The hottest new grape on Loudoun’s booming oenophile scene is a little-known varietal called Tannat, grown to great acclaim in Uruguay, South America, where it is the national grape. Indeed, the bold, flavorful, tannin-rich red has done so well in Loudoun that the county has partnered with Uruguay’s famous Canelones region on an annual exchange where a delegation of winemakers and interns visit each other’s destination in the spirit of mutual learning and cultural immersion. Three Loudoun interns spent time in Uruguay in 2024 and this past fall, Loudoun hosted four Canelones winemakers – Omar Visintin, Valentina Palleiro, Fernando Alfonzo and Federico Luzardo. They stayed at Walsh Family Wine, Zephaniah Farm Vineyard and Stone Tower Winery, respectively.
“Coming here was the first time I had ever been on a plane,” Palleiro, 25, the youngest of the group said. “The Hatch family (Zephaniah’s owners) became part of my family and even though we speak different languages, we communicated very well.”
Omar Visintin, winemaker-owner of the renowned Bodega Familia Moizo winery in Canelones, reflected that the experience had made him “happy tired.”
“Happy to have been here with so many kind people; tired because I am 60 years old working every day in the vineyards and the cellars,” he said.
During his stay, he created a fortified wine made with Tannat grapes and brandy that Walsh is set to release later this year. “It was my opportunity to give something of myself to these beautiful lands. Maybe they will put my name on the label.”
Hosts and visitors agreed that one of the few differences between the two regions is time: Loudoun has cultivated grapes for 40 years; the Canelones industry dates back to the 19th Century.
“The quality of our guests was tremendous but I’ve also learned so much,” said Zephaniah winemaker Tremain Hatch. “I feel like I’m looking at a successful older sibling.”
The idea for the exchange was sparked by Walsh winegrower Ben Sedlins three years ago and developed through a partnership between several local wineries, Visit Loudoun and Loudoun Economic Development.
“I have been dreaming of this moment for quite a while and it’s turned out to be better than I ever imagined,” Sedlins said at a dinner at Stone Tower Winery to honor the visitors.
The exchange is set to continue long into the future.
