Do you know Bodega Garzón? I recently had the pleasure to meet with winemaker German Bruzzone, wine educator and enologist Mele Sosa, and my girl @historyandwine for lunch at @quinto.miami.
Named after the area in which it sits, Bodega Garzón is the largest winery in Uruguay and is also the first sustainable, LEED certified (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) winery outside North America. They have more than 1,200 different plots, each with its own microclimate, orientation, and varied levels of humidity, sun exposure, and soil characteristics. They plant more than 20 grape varieties and the breakdown of their portfolio is estate, reserva, single vineyards, and petit clos (single vineyards).
We had a deliciously Uruguayan lunch paired with Bodega Garzón’s fabulous wines. Peep the lineup…
🍷Extra Brut | A perfect treat because German started creating sparkling wine just for his own consumption. I’m glad he did!
🍷Single Vineyard Albariño 2022 | Albariño is their focus, and they have the largest Albariño vineyards in the Americas.
🍷Reserva Albariño 2022 | The difference between this one and the single vineyard is where they grow the grapes. Best quote from Mele—tastes like white flesh peaches and magnolia flowers making love on an oyster shell.
🍷Marselan 2021 | This is a wine for geeks. They started growing it in 2006 and it’s easy to grow, versatile, and resistant to humidity.
🍷Petit Clos Cabernet Franc 2017 | They are planting more and more of this for climate change reasons.
🍷Single Vineyard Petit Verdot 2020 | They won awards for this in 2020 and changed the label. That year was textbook perfection.
🍷Single Vineyard Tannat 2020 | There’s more Tannat in Uruguay than in southwest France. Theirs is perfectly ready for drinking because the terroir, ocean, etc. mellows the seeds and tannins.
🍷Balasto 2018 | This is the only blend they make. They use up to five grapes (Tannat, Cab France, Marselan, Petit Verdot, and Merlot) and it changes every year. The name comes from the name of the soil. The ink even has balasto in it. They compare the wine to a ballerina—muscles, core, intention, and elegance. Delicious.
And here are the nomzzz…
🍴Pulpo a la Plancha, Empanada Salteña, and Empanada Humita
🍴Entraña, Papas Fritas, Hongos Asados, and Verduras al Horno
🍴Fondant de Dulce de Leche
These Bodega Garzón wines were so deliciously perfect, especially for our Miami climate. I’m excited to try more (they produce nearly 30 different wines) and one day visit!
