Expert’s choice: Uruguay

Many wine lovers around the world are yet to taste Uruguayan wines. This is perhaps because of the small scale of the country’s wine production and Uruguay’s relatively recent arrival on the international wine scene. Bearing in mind that only 5% of the country’s bottled wines are exported, this tasting showcases fully half of the producers who export the highest quality Vinos de Calidad Preferente (VCP) wines.

The predominance of red wines is perhaps not surprising in a country where most of the land is dedicated to beef production. Uruguay has the highest per capita consumption of beef in the world (56kg, followed closely by Argentina with 54kg). Of the 6,100ha of vineyards in Uruguay, 4,900ha are