We share our interview with Eduardo Félix, Bodega Garzón’s Agronomist.
- When did you join the Project Garzón? How did you learn about the job offer? Tell us about your beginnings.
I started working at Garzón in January 8th, 2008. I learned about the job offer in a post in Gallito Luis, stating that they were looking for an Agronomist with expertise in viticulture, living in Uruguay. I applied for the job in 2007 and was hired in January. The process lasted 7 or 8 months. The word I would choose to describe the beginnings is “amusing”. We didn’t have light and I lived the first months by myself in the homestead, until we formed the team with people from Canelones. It was very fun.
- Which are the main characteristics of the terroir of Garzón?
The main characteristics are its proximity to the ocean, the slopes and the sand of its balasto soil that enables a good drainage of the water. Our closeness to the ocean implies more wind, so the temperatures of the vineyard aren’t too high, allowing a proper ripening of the fruits.
Each year, the vineyard gets more stability because the roots of the vine penetrate the soil, obtaining more minerals that favorably affect the grape. The vine also gains stability regarding its tolerance to humidity and changes in temperature.
- Which varieties do you plant nowadays, and which others do you plan to plant in the future?
Nowadays we have 12 varieties that are considered the most important ones. We have also added 12 hectares of Chardonnay. There are 7 red and 6 white varieties. The most important ones are Tannat (70 hectares) and Albariño (40 hectares). Today, we have a total of 236 planted hectares.
- Which characteristics have you achieved as a result of the proximity to the Atlantic Ocean?
The proximity to the ocean has added minerality, which is an important characteristic of the wines of Garzón. Also, this enables a lower concentration of sugar, meaning, lower alcohol content, and thanks to the winds we were able to lower the amount of diseases in the vine, obtaining grapes with great quality and proper ripening. The wind enables the vine cluster to have an optimum ripening and avoid diseases.
- Which are the perfect weather conditions for an excellent vintage in Garzón?
A spring without water deficit so that the vineyard achieves and excellent leaf development, reaching a proper height, that is, 1.00 or 1.20 meters. Also, no humid days during blooming and a normal summer. By this I mean a summer without heavy rain; if it is too dry, we can obtain quality grapes because we have irrigation, however it is not my favorite type of summer. For me, the best vintage was in 2018.
- Which is Bodega Garzón’s differential?
Our differential strictly lies in our terroir. Our soil is completely different to the soil found in rest of the country because of its granite content and slopes. It has an excellent drainage and proximity to the ocean. We also have a good genetic material, with the best clones of each variety planted on each spot. Another important aspect is our outstanding team, which creates a pleasant environment and has great efficiency and productivity.
