Bodega Garzón

Bodega Garzón was founded by Argentine businessman Alejandro Bulgheroni and his wife Bettina following an US$85 million investment in the Maldonado department of Uruguay. The first 29 hectares of vines were planted in 2008, with an additional 213 hectares following that same fall. The winery building opened in 2016. The estate represents the first major international investment of its scale in Uruguayan wine and transformed Maldonado from a region with zero wine production to one with over 400 hectares within 20 years. Alto de la Ballena had pioneered the coastal hills as early as 2001, but Garzón accelerated the region's global recognition.

• First vines planted in 2008; winery opened 2016
• US$85 million investment by Alejandro and Bettina Bulgheroni
• Maldonado grew from zero to over 400 hectares of vines within 20 years
• Alto de la Ballena was the first modern pioneer in the region, establishing vineyards in 2001

Garzón sits approximately 18 to 20 kilometers from the Atlantic coast in the Maldonado sub-region, classified under Uruguay's broader Oceanic wine region. The estate's Atlantic-influenced temperate climate delivers consistent coastal breezes that moderate temperatures and slow sugar accumulation relative to phenolic development. Elevation of 160 meters, modest by global standards but significant within Uruguay's generally flat topography, produces cooler nights that preserve acidity and extend the growing season. This combination gives the wines a freshness and structure that distinguishes them from warmer Uruguayan production zones.

• Located 18-20 km from the Atlantic coast in the Maldonado Oceanic sub-region
• Temperate Atlantic climate with strong coastal winds moderating temperatures
• 160 meters elevation creates cooler nights that slow sugar ripening
• Part of the emerging Maldonado wine tourism corridor near Punta del Este

The vineyards sit on some of South America's oldest geological formations. The crystalline basement soils, formed over 2,500 million years ago, consist of decomposed granite, quartz, and gneiss. This ancient ballast, granite weathered with high mineral content, drains freely and forces vines to root deeply. Consultant winemaker Alberto Antonini leads a philosophy centred on expressing this terroir. The 240 planted hectares are divided into over 1,200 individual plots, each managed according to its specific soil composition, aspect, and drainage characteristics to maximise site expression in every wine.

• Crystalline basement soils over 2,500 million years old
• Granite, quartz, and gneiss composition with excellent drainage
• Over 1,200 individual vineyard plots mapped for terroir differences
• Alberto Antonini serves as consultant winemaker with terroir-focused philosophy

Tannat and Albariño are the flagship varieties, each showing a distinctive coastal character. Tannat here carries more refinement and less tannic power than its traditional Madiran counterpart, with Atlantic breezes softening the variety's typically austere structure. Albariño, grown in what is the largest Albariño vineyard in the Americas, expresses mineral tension and crisp salinity driven by granitic soils and ocean proximity. The estate also grows Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Marselan, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Viognier, Petit Manseng, and Caladoc, producing a portfolio of fresh, mineral-driven wines with strong place-specific character.

• Tannat shows greater refinement and freshness than traditional Madiran-style examples
• Albariño displays mineral tension and salinity from granitic soils and coastal influence
• Largest Albariño vineyard in the Americas located on the estate
• 12 grape varieties grown across the 240-hectare planted estate

Bodega Garzón is the first LEED Silver certified winery outside North America, operating with gravity-flow design, solar power, and wind energy across a 2.2 million litre capacity facility. The estate's 2,200 total hectares include native forests, palm trees, olive groves, a golf course, and a farm-to-table restaurant helmed by renowned Argentine chef Francis Mallmann. The winery holds a Pearl 4 Star Prestige rating as of 2025 and won Wine Enthusiast's New World Winery of the Year. Its wines reach over 35 countries, making it Uruguay's leading exporter to the USA, UK, and Asia.

• First LEED Silver certified winery outside North America
• Wine Enthusiast New World Winery of the Year; Pearl 4 Star Prestige (2025)
• Francis Mallmann operates the estate's farm-to-table restaurant
• Uruguay's largest wine exporter, shipping to 35+ countries