URUGUAY’S MOMENT

You’ve probably heard the expression “good things come in small packages.” Such is the wine story of Uruguay, a country that’s tiny by size and output, but increasingly, a source for opulent as well as elegant wines.

Tucked between Argentina and Brazil on South America’s eastern side, Uruguay is a country of only 3.5 million people, with a long wine history. In the 18th century, European immigrants came to Uruguay with grapes in tow. A century later, Basque settlers planted Tannat, a powerfully tannic red grape with 13th-century roots in France’s mountainous southwest.

Over the ensuing century and a half, Tannat stood the test of time. It’s been replanted over and over with better-performing French clones to become Uruguay’s signature grape. When made well, it yields a dark-tinted, full-bodied and lush wine similar to Argentine Malbec.

Overall, Tannat accounts for more than 4,000 acres of vines planted largely along the country’s fertile and temperate