Uruguay

Uruguay is South America’s fourth most important wine-producing country with an area under vines of more than 9,000 ha/ 22,200 acres, of which more than 95% is for wine production. Total wine production in 2011 was of 900,000 hl/19.5 million gallons.

The history of winemaking in the country is comparatively recent, starting as late as 1870, with vineyards planted by immigrants, mainly Basques and Italians. This tradition of ‘peasant’ smallholdings continues, with the average vineyard size being no more than 5 ha/12 acres. In all there are over 1,750 growers but fewer than 300 wineries, and only about 15% of those focus on higher quality and export. Wine was initially produced for local consumption and, with half the population of the country living in the capital Montevideo, four-fifths of the vineyards are in the immediately neighbouring departmentos, especially in Canelones. Most other vineyards are in the west, close to the Río de la Plata (River Plate), which forms the border with Argentina. Domestic wine consumption is high, and stable, currently standing at 22.5 l/6 gal per person per year.