READ · COMPARE · EXPLAIN
Bodega Garzón: Large Barrels for Tannat and Lees for Albariño
A producer in Garzón, Uruguay, with vineyards broken into small parcels in hills about 11 miles from the Atlantic. They work with both red Tannat and white Albariño, selecting fermentation vessels and lees aging for each wine individually.
Read the documents for Tannat Reserva 2020 and Albariño Reserva 2023. As case studies of different vintages and varieties, compare vessel material and capacity, as well as lees contact duration.
Questions for this course
Are 'aged wines' always matured in small new barrels?
Before you start reading, briefly jot down your thoughts. You will rephrase them at the end.
To applied practice using the material ↓
To explanation task notes ↓Bodega Garzón / Learn from Producers
Uruguay / Maldonado / Garzón
Other names & notations: Garzon / Garzón / ガルソン
Update date: 2026-09-24
Hills divided into small plots
Producer documents show that vineyards are divided into more than 1,000 small plots on hillsides. In addition to distance from the sea, differences in humidity and microclimate are explained. Even if two bottles bear the same producer’s name, do not assume the fruit was grown in exactly the same conditions when comparing them.
Tannat fermentation and aging
Tannat Reserva 2020 is 100% Tannat, fermented in a 150 hL cement tank. Afterward, it is aged 6–12 months in a 50 hL un-toasted French oak vessel. One hL is 100 L, so the aging vessel is 5,000 L. This provides an example where the use of oak doesn't automatically mean strong aromas from small new barrels.
Albariño maturation on lees
Albariño Reserva 2023 is 100% Albariño, fermented in stainless steel and cement tanks, then aged on lees for 3–6 months. The documentation does not specify the vessel used for maturation in that section. Do not assume the fermentation vessel is used for aging; only include confirmed steps in your table.
Scope of Comparison
With these two wines, variety, color, vintage, and processes all change. The comparison offers an example where large casks are used for Tannat, and time on lees is shown for Albariño. You cannot determine intensity or rank of quality based on maturation period alone.
What to align and what to compare.
Fermentation
- Conditions to standardize
- Reserva from the same producer
- Conditions for comparison.
- Cement and stainless steel / cement
- Additional points to confirm
- Separate fermentation vessels and maturation vessels
Aging
- Conditions to standardize
- Production over a set period
- Conditions for comparison.
- 5,000L wooden casks with lees contact
- Additional points to confirm
- Interpreting barrel capacity and toast level.
Conditions for comparison
- Conditions to standardize
- Source: Garzón
- Conditions for comparison.
- Grape variety, color, harvest year
- Additional points to confirm
- Do not attribute the effect solely to aging
Order of reading and key points to consider in each article
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READ · HYPOTHESIZE · RECONSIDER
Reading Bodega Garzón’s Documentation: Large Barrels for Tannat and Lees for Albariño
Verify the subjects of the ingredients, processes, and sources, and confirm the conditions for comparison.
The numbers are based on technical data for the indicated year, or the product description at the time of confirmation. Where no year is specified, the description does not guarantee the specifications for all years or all shipments.
| Comparison items | Tannat Reserva 2020 | Albariño Reserva 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Grapes | 100% Tannat | 100% Albariño |
| Fermentation vessel | 150 hL cement | Stainless steel and cement |
| Explanation of maturation | 50hL untosted French oak | Contact with lees, container type not specified |
| Maturation period | 6–12 months | 3–6 months |
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Read the explanation for each question
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How many liters is the 50 hL aging barrel for Tannat 2020?
Since 1hL is 100L, 50hL is 5,000L. If you miss the information that it's a large vessel, you might imagine aging in small barrels, so be sure to check the unit of capacity.
What can you confirm in the maturation section of Albariño 2023?
The documentation states 'on the lees for 3-6 months.' Stainless steel and cement are mentioned for fermentation, but with only that information, you cannot determine the vessel for maturation.
What differences in conditions remain when comparing the two bottles?
The subjects are Tannat 2020 and Albariño 2023, with different varieties, colors, and years. They serve as examples for learning process differences, but not for comparison of the effects of duration alone.
Basis and sources for the exercise
Practice exercises in comparison
Compare the raw materials and processes in the official documents and explain the insights you can derive from the comparison.
Read examples of organizing comparisons
| Conditions for Comparison | Tannat Reserva 2020 | Albariño Reserva 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Grapes | 100% Tannat | 100% Albariño |
| Fermentation vessel | 150 hL cement | Stainless steel and cement |
| Explanation of maturation | 50hL untosted French oak | Contact with lees, container type not specified |
| Maturation period | 6–12 months | 3–6 months |
Sources of materials used for comparison are listed in the text and exercises.
Explain in your own words
Separate the explanation of fermentation and maturation for both wines, and convert 50hL to L. Also state the reason why you cannot determine the impact of maturation period alone from this comparison.
Check after writing
- Did you interpret 50hL as 5,000L?
- Have you not compensated for unrecorded maturation vessels?
- Did you retain vintage and variety differences?
Save response to explanation task
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