Wines from Uruguay are rare to find in British Columbia. I recently discovered the wines from Los Cerros de San Juan and their Cuna de Piedra Estate wine label. I read that the winery was founded in 1854 by the Lahusen family (from Germany) when they acquired four estates located between the San Juan and Río de La Plata rivers. They noted their six vineyards covered the ancient bed of the San Juan River, covered in gravel and pebbles, resembling the terroir of Bordeaux, so they planted red Bordeaux varieties, plus some other grape varieties like Spanish Albariño and Tempranillo, and cooler climate Pinot Noir and Riesling. They have a history of fermenting their wines in amphorae and tulip-shaped cement and stone containers, all imported from Italy, and have added new French and American oak barrels to further expand their aging options.
I tasted their Cuna de Piedra Estate Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2023 and Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2024. Here are my tasting notes.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Cuna de Piedra Estate Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2023 (BC ~$19.49)
Appearance: This wine has a deep, clear garnet colour.
Nose: Medium intensity, but deep aromas, showing meatiness and plums, with touches of smokiness, sweet spices, and oak. Add black fruit aromas after decanting.
Palate: It is dry, medium-plus body with a very smooth, soft, mouthfeel. Velvety tannins and soft acidity. Black plums, black fruits, along with hints of char, vanilla, and oak. Add some capsicum with swirling. The flavours all meld together. Same body and flavours after decanting, plus a touch of pepperiness.
Finish: Medium-plus length finishing with sweet, ripe black fruit flavours and some char. The tannins stay soft and velvety. Add a touch of pepperiness to the finish after decanting.
A deeper, darker Cabernet Franc, but it is velvety smooth. No need to decant. I read that 2023 was a very hot summer in Uruguay, so I think the grapes were a little too ripe when picked. Some of the Cabernet Franc character from a cooler vintage was lost.
Rating: 
The Cuna de Piedra Estate Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2023 shows a deep, clear garnet colour with medium-intensity aromas of meatiness and plum, along with touches of smokiness, sweet spice, and oak. The palate is dry and medium-plus-bodied with a very smooth, soft mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and soft acidity, offering black plum and black fruit flavours with hints of char, vanilla, and oak, plus capsicum with swirling. After decanting, black fruit aromas become more noticeable, with a touch of pepperiness on the palate. It finishes medium-plus in length with sweet, ripe black fruit, char, and soft, velvety tannins, with a touch of pepperiness after decanting.
Cuna de Piedra Estate Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2024 (BC ~$19.49)
Appearance: A deep, clear garnet colour in the glass.
Nose: Medium intensity aromas of black fruits, with hints of meatiness, capsicum, and char. Lighter aromas after decanting.
Palate: Medium body, with a soft, smooth, medium mouthfeel. Velvety soft tannins and soft acidity. Sweet, ripe blackberries along with plums, and hints of floral and char on the palate. With air, you also get a touch of blueberries and red fruit flavours. The floral component goes away after decanting.
Finish: Medium-plus length, finishing with sweet, black fruit, and touches of floral and prunes. The tannins get stronger on the finish after some swirling in the glass. The floral component goes away after decanting.
This is a deeper flavoured Cabernet Sauvignon with silky smooth tannins and soft mouthfeel No need to decant.
Rating: The Cuna de Piedra Estate Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2024 shows a deep, clear garnet colour with medium aromas of black fruit, along with hints of meatiness, capsicum, and char, becoming lighter after decanting. The palate is medium-bodied with a soft, smooth mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and soft acidity, offering sweet, ripe blackberry and plum flavours with hints of floral notes and char, plus touches of blueberry and red fruit with air. It finishes medium-plus in length with sweet black fruit, floral notes, and prune, with the tannins becoming stronger with swirling and the floral character fading after decanting.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
Both wines are SPEC listings. I did not see them listed in the BC Liquor stores website. I have been told by the agent that these two wines are available at Robson, Everything Wine, Darby, Legacy, and Mount Seymour liquor stores.
