Layers (2) Alto de la Ballena is the name of a vineyard near Punta del Este. It's located at the Ruta 12, a few kilometers before it connects to Ruta 9. It means something like "Top of the Whale". It's called like this, because the vineyard is located on the side of the Sierra de la Ballena ("Hill of the Whale"), which refers to the nearby Punta Ballena ("Whale point").

With around 8 hectares it's small, although they borrow some other lands of neighboring friends to increase the grape production. In my personal opinion, Alto de la Ballena makes one of the better wines in Uruguay.

Wine tasting It's possible to do wine tastings at the vineyard. There is a small wooden deck in which the owners will receive you with bread, cheese and of course their wines. They also give you a tour around the vineyard, which offers enjoyable views and an interesting explanation on the entire wine production process.

Rocky grounds

The best moment to start the wine tasting is around 1, 2 hours before sunset. Enjoying the sunset from here, with a view over the Laguna de Sauce and the Rio de la Plata, stretching as far as Pan de Azúcar in the distance, is a memorable experience.

The tough side of life

For more photos of Alto de la Ballena click here.