Calm landscape of flat top hills, native forests and red sand soils
Pioneers in this unique biome
Our Wines-
In 1973, Quico Carrau Pujol, in collaboration with the University of California Davis, began the search for a terroir to plant the first virus-free vines. This place had to have qualities that would adapt to the climate of Uruguay, sandy soils and slopes that would allow good drainage to avoid excess water in the vine.
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After going through and analyzing different soils in the South of Brazil and North of Uruguay, they found this property in Rivera, Cerro Chapeu, in Cuchilla de Santana, with sandy, reddish and deep soils, with low fertility and very good drainage. It is here where the project of selecting vineyards that would adapt to this place began.
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Today, after more than 40 years, the successful adaptation of varieties such as the Tannat can be verified. Other varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Arinarnoa, Sauvignon blanc, Pinot noir, and Chardonnay.
Built inside a hill to optimize resources and use gravity for low-input winemaking techniques.
The Winery
Our Tannat Wines-
In 1997 Francisco Carrau, ninth generation and youngest son of Quico, after visiting wineries in different parts of the world, designed the winery, deciding to build it inside a hill to take advantage of gravity and thus achieve winemaking with minimal manipulation of the musts.
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Francisco has also developed numerous innovation projects from the vineyard, dedicated to the careful selection of native yeasts from Cerro Chapeu, isolating them and applying minimal intervention winemaking techniques, thus obtaining some of the best Tannat from Uruguay.
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For some time, Francisco, Margarita and Gabriela Carrau have dedicated themselves to training and advising the young team that today leads the project, and with whom they believe the great potential of the Cerro Chapeu region will be demonstrated.
Visit the winery inside
Enthusiasm to share our knowledge and arouse curiosity.
The Team
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Francisco Carrau
Doctor in Chemistry in yeasts and wine aromas. Since 1981 he has played the role of oenologist and participated in the direction and management of Bodegas Carrau. In the 1990s, he have promoted the company's research and development area, whose innovations allowed opening new export markets such as the United States, thus contributing to the development of the prestige of Uruguayan wine in the world. He currently advises closely the Cerro Chapeu project and was recently recognized by Tim Atkin as the 2021 Winemaker Legend.
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Margarita Carrau
Communicator. Since 2000, she has been developing the wine tourism area at Bodegas Carrau, making it one of the company's areas with the greatest commercial impact. In 2003 she promoted the creation of the Uruguayan Wine Tourism Association, “Los Caminos del Vino”, which she originally presided over. Currently Margarita, with her experience and knowledge, has positioned Cerro Chapeu among the main tourist attractions of Rivera and the northern corridor of the country.
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Gabriela Carrau
Sommelier trained in Bento Gonçalves. In the 70s she worked as personal secretary to her father Juan Francisco Carrau Pujol, during the construction of Chateau Lacave in Caxias do Sul and when they began to plant the first vines in Cerro Chapeu. She currently accompanies the new generation that directs the project, providing her knowledge and experience in the wine sector.
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Pía Carrau
Sommelier and industrial designer with a master's degree in corporate communication, with the experience of having worked in the fashion business, she joins the company as general manager.
Its objective is to seek sustainability and balance with the environment in each business decision, from the vineyard to the packaging of the product, focused on the people of the team and partners to the final consumer.
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Piero Basile Carrau
Economist specialized in strategic financial planning, after serving as financial manager of several companies in Brazil, he joins the company as director and financial advisor, thus ensuring that Cerro Chapeu has the necessary support during its constant growth.
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Ana Laura Guerra
Since 1994 he worked in the administrative area of Bodegas Carrau, he also implemented the Tasting Workshops and together with Margarita Carrau they developed the wine tourism area.
Today, his knowledge and experience in Relational Marketing are a fundamental pillar of the commercial area of Bodega Cerro Chapeu.
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Danny Mayo
Agricultural Technician by profession. He started working in 2007 as vineyard manager and training in winemaking knowledge with Francisco Carrau.
He has developed as a winemaker at Cerro Chapeu for more than 10 years and currently directs the Cerro Chapeu establishment.
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Natalia Villanueva
Since 2014 he has worked in the administrative area of Bodegas Carrau. Since 2016, she has been in charge of logistics at Bodega Cerro Chapeu, responsible for monitoring our products in the different production and commercial stages.
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Alberto Rossini
A public accountant with a tax focus and experience in start-ups, he joins the team as Head of Administration and Finance, thus ensuring that Cerro Chapeu has the necessary support during its constant growth.
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Jair Severo
Since the construction of the Winery in 1997, Jair has worked as support in the Winery.
Today he is a fundamental part of the production team and known by all for his phrase: "Tudo Joia" and also for doing 12 km on a mountain bike every day along the border line to get to the winery.
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Edson Martins
Since he was a child he lived the harvests in Cerro Chapeu, his father, Jorge, planted the first vineyards in this area. Today Edson cares for the vineyard and leads the field team, he is Danny's right hand in the vineyard.