Finca Las Violetas: A Visit to Remember

We visited Finca Las Violetas for the first time, a boutique, family-run winery in Canelones where great wines, homemade food, and genuine warmth came together in a day we enjoyed from beginning to end.

A first visit that left us wanting to come back

On September 12, we had our first experience at Finca Las Violetas, located in the Las Violetas area of Canelones.

We had been wanting to get to know this project, created by winemaker Gastón Vitale, more closely for quite some time, and the experience confirmed everything we had hoped to find there: high-quality wines, an interesting story behind every label, and above all, a very personal and welcoming way of receiving visitors.

Gastón, his wife Karen, and their daughter Priscila opened the doors to their home and their project and spent the entire day with us, welcoming everyone with a generosity that made us all feel truly at home.

A family project with its own identity

Finca Las Violetas is a boutique winery that works with grapes carefully selected from different wine regions throughout Uruguay.

Rather than limiting the project to a single vineyard, Gastón chooses each origin according to the style of wine he wants to create, always looking for the place where each variety can express itself at its best.

During the visit, we had the opportunity to hear firsthand how the project began, learn about its philosophy, and understand the work and decisions behind every bottle.

Their production includes a range of white and red varieties, blends, and limited-edition wines, all with a very clear focus on identity and quality.

Uruguayan wines gaining international recognition

During the experience, we tasted six premium labels that gave us the opportunity to discover different styles and expressions of the winery’s work.

One of the highlights was Flor Violeta Albariño, one of the wines that has received the greatest international recognition for the project.

This Albariño received a Gold Medal at the 2024 Bacchus International Wine Competition in Madrid and was awarded another Gold Medal at Vinalies 2026 in France.

The winery has also received recognition at competitions such as Tannat al Mundo and the Brazil Wine Challenge, reflecting the growth of a relatively young project that is already earning an interesting place within Uruguay’s wine scene.

A table made for lingering

After discovering the winery and its wines, the experience continued around a generous table, the kind where time seems to pass without anyone noticing.

We started with cheeses, cold cuts, artisan breads, and empanadas, followed by premium grilled meats accompanied by roasted vegetables and greens. And, of course, every moment was paired with a wonderful selection of wines.

The food was homemade, abundant, and prepared with great care, something we could feel from the first course through dessert. But what really defined the experience was the sense of closeness.

Gastón, Karen, and Priscila were with us throughout the entire day, sharing stories, answering questions, talking about wine, and giving the visit the personal character we value so much at Wine Explorers.

A group that is already part of the family

We were also fortunate to share the day with a wonderful group of Explorers, many of whom have already joined us on several experiences. And that always changes the feeling of a day.

The conversations, laughter, toasts, and great energy around the table made everything even more enjoyable.

The weather did not cooperate as we had hoped, and the sun decided not to make an appearance that day, but honestly, it was not missed. The warmth was inside.

We left Finca Las Violetas very happy to have discovered a project built with knowledge, hard work, and a great deal of heart.

Thank you to Gastón, Karen, and Priscila for opening your doors to us and sharing what you are building with such generosity.

And once again, thank you to all our Explorers for choosing to join us, trusting our proposals, and continuing to discover new stories of Uruguayan wine with us.

Our first visit to Finca Las Violetas ended exactly the way we like these experiences to end: wanting to come back.

Cheers!

Photos: Tavis Davidson

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