Bodega Garzón is located in Uraguay, recognized worldwide for Tannat. It has become the iconic grape of the country, given its unique, velvety flavour and countless international awards it has received. Its production is more substantial than in regions in the Southeast of France where the variety is indigenous to, and has local characteristics that make the variety unique.
TL;DR
- When Alejandro Bulgheroni and his wife, Bettina discovered Garzón, they had a family dream came true – to have the most emblematic winery of modern viticulture in Uruguay and premium wines with an intense personality and a deep sense of belonging to the land.
- Bodega Garzón is located in Uraguay, recognized worldwide for Tannat. It has become the iconic grape of the country, given its unique, velvety flavour and countless international awards it has received.
- Close to the Uruguayn Atlantic coast and 160meters above sea level, the vine was planted in a priviledged native land imprinting a unique, inimitable personality on the grapes.
Each glass of Uruguayan wine encompasses centuries of history, secrets and transformation. Wine has become part of the country’s mystique, tradition and economy. Uruguay is located between Brazil and Argentina, and stands as one of the most prominent countries in the Latin American winegrowing world. It is on the same latitude as Argentina, Chile, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand – and its temperate climate favour growing grapevines throughout its territory. Close to the Uruguayn Atlantic coast and 160meters above sea level, the vine was planted in a priviledged native land imprinting a unique, inimitable personality on the grapes. Along with a temperate weather and organic practices developed in plantations, it allows each wine to reflect the authentic personality of the Garzón terroir.
Geology in the Garzón area belongs to what is known as Crystalline Basement, which gave origin to the oldest soils in the planet over 2500 million years ago. When those rocks are altered and broken down through million years of geology, a fantastic soil of weathered rock is formed, called Ballast. The ballast hills have excellent frainage and several minerals that are absorbed by the roots of the vine, making wines vibrant, energetic and complex, turning Garzón into a suitable place for specialized viticulture.
Another key element of the terroir is the strong influence of the Atlantic Ocean, which is only 18km away. This leads to a steady, pleasant fresh breeze that caresses the vines, an effect noticed in the wines.
Each plot of parcel has its own microclimate, different orientations, varied levels of humidity, sun exposure and soil characteristics, producing small vineyards of incredible biodiversity within them, including indigenous forests and natural palm trees.
Located over natural terraces and built in the hills, the winery presents a staggering design that uses gravity system to produce fine wines of the utmost quality. Their efficient facilities maximize the use of energy resources while generating wind and photovoltaic energy. They have three fermentation and one aging areas with stainless steel containters, epoxy-free concrete tanks and oak truncated cone-shaped vats that allow wines to fully express the character of the terroir.
Grapes are hand-picked at optimum ripeness. Hand selecting bunches guarantees that the grapes to be fermented will be of the utmost quality. The vinification process minimizes any possible intervention for maximum conservation of the typical characteristics of Garzoón’s native land. The 19,050 meter square building has a capacity of 2.2 million liters and is the first sustainable, LEED certified winery outside North America, following the strict requirements set by the United States Green Building Council.
History
When Alejandro Bulgheroni and his wife, Bettina discovered Garzón, they had a family dream came true – to have the most emblematic winery of modern viticulture in Uruguay and premium wines with an intense personality and a deep sense of belonging to the land. With the advice of international enologist, Alberto Antonini, they applied their philosophy focused on producing wines that are a true expression of their origins. Experts on viticulture, environmental care, gastronomy, hospitality and tourism complete a team committed to this unprecedented project.
