The best wines of Uruguay

Discover the best wines of Uruguay as well as the best winemakers of Uruguay and estates of Uruguay to visit. Explore the popular grape varieties of Uruguay and the best vintages to taste in this region.

Top wines by regions >Uruguay

Top wines of Uruguay by region

Looking for a good wine of Uruguay among the top wines in the region? Check out our tops of the best red, white or effervescent wines of Uruguay. Also find some food and wine pairings that may be appropriate with these exceptional wines. Learn more about the region and the wines of Uruguay with technical and enological descriptions.

Great red wines of Uruguay

See the top 100 best red wines of Uruguay

Want to buy a red wine of Uruguay cheap or sell a red wine of Uruguay at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.

Food and wine pairing with a red wine of Uruguay

Red wines from the region of Uruguay go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of beef luc lake, lamb tagine with prunes or roast deer my grandmother's way.

Organoleptic analysis of red wine of Uruguay

On the nose the red wine of the region of Uruguay. often reveals types of flavors of oaky, violet or black currant and sometimes also flavors of black fruits, strawberries or dried fruit. In the mouth the red wine of the region of Uruguay. is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.

The best vintages in red wine of Uruguay

  • 2019With an average score of 4.60/5
  • 2010With an average score of 4.48/5
  • 2009With an average score of 4.44/5
  • 2015With an average score of 4.44/5
  • 2014With an average score of 4.44/5
  • 2016With an average score of 4.42/5

The most used grape varieties in red wine of Uruguay

  • Tannat
  • Merlot
  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Shiraz/Syrah
  • Cabernet Franc

The best wineries and winemakers for red wine of Uruguay

A wine route planned in the region of Uruguay? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best red wine of Uruguay.

Discovering the wine region of Uruguay

Uruguay is the fourth largest wine producing country in Chile/south-region">South America. Wine Grapes have been grown here for more than 250 years, although commercial viticulture only began in the second half of the 19th century, about two centuries after Chile and Argentina. In recent decades, Uruguayan wine has quietly and steadily emerged on the world wine market, not as dramatically as that of its larger neighbors, but with a promising Balance and confidence. No summary of Uruguayan wine is complete without mentioning Tannat, the robust, Tannic red wine that has played a key role in the country's rise to prominence.

Just as Chile has its Carmenere and Argentina its Malbec, Tannat has become Uruguay's "iconic" grape. The first Tannat vines to arrive here were shipped across the Atlantic by 19th century settlers from the Basque Country (the autonomous communities between southern France and Northern Spain). Don Pascual Harriague is the man generally credited with spreading Tannat throughout Uruguay; for a Long time the name Harriague was used as a synonym for the grape. The family lineage of these original Tannat vines has remained largely intact, a genetic snapshot of the rustic wine of southern France at that time.

Modern Tannat clones imported from today's French vineyards have proven to be quite distinct, offering more Powerful (if structurally simpler) wines with higher Alcohol and lower Acidity. It is ironic that this New World style emerges from an Old World wine country and that one of the world's "newest" wine countries produces such Old World wines. Tannat in all its forms has proved well adapted to the South American climate - clearly better, in fact, than that of the heart of southwestern France, whose Madiran vineyards could be considered the grape's spiritual home. As viticulture and winemaking techniques continue to advance in Uruguay, the ability to capitalize on this synergy will only increase, likely confirming Uruguay's status as a reliable source of world-class red wine.

Great white wines of Uruguay

See the top 100 best white wines of Uruguay

Want to buy a white wine of Uruguay cheap or sell a white wine of Uruguay at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.

Food and wine pairing with a white wine of Uruguay

White wines from the region of Uruguay go well with generally quite well with dishes of pork, game (deer, venison) or rich fish (salmon, tuna etc) such as recipes of pan-fried black pudding with apples, provençal tart with rabbit or baked cod portuguese style.

Organoleptic analysis of white wine of Uruguay

On the nose the white wine of the region of Uruguay. often reveals types of flavors of vanilla, pear or smoke and sometimes also flavors of apples, peach or green apple.

The best vintages in white wine of Uruguay

  • 2005With an average score of 4.40/5
  • 2007With an average score of 4.36/5
  • 2009With an average score of 4.28/5
  • 2006With an average score of 4.10/5
  • 2010With an average score of 4.09/5
  • 2018With an average score of 4.03/5

The most used grape varieties in white wine of Uruguay

  • Chardonnay
  • Albariño
  • Petit Manseng
  • Viognier
  • Sauvignon Gris
  • Riesling

The best wineries and winemakers for white wine of Uruguay

A wine route planned in the region of Uruguay? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best white wine of Uruguay.

Discover the grape variety: Tannat

Tannat is a red grape variety from Béarn which belongs to the cotoïdes family. Present in several vineyards of France, it occupies nearly 3,000 ha. Its leaves are reddish with tan patches. Its bunches are either of normal size or larger. Its berries have a thin skin and are rounded. Its foliage has a swarthy appearance. This variety must be pruned long because it is vigorous. It likes sandy and gravelly soils. Tannat is often exposed to leafhoppers and mites. It is also somewhat susceptible to grey rot. It has 11 approved clones, including 474, 717 and 794. Once mature, this variety produces acidic, fruity, tannic, acidic and full-bodied wines. Various aromas emerge, notably tobacco, cinnamon and exotic wood. Tannat is rarely used alone. It is combined with iron-servadou to obtain a fruitier taste or with cabernet sauvignon to be more rounded.

Great sparkling wines of Uruguay

See the top 100 best sparkling wines of Uruguay

Want to buy a sparkling wine of Uruguay cheap or sell a sparkling wine of Uruguay at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.

Food and wine pairing with a sparkling wine of Uruguay

Sparkling wines from the region of Uruguay go well with generally quite well with dishes of veal, pork or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of porcini sauce, endives au gratin without béchamel sauce or alice's rabbit.

Organoleptic analysis of sparkling wine of Uruguay

On the nose the sparkling wine of the region of Uruguay. often reveals types of flavors of citrus fruit, non oak or microbio and sometimes also flavors of tree fruit.

The best vintages in sparkling wine of Uruguay

  • 2010With an average score of 4.10/5
  • 2005With an average score of 3.90/5
  • 2015With an average score of 3.89/5
  • 1898With an average score of 3.80/5
  • 2018With an average score of 3.70/5
  • 2013With an average score of 3.65/5

The most used grape varieties in sparkling wine of Uruguay

  • Chardonnay
  • Pinot Noir
  • Pinot Meunier
  • Viognier
  • Moscato
  • Moscato Giallo

The best wineries and winemakers for sparkling wine of Uruguay

A wine route planned in the region of Uruguay? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best sparkling wine of Uruguay.

The word of the wine: Frank

Said of a wine that is open and delivers itself immediately, and whose clarity excludes any defect.

Great pink wines of Uruguay

See the top 100 best pink wines of Uruguay

Want to buy a pink wine of Uruguay cheap or sell a pink wine of Uruguay at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.

Food and wine pairing with a pink wine of Uruguay

Pink wines from the region of Uruguay go well with generally quite well with dishes of veal, pork or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of veal tagine with artichokes and lemons, turkey roulades, flavoured sauce or rabbit with leeks.

Organoleptic analysis of pink wine of Uruguay

On the nose the pink wine of the region of Uruguay. often reveals types of flavors of oaky, non oak or oak and sometimes also flavors of black fruit, red fruit or microbio.

The best vintages in pink wine of Uruguay

  • 2010With an average score of 3.95/5
  • 2019With an average score of 3.84/5
  • 2020With an average score of 3.80/5
  • 2018With an average score of 3.79/5
  • 2017With an average score of 3.69/5
  • 2012With an average score of 3.63/5

The most used grape varieties in pink wine of Uruguay

  • Pinot Noir
  • Tannat
  • Cabernet Franc
  • Chardonnay
  • Tempranillo
  • Merlot

The best wineries and winemakers for pink wine of Uruguay

A wine route planned in the region of Uruguay? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best pink wine of Uruguay.

Discover the grape variety: Viognier

White Viognier is a grape variety that originated in France (Rhone Valley). It produces a variety of grape specially used for wine making. It is rare to find this grape to eat on our tables. This variety of grape is characterized by small bunches, and grapes of small size. White Viognier can be found in many vineyards: South West, Languedoc & Roussillon, Cognac, Bordeaux, Rhone Valley, Burgundy, Jura, Champagne, Savoie & Bugey, Provence & Corsica, Loire Valley, Beaujolais.

Great sweet wines of Uruguay

See the top 100 best sweet wines of Uruguay

Want to buy a sweet wine of Uruguay cheap or sell a sweet wine of Uruguay at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.

Food and wine pairing with a sweet wine of Uruguay

Sweet wines from the region of Uruguay go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, game (deer, venison) or rich fish (salmon, tuna etc) such as recipes of shepherd's pie (quebec!), conejo al ajillo (spain) or pasta gratin.

Organoleptic analysis of sweet wine of Uruguay

On the nose the sweet wine of the region of Uruguay. often reveals types of flavors of peach, apricot or honey and sometimes also flavors of earth, tree fruit or citrus fruit. In the mouth the sweet wine of the region of Uruguay. is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.

The best vintages in sweet wine of Uruguay

  • 2008With an average score of 4.17/5
  • 2015With an average score of 4.17/5
  • 2006With an average score of 4.14/5
  • 2007With an average score of 4.12/5
  • 2017With an average score of 4.04/5
  • 2014With an average score of 4.00/5

The most used grape varieties in sweet wine of Uruguay

  • Tannat
  • Gewürztraminer
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Merlot
  • Castelao
  • Sauvignon Gris

The best wineries and winemakers for sweet wine of Uruguay

A wine route planned in the region of Uruguay? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best sweet wine of Uruguay.

The word of the wine: Hat

Solid part (marc), composed of pips and skins (sometimes of the stalk), which forms at the top of the tank during fermentation. The pigeage consists in breaking this cap to put back in suspension these elements and to favour the exchanges between the juice and the skins.

Great natural sweet wines of Uruguay

See the top 100 best natural sweet wines of Uruguay

Want to buy a natural-sweet wine of Uruguay cheap or sell a natural-sweet wine of Uruguay at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.

Food and wine pairing with a natural-sweet wine of Uruguay

Natural sweet wines from the region of Uruguay go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef such as recipes of pork chops with potatoes.

Organoleptic analysis of natural-sweet wine of Uruguay

On the nose the natural sweet wine of the region of Uruguay. often reveals types of flavors of coffee, chocolate or caramel and sometimes also flavors of mint, non oak or microbio.

The best vintages in natural-sweet wine of Uruguay

  • 2015With an average score of 4.30/5
  • 2007With an average score of 4.30/5
  • 2018With an average score of 4.20/5
  • 2013With an average score of 4.10/5
  • 2016With an average score of 4.00/5
  • 2010With an average score of 4.00/5

The most used grape varieties in natural-sweet wine of Uruguay

  • Tannat

The best wineries and winemakers for natural-sweet wine of Uruguay

A wine route planned in the region of Uruguay? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best natural-sweet wine of Uruguay.

    Discover the grape variety: Chardonnay

    The white Chardonnay is a grape variety that originated in France (Burgundy). It produces a variety of grape specially used for wine making. It is rare to find this grape to eat on our tables. This variety of grape is characterized by small bunches, and small grapes. White Chardonnay can be found in many vineyards: South West, Burgundy, Jura, Languedoc & Roussillon, Cognac, Bordeaux, Beaujolais, Savoie & Bugey, Loire Valley, Champagne, Rhone Valley, Armagnac, Lorraine, Alsace, Provence & Corsica.

    News from the vineyard of Uruguay

    Decanter magazine latest issue: October 2022

    Inside the October 2022 issue of Decanter Magazine: FEATURES French influence in Argentina Tim Atkin MW traces a long and mutually beneficial relationship California Cabernet Franc It’s a red on the rise, says Karen MacNeil Willamette Valley Pinot Gris Advantage Oregon? By Clive Pursehouse & Michael Alberty País in Chile By Darren Smith Uruguay’s coastal whites A fresh look, with Amanda Barnes Chianti Classico & Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Michaela Morris on the Tuscan new-vintage rele ...

    In recent years, more and more people have been paying attention to Uruguay’s wine scene thanks to the distinctive identity of its coastal regions, which are swept by winds from the Atlantic Ocean and the Río de la Plata. The country’s proximity to the ocean and one of the largest rivers on the planet means that the vintage effect is quite prominent here. Each harvest depends on the rainfall, sun and strength of the winds experienced that year. Today, Uruguay has around 5,966ha under vine distri ...

    Amanda Barnes wins John Avery Award for The South America Wine Guide

    Amanda Barnes has been awarded the John Avery Award for her The South America Wine Guide book, which was described as ‘heralding a new era’ in wine travel books. The book, which is the result of a decade of research conducted by Barnes while travelling the continent, details the wine regions, wines and producers of Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru. It highlights over 70 wine regions and maps out 40 in detail — many of which have never before been mapped or documented in the En ...

    Discover other regions and appellation of Uruguay