Bracco Bosca Ombú Reserve Petit Verdot 2018 Canelones, Uruguay 75cl

Bracco Bosca is a family-run estate in Canelones, the heartland of Uruguayan wine just north of Montevideo. Now led by the next generation of the founding family, it has built a reputation for expressive reds and a hands-on, low-intervention approach in the vineyard, working the land with genuine care.

The Ombú Reserve range is where the estate takes a single grape and gives it the full treatment. This bottling is a pure Petit Verdot, a variety usually blended in small amounts in Bordeaux but grown here as a star in its own right. Canelones, with its Atlantic influence and clay soils, gives the grape the ripeness it needs while keeping its firm backbone and deep colour.

The 2018 vintage delivers a ripe, structured red with plenty of colour and concentration, the kind of year that lets a naturally tannic grape reach full maturity.

Expect a deep, inky appearance and aromas of blackberry, dark plum and violet, with a savoury, spicy edge. The palate is generous and juicy, framed by fine-grained tannins that give grip without harshness, carrying to a long finish. Decant it an hour ahead and serve with grilled steak, roast lamb or a hearty winter stew.

For drinkers who love bold, characterful reds and want to look beyond the usual names, this single-varietal Petit Verdot from Uruguay is a genuinely distinctive choice, and a fine introduction to a country making some of South America’s most exciting wines. Give the bottle a little air and it opens to reveal even more of its dark, brooding character.