Plan a trip
A route through the vines
Pick a country and a style, and we'll sketch a few days through it — real sub-regions in a sensible order, with what to expect at each stop and when to go, drawn from everything already on the site.
Where to
Style preference
Your route
A focused 3-stop route through Uruguay
The character of this trip
Tannat, the Atlantic and an easy pace
Uruguay is South America's quiet wine country: small family estates, Tannat as the national grape, and breezes off the ocean and the river. Its three areas sit within a few hours of Montevideo, so the trip is short but varied: Canelones nearest the capital, Atlantic Maldonado beyond it, and historic Colonia on the Río de la Plata. Lunch is generous and nobody is in a hurry.
A focused route through what's currently documented
Uruguay has 3 places mapped on Ampelos so far. The route below draws on the ones within reach of each other — enough for a short, honest route rather than a full itinerary — and will grow as more of the country is documented.
Stops
3
Total driving
~351 km
Behind the wheel
6h 23min
Worth setting aside
5–7 days
Notable producers
- Bodega Garzón — A large, sustainable estate at Pueblo Garzón, known for Tannat, Albariño and Marselan.
- Alto de la Ballena — A small family estate in Maldonado.
- Sacromonte — A boutique estate in Maldonado.
Best time to visit
Come for harvest, in mid-autumn (April), when the cellars are busiest — or earlier, in early summer (December), for a quieter, greener look at the vines.
~144 km · 2h 37min to the next stop
From Maldonado, the route turns toward Canelones. The climate here: maritime, humid.
What to expect
Notable producers
- Bouza — A family estate near Montevideo, known for Tannat and Albariño.
- Familia Deicas — Juanicó; a large family estate for Tannat and Merlot.
- Pisano — Progreso; a family winery working with Tannat and old vines.
Best time to visit
Come for harvest, in mid-autumn (April), when the cellars are busiest — or earlier, in early summer (December), for a quieter, greener look at the vines.
~207 km · 3h 46min to the next stop
Colonia feels different from Canelones, in the glass and in the air: maritime, humid, then temperate maritime.
What to expect
Notable producers
- Los Cerros de San Juan — Founded in 1854 and often described as Uruguay's oldest winery.
- Familia Irurtia — A family estate known for Tannat, in the Colonia countryside.
- Narbona — An estate and wine lodge in Carmelo.
Best time to visit
Come for harvest, in mid-autumn (April), when the cellars are busiest — or earlier, in early summer (December), for a quieter, greener look at the vines.