We arrived on the morning of December 22nd in Montevideo, Uruguay. Plans called for an excursion to a winery for a bit of cooking and of course wine tasting. This was without a doubt one of our best experiences of any vacation. Upon arriving at Bodega Spinoglio, we were immediately drawn to to the smells of meat on the grill. Before long we were chatting with other visitors and the wife of the wine maker while sampling the chardonnay.

We then moved to the “cooking” portion of the program where we were instructed by the gracious host to prepare chimichurri and criollita. Trying not to cut ourselves we chopped away while sampling the rosé.

While we were busy prepping the sauces and the meat continued cooking, the chef presented us with provolone cheese and bread baked over the fire in cast iron skillets. Delicious!

Then is was time for the main course of meat tenderloin with an accompanying salad. For this, we tasted (drank, let’s be real) the estate’s merlot and tannat, the latter a grape we have never come across. Heavy tannins and bold fruit accompanied the beef very well.

After the delightful lunch the host treated us to a tour of the cellar and then the sales center. Of course we chose a few bottles to add to our collection!

Back to the bus for a ride back to the port and prepare for a special evening of Carnival!