Est. Juanico > Uruguay

The Establecimiento Juanico estate was begun in 1755 in the region of Southern Uruguay of the same name. In 1979 the Deicas family purchased the estate and invested heavily in order to bring the winery into the 21st century. The winery is reckoned to be today the most technically advanced in Uruguay. The Juanico winery manages 240 hectares (575 acres) of its own vineyards and a little more than 150 hectares (360 acres) of contracted grape producers vineyards. These growers work throughout the year in close collaboration, and exclusively for Juanico. They work under the supervision of Juanico vineyard staff following the same procedures as those in the Juanico vineyards. This gives a transfer of vineyard skills unprecedented in Uruguay that has now been taken as a model of good vineyard management. All the harvest is done by hand.

The Juanico region is characterized by a maritime climate which is ideal for quality viticulture. The soils are chalk and clay with a high content of minerals. The gently rolling landscape allows for good drainage and helps to define this unique terroir.

The Don Pascual line is named as a tribute to Don Pascual Harriague, who was the first to introduce the Tannat grape variety to the Uruguayan vineyards

Est. Juanico Website

Don Pascual Viognier Reserve

The very ripest grapes are harvested and fermented at low temperatures so as to emphasize its fresh and fruity varietal aromas.

A bright colour, almost amber, with intense notes of apricot, honey and tropical fruits and a subtle floral note. A rich sensation that is full bodied on the palate with balanced natural acidity and a long finish.

Don Pascual Tannat/Merlot

The very best qualities of each grape variety blend together perfectly in this classic Uruguayan red wine, achieving a delicious aroma of red fruits, and a velvety and generous body with intense colour. Ideal to accompany red meats, charcuterie and cheeses.

Don Pascual Tannat Roble

Aged in barrels for 6 to 9 months.

Red-ruby. High-toned aromas of dark berries and minty oak. Suave on entry, then laid-back in the middle palate and not at all overly sweet, offering nicely restrained berry and spice flavors. Finishes with good breadth and sweet tannins, with a suggestion of toffee.

Preludio Barrel Select

Tannat 40%, Cabernet Sauvignon 24% Cabernet Franc 20%, Merlot 12%, Petit Verdot 2% Marselan 2%

22 months in oak

"The special reserve wine Preludio is blended from a selection of our best oak aged wines. At harvest time we carefully select the best bunches from parcels in the vineyard where we limit the yield to 4,000 liters per hectare (440 gallons US per acre) The grapes are harvested by hand with a rigorous selection to ensure only the best bunches are picked. In the winery there is a second selection made bunch by bunch before the grapes are separated from their stalks.

A long fermentation, of more than three weeks, allows the wine musts to collect and concentrate the aromas and tastes of fruit and spices that will develop in the wine as it matures. Matured in oak barrels in our stone built underground cellars dating from the 1830’s. This natural environment, with its ideal temperatures and humidity, guarantees the optimum development of the wines as they mature and age. Each 6 months, only the barrels that will best continue to develop are selected to continue this demanding process. With this method we start each year with 600 barrels and 24 to 30 months later less than 200 barrels have passed the final selection. Then the art of blending the wine begins. This is the responsibility of a small group of tasters who will decide the proportions of each variety that are used to make the final blend. Preludio was traditionally made with five grape varieties, Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The 2002 vintage we included, with barely 2%, a sixth variety: Marselan.

Following time honored traditional methods, the wine is bottled without filtering in dark glass bottles with natural corks. The wines are then returned to the same cellars for a few more months and stored on their side in special racks for each vintage allowing them to further develop in the bottle.

This is a wine for laying down, as it will continue to develop in the bottle, reaching its optimum maturity in 5 to 15 years depending on the vintage."

Tasting notes: Medium-deep red. Redcurrant, plum and spearmint on the nose, along with strong oak tones of coffee and mocha. Suave, round and smooth, with red and darker berry flavors carrying a full load of sweet oak. Finishes with a fine dusting of rather easygoing tannins and good length

Familia Deicas Botrytis Noble

Sauvignon Gris, Semillon, Gewurtztraminer

This refined rich wine made from grapes that have botrytis, or "noble rot" was the first Late Harvest wine from Uruguay, inaugurating the category "Vinos Nobles"

An intense golden color and an aroma of roses and fruits. Well-balanced sugars and acidity on the palate, with notes of dried fruits and honey.

An excellent aperitif and an ideal combination with pate de foie gras.

It is also recommended with cheeses and desserts.