In 1975, Quico Carrau Pujol, in collaboration with the University of California Davis, began the search for a terroir to plant the first virus-free vines. This place had to have qualities that would adapt to the climate of Uruguay, sandy soils and slopes that would allow good drainage to avoid excess water in the vine. After going through and analysing different soils in the South of Brazil and North of Uruguay, they found this property in Rivera, Cerro Chapeu, in Cuchilla de Santana, with sandy, reddish and deep soils, with low fertility and very good drainage. It is here where the project of selecting vineyards that would adapt to this place began.
In 1997 Francisco Carrau, ninth generation and youngest son of Quico, after touring wineries in different parts of the world, designed the winery, deciding to build it inside a hill to take advantage of gravity and thus achieve vinification with minimal manipulation of the musts.
Currently, Bodegas Carrau is a family business, where five brothers pay tribute to over 260 years of wisdom generated by their ancestors.
Francisco Carrau – Winemaking Legend, Tim Atkin MW Uruguay Report 2021.
Vineyards
Vineyards planted at 250 meters above sea level in soils of aeolian origin, red sand, with great depth and water retention capacity.
Vinification
Handpicked into 15kg boxes. Made with 80% Tannat co-pigmentation with 20% of Petit Manseng’s first press skins. Tannat bunches are destemmed over the tanks and combined with 20% skins from 1st. Press of Petit Manseng grapes. Fermented with selected native yeast in stainless steel tanks with pumping over twice a day for 6 days. It finished the 2nd fermentation in 2nd wine barrels where it completed malolactic fermentation. Then it’s kept for just a few months for natural clarification. Then bottled with nominal So2.
Tasting Notes
Bright nose with black sour cherries, herbs and stones, as well as some grapes and a hint of lemon zest. Perfumed and racy with a very supple, round palate. Really silky, smooth and characterful with generous, juicy fruit.
Great with duck pancakes with Hoisin sauce.
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