Behind the Cork™ - Three Excellent Examples of Albarino from Uruguay

Wine has been made in Uruguay for a long time. Like other Latin American countries whose growth was fueled by European immigration in the mid-19th century, wine was made to satisfy the thirst of those nostalgic for their homeland. Bordered by the Uruguay River, the Río de la Plata, and the Atlantic Ocean, Uruguay today boasts 168 wineries, most of them family-owned, that between them produce 10 million cases to meet a current annual demand of around 20 liters (5.28 gallons) per capita.

Here are three excellent examples of Albariño from Uruguay:

2024 Bouza Albariño ($28)

Hailing from Galicia, the Bouza family were the first to plant Albariño in Uruguay, a variety that has now eclipsed Chardonnay to become the third most widely planted white grape.

This wine is produced from 100% Albariño that is undergoes pre-fermentation maceration for four hours. 90% of the wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks while 10% is fermented in French oak barrels. It is then aged on-lees for four months. (ABV: 12.5%, Total Acidity: 3.9 g/L, pH:3.05, RS: 1.9 g/L).

This wine is pale gold in color with a delicate aromas. On the palate, this medium-light bodied wine has subtle flavors of nectarine and grapefruit and medium acidity. It finishes soft and smooth with hints of minerality and saline.

2024 Familia Deicas Atlantico Sur Albariño ($20)

Santiago Deicas grows Albariño at his estate vineyards in Canelones and Maldonado, and finds that he prefers the “explosive flavor” of the grape in the clay and calcareous soils of Juanicó, in Canelones.

Produced from 100% Albariño that is fermented and stored in a tank with lees stirring for several months. It is aged in chilled tanks for four to six months. (ABV: 12.3%, Total Acidity: 4.2 g/L, pH: 3.13)

This wine is medium gold in color with a light aroma. On the palate, this Albariño has flavors of nectarine and grapefruit and finishes with a slight hint of tartness.

2023 Bodega Garzón Single Vineyard Albariño ($35)

Antonio Antonini considered the granitic soils of Garzón and the rainy Atlantic climate when he suggested the team at Bodega Garzón plant Albariño—and they now produce three in each vintage. Their single vineyard used for this wine lies in its southern orientation that shelters the vines from the intense sunlight and direct exposure to the ocean breeze.

This wine is produced from 100% Albariño that is fermented in cement tanks before being aged on-lees for 8 months also in cement tanks. (ABV: 14%, TA: 7.6 g/L, pH: 3.21, RS: 2.7 g/L)

Medium gold in color with an aroma of honeydew. On the palate, this medium-bodied wine has flavors of apricot and citrus along with medium-high acidity. The finish is balanced and smooth.

These three Albariño wines are excellent examples of the wines being produced in Uruguay. And, at these prices, are great fits as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Bodega Bouza, Bodega Familia Deicas and Bodega Garzón

What Wine Goes Best with a Traditional Thanksgiving Meal?

If you are serving the traditional turkey dinner this Thanksgiving, you might think that serving a white wine is the right thing to do. While most white wines do go well with turkey, there are plenty of other options. 

Traditional white wine choices include:

  • Gewürztraminer - One of the Thanksgiving favorites. This is a highly aromatic wine with floral touches and spice notes such as cloves and nutmeg.

  • Riesling - This has spicy, fruity flavors with touches of peaches or apricots and a floral fragrance that compliments the meal well.

  • Sauvignon Blanc - Light and crisp, with grassy or herbaceous flavors and higher acidity.  This wine goes well with all the rich foods on the table.

  • Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris) - Light and zesty with flavors of lemon, melon and peach.

  • Albariño - Light-bodied and high in acidity. It can have a rich, creamy texture from oak or lees aging. It will also sometimes have a slightly salty (saline) flavor.

  • Chardonnay - A common choice, but it's best to go with the lighter and fruiter un-oaked versions that work best with all the flavors on the Thanksgiving table.

Also, don't forget that sparkling wines go well with almost any meal and are a natural pairing with turkey. And, a dry rosé will work quite nicely with your turkey meal as well.

But turkey, by itself, is a pretty neutral meat.  And therefore, you should actually focus on pairing your wines with all the fixings that go along with the turkey. It may be a bit surprising, but a red wine will often work exceptionally well with your meal.  Just as cranberry sauce goes well with the turkey, a fruity red wine is also a great choice.

Some red wine options include:

  • Beaujolais - Light, dry and fresh with fruity flavors. And you can serve it chilled.

  • Pinot Noir - A light bodied red with flavors of cherry, raspberry and strawberry. In the French wine section at your store, this is called a red Burgundy. And this too can be served slightly chilled.

  • Carignan - This red wine is a bit higher in tannins and acid, and has flavors of dark and black fruits, pepper, licorice, and spicy, savory aromas.

  • Rhône Blends - Rhône wines focus on Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre grapes, producing medium-bodied blends.

  • Zinfandel - This medium bodied red wine can really work with a Thanksgiving meal. It has characteristics that include plummy, jammy flavors with spicy or peppery notes.

Avoid the dry and highly tannic red wines (e.g., Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah) which can get lost in the presence of all the fruit, sugar, and salt on the Thanksgiving table.

But, as always, ensure that you drink what you like. That's most important. Enjoy your Thanksgiving. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Familia Traversa Sauvignon Blanc

2024 Traversa Sauvignon Blanc ($16)

Uruguayan wines have unique qualities given the country’s geographical location, climate, and soil diversity. Located between parallels 30° and 35° (south latitude), the clear, positive influence of the sea moderates the temperatures during the hottest months of the year, granting Uruguayan wines with a particularly fresh touch.

It was 1904 when Carlos Domingo Traversa and his parents arrived in Uruguay. The son of Italian immigrants, he spent his youth as a vineyard worker and in 1937, together with his wife, María Josefa Salort, he was able to purchase 5 hectares (12 acres) of land in Montevideo, in a region providing optimum conditions for growing vines. In 1956, he founded the winery aided by his children Dante, Luis, and Armando. They, along with his grandchildren, proudly keep his dream alive today.

The vineyards for these Sauvignon Blanc grapes are located in Montevideo, South of Uruguay, just 15 km away from sea. This wine comes from 20 year-old vines.

This Familia Traversa Sauvignon Blanc is produced from 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes that are pressed, and the resulting must is transported into stainless-steel tanks for the entire fermentation process that uses two types of selected yeasts. (ABV: 13.5%)

This Sauvignon Blanc is light gold in color with aromas of pineapple, green apple, lime and herbal notes. On the palate, it has bright citrus flavors, moderate acidity, some minerality and finishes light and refreshing.

This Familia Traversa Sauvignon Blanc from Uruguay is very enjoyable and affordable thus making it a great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Familia Traversa Winery

It's Time for Beaujolais Nouveau Again!

Georges Deboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau

Thursday November 21st is Beaujolais Nouveau Day!

Beaujolais Nouveau. Its name literally means 'new Beaujolais.' This wine is named for the village of Beaujeu in France, which is a small region just south of Burgundy.

On the third Thursday of each November, France releases Beaujolais Nouveau wine to the world. That means that it will be available on Thursday November 21th this year.

The 'new' part of this wine is due to the fact that the grapes used to make this wine are picked from the vineyards just a couple of months prior to its release! That's compared to most wines that spend a year or more going through the fermentation and aging process before being bottled and shipped to market.  But Beaujolais Nouveau gets from the vineyard to you in about two months!

Word has it that this wine was originally produced for the harvest workers in France to immediately thank them for all their hard work just after harvest was complete. But now its production is somewhere between 30-60 million bottles so that the entire world can enjoy.

Although there are more than 100 Beaujolais Nouveau festivals held each year in the Beaujolais region, the 'Les Sarmentelles' multi-day festival is said to be the biggest and most famous for celebrating the release of Beaujolais Nouveau. The festival includes music, dancing, fireworks and plenty of wine.

This wine is produced entirely from handpicked Gamay grapes and because it is so new, it is very fresh and fruity. Many describe Beaujolais Nouveau as having flavors of candied cherries, strawberries, red plum, bananas and even bubble gum.

Beaujolais Nouveau is meant to be enjoyed young, not critiqued. So, pick up a bottle or two next week and give it a slight chill. Then raise a glass of Beaujolais Nouveau to the French harvest workers. It's Beaujolais Nouveau time! Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Tempranillo Wines of Gonzalez Byass

November 14th is International Tempranillo Day! Here are three really nice Tempranillo wines from Gonzalez Byass:

2016 Beronia Gran Reserva ($29.00)

A Gran Reserva from Rioja, like this one, spends a minimum of two years aging in oak and three years in the bottle before being sold.

This wine is deep purple in color with aromas of sweet, jammy dark fruit. On the palate, this full-bodied wine has flavors of black cherry and tart cherry, with medium tannin and medium acidity. The oak is well integrated to make it well-balanced. You’ll never go wrong with this wine.


2016 Dominio Fournier Reserva ($49.99)

This is a fine example of “Tinta del País” or Tempranillo. The “Reserva” designation indicates that it is required to be aged for one year in oak and then spend two years in the bottle before being sold.

This wine, from Ribera del Duero, is produced from 100% Tempranillo. It it deep purple in color with delicate aromas of black cherry and hints of its 15 months of aging in new French oak. On the palate, this full-bodied wine has the distinctive Tempranillo flavor of cherry with firm tannin, medium acidity and finishes with just a bit of tartness.

2020 Beronia Vereia Single Vineyard ($79.99)

This wine comes from the single vineyard plot that was first planted in 1950at Beronia of Rioja.

This wine is made from 100% Tempranillo that was aged for 12 months in new French oak before spending 10 months in the bottle before its release.

It is deep purple in color with delicate dark-fruit aromas. On the palate it has good flavors of red and black cherry. The new oak aging yields a rich vanilla flavor on the finish.

Gonzalez Byass USA is a leading national importer and marketer of wines and spirits from the Gonzalez Byass family’s estates in Spain, Chile and Mexico. These three Tempranillo wines from Gonzalez Byass are excellent wines and this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Gonzalez Byass