of heritage into each and every bottle. The origins of the winery stretch back to the 1920s, when Angelo Fallabrino did as so many of his Italian compatriots did, and fled war-torn Italy for the promise of a new life across the Atlantic. Being a native of Piedmont, Angelo had fine wine in his blood, and quickly recognised the potential of the Uruguayan soils for fine grape growing. Along with his son, Alejandro, they set about creating what would become one of Uruguay’s first major viticultural businesses, inspiring many others do to the same along the way. Fast forward two generations later, and grandson Pablo took helm of his forebears’ vineyards. Pablo had seen the unstoppable rise of Chile and Argentina as forces to be reckoned with on the contemporary wine scene (and no doubt was carefully watching developments in Brazil, Mexico, and elsewhere across south and central America, too), and took the time to set up a state-of-the-art modern winery, capable of competing on the world stage. The methods and equipment may have been brand spanking new, but the philosophy - allowing the soil and fruit to be expressed fully in the bottle, and making the most of the exquisite terroir he’d inherited - was as old as the hills themselves. The result? True Uruguayan wine, made with love, respect for tradition, and with both eyes set firmly on the future. Uruguay not on your wine map? It should be! Due east of Argentina, this coastal country has been quietly producing quality wine for years now. This is a stunning white that cleverly blends Chardonnay with a touch of a rare Italian variety Arneis. This grape is only really found in the north of Italy, and indeed this is the only vineyard of it in all of Uruguay! The result is subtle, savoury and a little nutty. There are some complex flint/matchstick tones, with plenty of almond and pear. This is really savoury, with clean acidity and although weighty it is not overbearing. Really great stuff.