Uruguay’s wineries hosted their debut trade tasting in Warsaw on 8th March, in an effort to expand their offerings in the Polish wine market.

Held at the prestigious Hotel Warszawska in central Warsaw, the trade tasting showcased the wines of 15 wineries — several of which were seeking to break onto the Polish market. There was ample opportunity to taste over 70 different wines from Uruguay in the walk-around tasting.

Two masterclasses were hosted by Amanda Barnes, author of The South America Wine Guide, during the day — one aimed for trade presenting wines already in the market, and another aimed at importers, showcasing wineries looking to export to Poland.

Poland is currently one of the top Eastern European export markets for Uruguay, however there is still ample opportunity to expand in the region. “There was really great feedback and clear interest in Uruguayan wines from the trade in the masterclasses,” says Barnes. “It seems that Uruguay’s representation in the market is just at the tip of the iceberg, and hopefully more wineries will make their way to the Polish market soon to satiate the thirst for these niche and adventurous wines.”

The tasting was organised by Poland’s first and only Master of Wine, Wojciech Bońkowski MW, who founded Poland’s leading wine magazine Ferment. “The diversity of contemporary styles emerging from this small country is fascinating,” said Bońkowski. “My top picks from the day were actually not Tannat, but Albariño and Marselan!”

Wineries in attendance included: Gimenez Mendez, Viña Edén, Garzón, Familia Traversa, De Lucca, Cerro Chapeu, Pisano, Viña Progreso, Cerro del Toro, Bouza, Nakkal Wines, Atlántica Gourmet, Familia Deicas, Alto de la Ballena and Pizzorno.