FIRST GENERATION

From grapegrowers to winemakers

Our great-grandparents, Isabelino Marichal y Juana Lugano, descendants of immigrants from the Canary Islands and Italy respectively, established in the area of  Etchevarría, Canelones, in the south of our country.

There they planted their first vineyards, where among them was the variety Tannat, called Harriague at the time.

Isabelino y Juana had four children: Lorenza, Francisco, Ezequiel y Juan Máximo, our grandfather. All of them worked in the vineyards since early age. Sadly, Isabelino passed away when his sons and daughter were young. It was Juana with her children, who facing the difficulty of selling the grapes, decided that they had to build their own winery so they could process the work of all the year in the vineyard.

In 1938 they built a small winery with underground concrete vats, in order to get the best conditions for the wine. Since then, the Marichal family focused on oenologic supervision, allowing them to obtain great juices, characterized by their intense color, aroma and balance.

SECOND GENERATION

Pot-meals and motorcycles

In 1948, our grandfather Juan Máximo, marries María Teresa Gallo Tonelli, called “Teresita ” by her family, and she worked along with him in the vineyards and winery. They had three kids: Juan Carlos, Reina y Susana.

Grandma Teresita prepared food for the grape-cutters, who, because of the bad conditions of the roads, had to stay the night in the winery. All the food had to be provided by the family, so the harvest work could go from dawn until sunset. Her Italian heritage and the countryside culture, made her pot-meals the delight of the workers.

Ezequiel, worked with his brother Juan Máximo taking care of the vineyards. His free and adventurous spirit turned him into a passioned motorcycle enthusiast . He purchased a Royal Enfield motorcycle and rode to Rio de Janeiro, among other cities in South America when he wasn’t working on the vines.

SEGUNDA GENERACIÓN

Entre comidas de olla y pasión por las motos

En 1948 nuestro abuelo Juan Máximo, y el menor de los hermanos, se casa con María Teresa Gallo Tonelli, llamada afectuosamente “Teresita ” quien lo acompaña en los trabajos de la viña y de la bodega. Luego tuvieron tres hijos: Juan Carlos, Reina y Susana.

La abuela Teresita se encargaba de la preparación de la comida para los cortadores de la uva, que debido a que los medios de transporte no eran buenos, debían pasar la noche en la bodega. Las comidas debían de ser provistas por la familia, para que el trabajo de la vendimia pudiera aprovecharse al máxima trabajando de sol a sol. Su descendencia italiana, sumado a la cultura de campo, hizo que sus comidas de olla fueran el deleite de todos los trabajadores. Ezequiel, acompañaba a su hermano Juan Máximo cuidando de parte de los viñedos. Su espiritu libre y aventurero le propició su pasion por las motociletas. Tanto fue así que en determinado momento con la ganancia de los viñedos que el manejaba, se compró una Harley Davinson, no tuvo mejor idea que irse hasta Rio de Janeiro, recorriendo las regiones mas desoladas de Brasil.

THIRD GENERATION

Expansion and reconversion: Quality

In 1975 our father Juan Carlos, “Carlitos” as we call him, marries Lidia, daughter of Carlos Santos and Esmeralda Santurio. Grandpa Carlos and grandma Esmeralda, were also grapegrowers from Etchevarria so Lidia and her brother Daniel helped in the vineyard chores. Later, their two sons were born: Juan Andrés and Alejandro.

Juan Carlos y Lidia expanded the vineyards and improved the conditions of the winery, taking part in the winegrowing reconversion that happened in Uruguay at the end of the last century. New varieties with great potential were planted, because at the time, they saw that the future of Uruguayan wineries relied in the exports.

FOURTH GENERATION

Iternational and oenological development

We are Alejandro and Juan Andrés, we grew up in the winery, and we both feel the same passion for wine and vineyards since kids, reason of why we both studied oenology.

I am Alejandro, oenologist, graduated from the School of Oenology Presidente Tomás Berretta in Uruguay, besides winemaking, I have specialized in viticulture and I am in charge of the vineyards in the winery. I worked a harvest in Napa Valley, USA, working for the wineries V. Sattui and Castello di Amorosa, where I learned a lot and made great memories. I am part of the directive board of the Uruguayan Oenology Association, where we work to improve oenology in our country. I live very close to the winery; I like wine, friends, family and also playing tennis every once in a while. From my place, I try to steadily improve the quality of the winery and with my family make better wines every year.

I am Juan Andrés, also oenologist, studied in Mendoza, Argentina, where I graduated as Licenciado en Enología e Industria Frutihortícola in J. A. Maza University. There, I worked in La Rural winery, and did internships in several wineries, including Navarro Correas. When I returned to Uruguay we decided with my brother, that our role in this story was to take further the work of the previous generations. Nowadays, the challenge in Uruguay is to develop foreign trade, which is why we have focused on quality and positioning our wines in the international market. I am the winemaker along with the oenologist Sebastian Strada, who has been part of our team for more than 15 years, and with Alejandro in the management of the vineyards. I take part in international fairs, learning from each of the markets where we are present.

CUARTA GENERACIÓN

Desarrollo enológico e internacional.

Nosotros Alejandro y Juan Andrés que crecimos en la bodega, desde chicos, ambos sentimos la pasión por la viña y por el vino, eso nos llevo a estudiar Enología.

Yo Alejandro, soy enólogo, graduado en la Escuela de Enología Presidente Tomás Berretta, me he especializado además de la enología, en la viticultura y tengo a mi cargo la gestión de los viñedos de la familia además de otras tareas de la bodega. Hice una vendimia en Napa Valley, USA.  trabajando en dos bodegas V. Sattui y Castello di Amorosa, de donde además del aprendizaje, tengo los mas lindos recuerdos. Integro la directiva de la Asociación del Enólogos del Uruguay en donde trabajamos por mejorar la Enología de nuestro país. Vivo cerquita de la bodega, me gusta el vino, los amigos, la familia y juego al tenis de vez en cuando. Trato de aportar desde mi lugar a la mejora continua de la calidad de la uva y junto a mi familia poder lograr los mejores vinos cada año.

Yo Juan Andrés, también soy enólogo, estudié en Mendoza, Argentina, en donde me gradué de Licenciado en Enología e Industria Frutihortícola en la Universidad J. A. Maza. Allí trabajé en la bodega La Rural, e hice pasantías en varias bodegas, entre ellas Navarro Correas. Cuando volví a Uruguay decidimos junto a mi hermano, que nuestro rol en esta historia era llevar más allá el trabajo de las tres generaciones anteriores. El desafío de Uruguay por estos tiempos es el desarrollo hacia el exterior, por lo que nos hemos enfocado en la calidad y en posicionar nuestros vinos en el mercado internacional. Me dedico a la gestión enológica en la bodega junto al enólogo Sebastian Strada, quien integra nuestro equipo desde hace más de 15 años, y junto a Alejandro en la definición del vino desde su potencial en el viñedo. Participo en ferias internacionales aprendiendo de cada uno de los mercados en los que estamos y presentando allí nuestros vinos.