Mauá Castle and Wine

		MORE OUTINGS IN Mercedes

Marcelo Sola

In our visit to Mercedes, we knew that very near the city center, just 6 km away, we could see the famous Castle of the Viscount and Baron of Mauá. The thought of touring a building that dates back from 1860 was very inviting, even more so since this architectural masterpiece once belonged to one of the most remarkable ranchers in the region.

Once inside its premises, a one way road led us to the main porch when entering the castle. This luxurious and impressive building, that resembles a fortress, belonged to Irineo Evangelista de Souza, a Brazilian businessman that thanks to his fortune was able to earn the nobility titles of Baron and Viscount of Mauá.

It is said that this enigmatic character was born in poverty but became rich as a result of his entrepreneur spirit. His business was related to the wool production and he was awarded important prizes in events held in Paris and London.
Originally built as a farmhouse on 16,000 hectares, it was used as a resting place for the Baron when he visited after leaving his home in London.

Nowadays, there are only 3 hectares of the premises with forest of acacia, tala and espinillo by the gorgeous bank of the Negro River.
At present, this building belongs to the Soriano Town Hall. When visiting the facilities, we could access a small municipal zoo and the Alejandro Berro Paleontology Museum, both located inside the building. The museum houses one of the most important paleontologic collections in the region.

We took some time to visit the Mauá Wines winery, where we were welcomed to see some of the secrets that the Uruguayan wine keeps.
Inside the winery, we could appreciate the family coat of arms that reads: “Determination at work always prevails”. We could also see the different varietals produced there using semi traditional methods.

The charrúa producers welcomed us with the hospitality that characterizes them and, without delay, they showed us the storage barrels and the casks made of French oak. Then, they invited us to taste the exquisite wine produced there.

Of strong character, Uruguayan wine has an unmistakable European profile: high tartness and less alcohol. It has well defined sensory characteristics with an aromatic bouquet and tannin flavor. There is no doubt that it is gaining worldwide popularity and we were in the cradle of that wine.

To end our tour around the Mauá Castle, we headed towards the river bank. We decided to watch the beautiful sunset in Mercedes since was just beginning and a gentle breeze began to blow as we were still tasting the wine.