The soul of wine in an urban key

By Flavia Tomaello, https://flaviatomaello.blog/, Instagram @flavia.tomaello

Montevideo maintains a silent elegance. It is a city that does not compete for brilliance, but it has them all: the reflection of the river in the promenade, the murmur of its tree-lined streets, the calm of its old cafes. It is also a city where time seems to have another rhythm, one that invites you to stop, observe, savor. Perhaps that is why it is not surprising that she has been chosen to give life to a project that redefines the way of experiencing wine in Uruguay.
In the heart of Parque Rodó, between stately architecture and the aroma of the sea, an old house was transformed into the setting for an unprecedented experience: the first urban winery in the country. Where the echoes of history once resounded, today you can hear the soft sound of cork popping and the murmur of glasses being raised. It is a space where heritage and innovation coexist in perfect harmony, where wine stops being just a drink and becomes a cultural language.
The project was born from the impulse of the Pizzorno family, one of the most emblematic of the Uruguayan wine world, who decided to bring their centuries-old tradition—forged in the vineyards of Canelones—to the beating heart of the capital. This is how City Winery Uruguay was born, a space that combines the winery spirit with the cosmopolitan pulse of the city.
It is not about transferring the field to the asphalt, but about finding a meeting point between both worlds. Here, nature and the city go hand in hand in a sensory experience that transcends oenology. The barrels rest next to restored stone walls; cast iron lamps illuminate guided tastings; The aromas of wine intertwine with those of freshly baked bread and spices that emerge from the open kitchen.
An urban refuge with a winery soul
From the first step, the visitor perceives that he is not in a restaurant or a conventional tasting room. The space breathes authenticity. Every detail—from the reclaimed woods to the textures of the furniture—seems to pay homage to the nobility of the wine and the history that surrounds it.
City Winery offers a comprehensive experience that combines gastronomy, architecture and oenology. It’s not just a place to drink wine: it’s a place to understand it. Those who visit can participate in tastings, workshops and paired dinners, where Pizzorno sommeliers and oenologists share stories about strains, terroirs and harvests with the same naturalness as conversation between friends.
The proposals vary depending on the time of year and the mood of the visitor. There are intimate fireside tastings, candlelit dinners in the indoor garden, and experiences that combine art, music, and wine, under one roof. In each meeting the intention to celebrate the senses and rediscover the Uruguayan identity through one of its most noble products is perceived.
The flavor of the territory
Gastronomy is an essential part of the proposal. The menu, designed with contemporary sensibility, is inspired by local flavors subtly reinterpreted. Dishes with Mediterranean and River Plate roots dialogue with the house wines, creating a perfect balance between land and sea, between tradition and modernity.
The products come from small producers and nearby orchards, reaffirming the commitment to sustainability and respect for the environment. There is no stridency or artifice: each dish is a brief, precise and elegant story, designed to accompany the wine without overshadowing it.
The experience of a dinner at City Winery is lived as an urban ritual. In the glasses, the wines of Pizzorno Family Estates shine, a winery with more than 100 years of history that has known how to keep the essence of Tannat – the flagship variety of Uruguay – alive and at the same time innovate with varietals such as Albariño, Merlot or Sauvignon Blanc. Each label tells a family story, of generations that learned to read the climate, the soil and patience.
Heritage reinvented
The choice of location was not accidental. The mansion that houses City Winery was carefully restored to preserve its original structure and recover its historical character. Its period architecture coexists with contemporary interventions that give it new meaning without altering its spirit. It is a tribute to the old Montevideo, reinterpreted with a modern look.
The visitor can tour its different spaces—the restaurant, the cellar, the terrace, the tasting rooms—and discover that each one contains a different atmosphere. In the basement, the oak barrels and the aroma of must transport you to the wineries of yesteryear. On the ground floor, the marble tables and warm lights create an atmosphere that invites you to chat without haste. On the terrace, the sunset over the park offers one of those postcards that are kept forever.
Beyond its oenological proposal, City Winery represents a cultural statement. It is the expression of a new stage for the city, where heritage is revitalized through creativity and gastronomy becomes a vehicle of identity.
The art of celebrating the simple
In a world that runs, this space proposes to stop. Listen to the wine, smell it, observe how the color changes in the glass depending on the light. Taste without haste. Rediscover the art of conversation, the value of sharing. It is a refuge for those who understand that authentic luxury is not in ostentation, but in an intimate, careful and true experience.
The team that gives life to the place shares that same philosophy: hospitality without protocol, excellence without rigidity. Each meeting becomes a moment that transcends gastronomy. There is something almost spiritual about toasting here: a connection between history, art and nature that can only happen when wine becomes a storyteller.
A new chapter for Montevideo
The Uruguayan capital is experiencing a cultural renaissance. Its historic neighborhoods recover the splendor of other times, and projects like this confirm its vocation as a creative city. In this context, City Winery stands as a symbol of that transformation: a bridge between the countryside and the city, between yesterday and tomorrow, between the artisanal and the contemporary.
When night falls on Parque Rodó and the lights turn on in the house, the sound of the glasses and the aroma of the wine create a melody of their own. It is the sound of a Montevideo that celebrates its cultural maturity, that embraces its heritage and reinvents it without losing its essence.
In every glass served, in every story told, beats the memory of a land that learned to turn its wine into poetry. And so, between barrels, soft music and conversations that spread, the city returns to do what it does best: live slowly, with elegance, with soul.

You can move around Montevideo easily: Uber is a simple and well-known resource, the 1919 Celeritas Taxis will schedule any section for you, Transfer Transfers and Incoming Tourism can make your journey end-to-end.

For the Buenos Aires–Montevideo route, Buquebús operates with 25 weekly frequencies, maintaining daily departures and multiple schedules per day.