At a latitude very similar to Santa Barbara, Mendoza in Argentina, the Colchagua Valley in Chile, the Barossa Valley in Australia and the Western Cape of South Africa and with temperatures and rainfall somewhere in between those of Galicia in northern Spain and Bordeaux, in southern France, it is somewhat surprising that Uruguayan wine is not more well known. It’s small size (about the size of the State of New York) and population (3 million in 2021), its tumultuous political history since independence from Spain in 1830 and high rates of local wine consumption go a long way to explaining that oversight, and after a few decades of stability and prosperity, the future of Uruguayan wine is bright. Bodega Pablo Fallabrino is located a couple miles from the Atlantic Ocean in Atlantida, Canolones, just east of the capital city Montevideo, which is convenient for an avid surfer like Pablo. Pablo’s grandfather, Angelo Fallabrino, immigrated to Uruguay in 1920 from Piedmont, Italy, planted 5 vineyards in the clay and limestone soils that are similar to those in Piedmont and started 2 wineries in the 1930’s and then taught his son and grandson. Pablo founded the single vineyard estate in 1997 where they currently have 12 hectares under vine on their 30 hectare estate. Bodega Pablo Fallabrino produces mostly Piedmontese varietals in addition to Tannat, the wine Uruguay is most known for, and their wines typically show an old world, nuanced style–with the exception of this exuberant skin-contact Gewurztraminer. What a complex mix of kombucha, lychee, quince, papaya, savory herbs, vinegar, ginger and nutritional yeast. The tannins imparted from the 7 days on the skins are light enough to accompany fish and/or mild cheese as well as virtually anything else.