Uruguyan Wineries with shops, restaurants and accommodation

For information on the flag of Uruguay see my previous post on the country.

 I did a Gemini search for Uruguayan vineyards with a shop. Then I added restaurant, accommodation, museum. Wheat what a blessing and a time saver AI is. It instantly found me these:

While finding a single property that checks all four boxes (vineyard, boutique accommodation, restaurant, and a dedicated museum) is rare, Uruguay has a few standout wineries that come extremely close by featuring all four on-site, or by pairing their vineyard experience with dedicated museum displays:

1. Narbona Wine Lodge (Carmelo, Colonia)

Located in Carmelo, Narbona is the closest complete match in Uruguay. It is a historic 1909 estate turned high-end vineyard that functions as an all-in-one boutique resort.

• The Winery: Spans 50 hectares focusing heavily on Tannat, Pinot Noir, and Syrah.

• Accommodation: Features a Relais & Châteaux boutique hotel (Narbona Wine Lodge) with luxurious rooms set right inside the vineyard grounds.

• Restaurant: An acclaimed farm-to-table restaurant serving estate-grown wines, artisan cheeses, yogurts, and house-made bakery items.

• Museum Aspect: The original 1909 stone-and-brick cellar and historical farm areas operate essentially as a living history museum displaying turn-of-the-century winemaking heritage and antique agricultural tools.

---

2. Bodega Bouza (Melilla, Montevideo)

Located just 30 minutes outside central Montevideo, Bodega Bouza is famous for having one of the most unique museum attractions at any South American vineyard.

• The Winery: A premier boutique producer specializing in Tannat, Albariño, and Tempranillo.

• Museum: Houses a dedicated Vintage Car Museum containing over 30 restored classic cars, motorcycles, and vintage transport vehicles dating back to the 1920s.

• Restaurant: Features an award-winning restaurant offering gourmet 7-course tasting menus paired with their estate wines.

• Accommodation Note: Bouza does not offer overnight lodging on its main vineyard site. However, because it is located right on the edge of Montevideo, visitors easily stay in the city and take a 20-to-30-minute taxi/Uber directly to the estate.

---

3. Bodega Santa Rosa (Montevideo)

One of Uruguay's oldest wineries (established in 1898).

• The Winery & Museum: Offers specialized historical tours through the largest active underground wine cellar in South America. The tour integrates the historic Bodega San Javier museum space (dating to 1820), featuring old winemaking machinery and antique artifacts.

• Restaurant: Includes dedicated food and wine pairings/lunches inside the historic cellars.

• Accommodation Note: Does not offer lodging on-site, but handles direct round-trip transfers from Montevideo hotels.

---

Summary Recommendation

• If staying overnight directly on the vineyard grounds surrounded by historical heritage is your top priority, Narbona Wine Lodge in Carmelo is your best choice.

• If visiting a formal, curated museum exhibition (classic cars) alongside a top-tier restaurant and wine tour is your main focus, Bodega Bouza in Montevideo is unmatched. 

• 
  

  Whether you are looking to visit on-site winery boutiques in Uruguay or buy Uruguayan wines online, here are the top options:

  1. Top On-Site Winery Shops in Uruguay

  If you are visiting Uruguay, these estates feature dedicated boutiques, tasting rooms, and shops where you can purchase reserve bottles, merchandise, and local artisan goods:

  • Bodega Garzón (Maldonado / Near José Ignacio): One of South America's most famous modern wineries. Their luxury visitor center houses a flagship retail store selling single-vineyard Tannat and Albariño, estate-pressed extra virgin olive oils, regional specialty foods, and wine accessories.

  • Bodega Bouza (Montevideo): Located right on the edge of the capital, Bouza features an on-site wine shop alongside its famous classic car collection and restaurant. It's an ideal spot to purchase limited-production Tannat and Merlot directly from the cellar.

  • Narbona Wine Lodge (Carmelo, Colonia): Beyond their wines, Narbona's boutique shop functions as a rustic gourmet market selling estate-made artisan cheeses, jams, dulce de leche, and olive oil alongside their reserve bottles.

  • Bodega Artesana (Canelones): A boutique estate specializing in Tannat and Zinfandel. Their tasting room shop allows visitors to buy small-batch releases directly from the winemakers.  

  • Familia Deicas / Establecimiento Juanicó (Canelones): Known for producing premium Uruguayan wines (like Preludio), their historic cellar shop offers exclusive cellar-aged bottles not readily available in supermarkets.

  ---

  2. Specialty Wine Shops in Uruguayan Cities

  If you prefer shopping in urban areas rather than traveling directly to vineyards:

  • Montevideo:

    • Los Domínguez: A boutique wine merchant specializing in high-end Uruguayan Tannats and regional selections.

    • INSITU: A chic wine bar and shop offering curated bottles from small-scale Uruguayan producers.

  • Punta del Este:

    • El Palenque Wine Shop: Located in the coastal resort area, offering an extensive collection of local and international labels.

  ---

  3. Buying Uruguayan Wines Online (Shipping Worldwide)

  If you are looking to buy Uruguayan wine from outside the country:

  • Uruguay Wine Company: US-based online retailer specializing exclusively in Uruguayan wineries like Bouza, Garzón, Pizzorno, and Pablo Fallabrino.  

  • Field & Fawcett: UK-based online retailer offering curated selections of Uruguayan Albariño, Tannat, and sparkling varietals.

  • Wine.com: Frequently stocks popular Uruguayan exports, including Bodega Garzón and Bodega Artesana.

  • From Field & Fawcett at under twenty pounds sterling I found bottles with distinctive labels evoking the country.

  
  
  
  

English, Spanish and Portuguese On Menus In Latin America

Countries with Spanish as an official language. From Wikipedia.

1 Spanish - English Menu Words

I started my search for menu terms by going back to one of my early blog posts which told me this: 

Spanish-English Hotel Menus

adobado - pickled

ajo - garlic

anguila - eel

agua - water

arroz - rice

calamares - squid

caldo - broth / soup

cálida/o - warm

caliente - hot

cerdo - pig

charasko - steak

chuleta - chop

churrasco - steak (churrasco de ternera - beef steak)

combinados - combinations

con - with

croquetas - croquettes

del - of the

empanada - pie

ensalada - salad

entremeses - appetisers

espanola (note sign over the n) - Spanish (style of cooking)

especial - special

filete - fillet / steak

frita - fried

galeras - 

gallego - Galician (in Spanish and Italian you do not have capital letters at the start of a country or country style

hamburguesas - burgers

huevos - eggs

lomo - back

lubina - sea bass

marisco - seafood

menu - menu

merluza - hake

Meso 

meson (accent on the on for emphasis) - house (like the French word maison)

mixta - mixed

o - or

pan - bread

parillada - barbecue

pasteles - pastries / cakes

patatas - potatoes

pechuga - poultry breast

plancha - griddle, iron, plate

plato - plate or dish

platos - plates / dishes

pollo - chicken

postre - dessert

Primer - first / starter

pudin - pudding

quesadilla - tortilla (omelette or wrap) covered in cheese

queso - cheese

rusa - Russian

Segundo - second

spaguetis - spagetthi

tartas - tarts

ternera - veal / beef 

tomate - tomatoes

tortilla - thin omelette containing slided potatoes and onions cooked in olive oil

ternera - veal

variados - varied

vino - wine

y - and

I asked Gemini for some Spanish and Portuguese menu terms and got this

2 Spanish Menu Terms

Cooking Style & Preparation

• A la plancha: Grilled on a flat metal griddle.

• Al ajillo: Cooked with garlic and olive oil.

• Asado / A la parrilla: Grilled or barbecued over open flames.

• Frito / Empanado: Fried / Breaded.

• Al horno: Baked or roasted in an oven.

Popular Dishes & Specialties

• Tapas: Small, shareable savory dishes or appetizers.

• Empanada: Baked or fried pastry dough filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables.

• Ceviche: Raw fish cured in fresh citrus juices, seasoned with chili peppers and onions.

• Tortilla Española: A thick Spanish omelet made with eggs, potatoes, and onions.

• Gazpacho: Cold, blended tomato and vegetable soup.

Meats, Seafood & Extras

• Mariscos / Pescado: Seafood / Fish.

• Jamón: Cured ham (e.g., Jamón Ibérico or Serrano).

• Carne de res / Ternera: Beef / Veal.

• Pollo / Cerdo: Chicken / Pork.

• Salsa / Queso: Sauce / Cheese.

Countries with Portuguese as an official language.

The Portuguese island of Madeira is a popular destination for people from the UK and Europe. You can visit the Madeira wine wineries, which we did, my husband and I and we took members of our walking/hiking holiday to D'Oliveira winery in the centre of the capital city. 

3 Portuguese Menu Terms

Cooking Style & Preparation

• Grelhado: Grilled.

• Assado: Roasted or baked.

• Refogado: Sautéed with an aromatic base (usually garlic, onions, and olive oil).

• Frito / Apressado: Fried.

• Ao molho: Served in a sauce or gravy.

Popular Dishes & Specialties

• Bacalhau: Salt cod—a staple ingredient in Portuguese cuisine prepared in dozens of ways (e.g., Bacalhau à Brás).

• Francesinha: A rich sandwich from Porto made with bread, meats, melted cheese, and a thick beer/tomato sauce.

• Feijoada: A rich stew of black (or red) beans, pork, and beef.

• Pastel de Nata: Classic warm egg custard tart dusted with cinnamon.

• Petiscos: Small shareable plates or finger foods (the Portuguese counterpart to tapas).

Meats, Seafood & Extras

• Frutos do mar / Peixe: Seafood / Fish.

• Camarão / Chouriço: Shrimp / Spiced pork sausage.

• Carne de vaca / Porco: Beef / Pork.

• Frango: Chicken.

• Queijo / Arroz: Cheese / Rice.

I asked Gemini about the similarities and differences regarding Uruguayan food and Argentinian food and got this answer:

3 Summary Spanish and Portuguese Menu terms

You find nearly identical menus at traditional steakhouses (parrillas) in both Montevideo and Buenos Aires,

Uruguay's cuisine stands out with dishes like the 

Chivito, 

Pamplona, and wood-fired grilling methods, whereas 

Argentina features greater regional diversity in dishes like 

empanadas and 

stew (locro).

4 Useful Websites For Translating Spanish and Portuguese Menus & Learning Words

translate google

duolingo.com

Useful Books With Spanish and Portuguese Words

Portuguese and Spanish sections on eating out and menus are in

European Phrase Book Dorling Kingdersley Eyewitness Travel Guides

Spanish Place Names and Landmarks

Spanish Place Names Which Are Easy To Recognize and Remember

La Mano De Punta Del Este

Los Angeles (USA city) - the angels

Mano del Desierto (Sculpture in Chile) - hand of the desert

Monte Carlo - Mount Charles

Museo del Mar - Museum of the Sea

Spanish - English

angeles - angels

de - of

del - of the

desierto - desert

la - the (feminine)

los - the (plural)

Mano - hand

Mar - sea

Monte - Mount

Museo - museum

English - Spanish words

angels - angeles

desert - desierto

hand - mano

museum - museo

of - de

of the - del

sea - mar

The (feminine) - la

The (plural) - los

Mount - monte

-ends-

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Uruguay - What You Should Know About The Country, Wines & Restaurants

The national flag of Uruguay.

The flag originally had more blue bands, but the number was reduced to make it easier to see at sea.

The sun's rays have alternating wavy and straight lines.

Where is the country?

South American

Yes, Uruguay is in South America, most people know, but what else should you know? Firstly, since it is south of the equator, the seasons are the reverse of countries to the north. Uruguay's summer, or warm weather in our northern winter (UK, USA, Europe), whilst Uruguay's cool weather is in our summer.

Map of Uruguay

East

The Country's full name is Republic of Oriental Uruguay, including the word oriental, which I associate with what I still think of as the Far East. But oriental just means east. Uruguay is on the south east coast of South American. The waters are the Atlantic Ocean.

Coast

 Coast? Yes, Uruguay is on the coast. 

To the north is Brazil. Like Brazil, Uruguay has beautiful beaches. 

Landmark photo spot, sculpture on the beach, La Mano de Punta del Este.

Sculpture - La Mano de Punta del Este

The Hand of the Tip Of The East. Popular photo spot. It is a warning that the local waves are more suitable for surfing, so swimmers should go to another beach.

The Chilean sculptor who had come to Uruguay to participate in a sculpture contest, later made another similar sculpture in the desert in Chile.

Carnival

Like Brazil, Uruguay has a carnival. In fact Uruguay has a long carnival. Not just three days like the Bank Holiday Notting Hill Carnival in London.

Food In and From Uruguay

A local everyday food, the national dish, is Chivito, a calorie laden upmarket version of burger with a difference, filet mignon steak slice with added egg, cheese, bacon, ham and olives or salad, though you can order a version without the bun just on the plate. 

Wine and Wineries

Lots of wineries. You can buy Uruguay wines from Marks & Spencer, and Hedonism shop in central London.

In Uruguay, a good place to match the local food and wine would be in a winery Restaurant, such as at Bodega Garzon.

Expats, spouses, descendants, importers, tourists or wellwishers, from Uruguay in the UK can buy from Amazon a tee-shirt which says in Spanish I am (soy) Uruguan, Raised on Chivito, or I'd rather be in Uruguay,  with a Spanish flag in the shape of the country.

Side Trips For Food

The country has more cattle than people. Up north towards Brazil is cowboy country with ranches.

The Fray Bentos former meat canning site closed down but is now a UNESCO site and museum.

Wiki informs me

The "Fray Bentos" brand is now owned in the UK by Baxters, which manufactures the product range in Scotland. The Campbell Soup Company manufactures and sells Fray Bentos-branded steak and kidney pies in Australia.

I can buy Fray Bentos pies in the UK from Morrisons supermarket, Waitrose, and from Amazon, which all show the tin. Baxters website shows the pie once cooked.

Population

The population is small. 3.5 to 4.5 million. Less than London and many main cities. 

Capital - Montevideo

More than half the population, about two million people, live in the largest city and capital, Montevideo.

Language

The language is Spanish.

The restaurant menu for the Bodega Garzon winery was in Spanish with the Portuguese translation under each item listed. Bodega Garzon is the second of the top two largest wine producers in Portugal, according to my husband. 

He is presenting Uruguayan wines to the Central London Wine Society. Enquiries and booking through Meetup.

Religion in Uruguay

About half the population are Roman Catholic, or Christian. However, the country is secular. Uruguay was one of the first countries to recognize the state of Israel.

Differences from Paraguay

Uruguay has a seaside but Paraguay is land locked. Uruguay had an influx of foreigners and European influence but Paraguay preserved an indigenous population and the language Guarani.

In the UK on September 2nd 2026 I was offered £5 off my first order if I signed up to Hedonism.

The Irurtia family offered me a free glass of wine for signing up, but I would have to go to Uruguy. Once there I could drive west to see them. It takes about six hours to drive across the country non stop south to north or east to west. About the size of England and Wales, my husband says like driving to Edinburgh from London in a day, feasible in theory, but you would want to stop overnight half way, and preferably extend to two to four days to make a couple of special stops, one each morning, one each afternoon, with either a leisurely lunch or an evening dinner, or 6 days to do it properly and leisurely. Day trips by ferry, an hour each way, come from Rio in neighbouring Brazil.

Useful Websites About Uruguay

tripadvisor

wikipedia

wikivoyage travel uruguay

wikivoyage phrasebook Spanish

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Mano_de_Punta_del_Este

Uruguayan Wines Sold In the UK

https://www.finewinesdirectuk.com/all-wines/country/new-world/uruguay/

https://hedonism.co.uk/collections/country-uruguay

Restaurant Menu & Wines At Bodega Garzon in Uruguay

https://bodegagarzon.com/

Restaurant of the Deicas Family

https://familiadeicas.com/restaurante/

Irurtia Family

https://enoturismocarmelo.com.uy/en/wineries/familia-irurtia

UK Uruguyan Food

https://www.baxters.com/products/fray-bentos

https://www.latinroutes.co.uk/lp/uruguay

-ends-

I also have posts on learning and translating Spanish and menu translations. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Ruislip Lido Railway

A delightful day, with sand and purate ships full of climbing points. After an affordable late lunch of melted cheese sandwich, carrot cake, we bought tickets for the miniature train.

The station shop sold buckets and spades.

The train chugged through shady woods. Walkers on the pathe beside the train followed dos and stopped to wave at us.

Half way along is a small station, no shop or cafe or toilets

, just some  flower pots and gnomes for photos.

The far end had a smaller cafe selling crisps. But enhanced by a teeny train running around overhead on two sides of the room.

Beyond the first car park, was the most expensive part of our day as we had to buy a full day's parking. 

A short walk or drive brings you to The Water's Edge restaurant, famous for its carvery Sunday lunches. 

Beyond that you are back on the main road  and Majestic wine warehouse which intermittently runs tastings.

 

Honey From Harrow and Beeswax Candles

 The Headstone Manor Museum held Headstone Village Show Monday 31st August, one of several events held this year.

Several sign boards are in the area and a kiddie playground. Dog walkers were having a great time and there are lots of benches where you can sit in the sun

The event cost us £5 and the first thing we saw was the museum which you can see at other times for free.

I was interested to see the explanation of the origin of the name of the area.

I tried rolling a candle, then sticking it together with a pin which has a bee on the end. You get to keep your candle which costs £3.

I also bought honey. The lady sitting at the back was not just the seller but also the bee keeper. She told us that anybody can keep a hive in their back garden. But if you put it on an allotment you need to register with the council so if there is any damage from or to your hive they know who to contact.

I also bought lip balm. The lipstick shape balm and smalll screw top tub were the same price. I fancied the lipstick but the tops come off and get lost so I chose the screw top as being more practical for travelling.

My other purchase was honey. Runny honey. To my surprise the three people on the stall told me that runny honey goes solid if you keep it long enough.

Wildflower honey jar. Photo by Angela Lansbury

The flavour of new honey like this is not as strong. But it won't last long enough to mature in my house.

The honey was sticky, didn't run down the jar making a mess but sat securely on the teaspoon.

Sticky in the mouth. It left a sweet aftertaste on my lips.

Altogether an entertaining day. I shall go again next year.

You can visit the small museum in the old building for free. The Moat Cafe on the site is open Tuesdays to Sundays, different hours winter and summer.

Useful Websites And Contacts For Headstone Manor and Honey

Www.headstonemanor.org

carolinesapiary.com

Carolines.apiary@aol.com

https://www.beehivecandles.com/help/beeswax-candle-burning-tips/

Please follow my three blogs on travel, dress, and comical poetry.  Share with your friends, family and colleagues the links to the most useful and entertaining posts.

Travel Round The English Language in German and French

 German words you probably know are kinderagrden from Kinder for child and garten meaning garden. Delicatessen reminds you of essen for to eat.

French words - we have a long list, over 300, without counting words in food, cuisine. The ones which immediately spring to my mind are bureau, desk,  chateau,  castle or mansion, chauffeur,driver, bouquet, bunch of flowers, and ballet. We eat croissants, which is French for crescent. In the kitchen we have a bain Marie, literally bath (of) Marie. 

German

essen - eat

Garten - garden

kinder - child

French

bouquet - bunch of flower

bureau - desk / office

chateau - castle, mansion (often fortified)

chauffeur - driver

coiffeur

I met a linguistics loving soulmate at Writers' Summer School and bought her book.