The Uruguay River, Artigas, Paysandú and Salto frame Areniscas del Uruguay, a distinct viticultural region in the country's north. Vineyards lie on sandstone formations of differing size and composition, including the reddish, wind-formed quartz sandstones of the Tacuarembó Formation.
The region is warm and humid, with substantial day-to-night temperature shifts influenced by the river. Paysandú's fertile calcareous soils are associated with Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, while Salto has silty and sandy soils over well-drained gravel. The official regional description links the river and varied soils to the wines' character, and humidity to flavour and aroma. Tannat reached Salto around 1870, introduced by Pascual Harriague.
Inside the region
1 named area
Each guide keeps its place within Areniscas del Uruguay clear, with a direct route back to the map.
Producer profiles
Begin with this selection, or open the full directory when you want every producer currently placed in Areniscas del Uruguay.
- Bodega Cerro ChapeuA Carrau family estate in Rivera, Uruguay, planted on ancient iron-rich red sandy soils identified in 1973 through a UC Davis scientific study. The 1997 gravity-flow winery, the first built underground into a hillside in South America, moves wine by gravity from harvest to bottle.