Colinas de Garzón is one of Uruguay's premier olive oil and wine producers, as well as a popular destination for tourists.
Uruguay is South America’s tour de force in miniature. Its size unassuming, its land mostly flat. But over the past few years, the country has gone from relative obscurity to somewhat of a household name.
El Pepe (José Mujica), Uruguay’s charismatic, Volkswagen-Beetle-driving ex-president, jolted the country to the international spotlight with his third-way politics that included marijuana legalization, resettling Guantanamo Bay prisoners cleared for release, and finalizing the implementation of free wifi internet nationwide including all public schools.
Together with these achievements is another success story that hasn’t received nearly as much media attention: The country blooms of vast olive trees. As the olives mature they are pressed and eventually go on to produce first-class, internationally renowned olive oils.
Colinas de Garzón, established in 2005, is Uruguay’s premier boutique olive oil garden. Located in the seaside town of José Ignacio and the peninsula city of Punta del Este, the complex encompasses a total of 4,300 acres.
The area is home to several olive cultivars such as Arbequina, Coratina, Barnea, and Picual. Once mature, these crops are mixed and combined to produce Colinas de Garzón’s award-winning blends.
The company’s activities aren’t restricted to the production of its renowned extra virgin olive oils. Strategic investments have been made to accommodate visitors, turning the complex into a genuine olive oil tourist attraction.
Bike tours of the open fields are available. Visitors are also welcomed to set up their own picnics. The feature complex is dubbed Fábrica Boutique. Here, in this finely decorated building that blends rustic simplicity with modern amenities, visitors can partake in tastings of different olives and olive oils and locally produced wines. A lounge reserved for private events is also available.
Fábrica Boutique also has its own bodega and a restaurant operated by chef Francis Mallmann. The entire building complex is fitted with a glass wall facing the exuberant green landscape of cascading olive trees.
Colinas de Garzón’s production plant has the milling capacity of 130 tons of olives per day. While the quality of their extra virgin olive oils meets high standards, their production technicians collaborate with several neighboring universities with a focus on ecological preservation.
Matching the company’s objective of producing high-quality olive oils is its goal to be a model of sustainability, preserving the land it tends and local biodiversity.
More articles on: biodiversity, profiles, Uruguay
Apr. 22, 2024
Rocker Composes Award-Winning Olive Oil in Japan
Keisuke Maeda went from winning awards with his rock band to producing world-class extra virgin olive oil.
Apr. 3, 2024
Uruguay to Host Conference on Olive Oil Sector Research, Innovation
Scientists, producers and officials will meet in Uruguay in November to discuss the challenges and opportunities for South America’s olive oil sector.
May. 22, 2023
Bozelli Boss Highlights the Value of Skillful Blending
The Turkish producer and World Competition winner believes masterful extra virgin olive oil blends exceed the sum of their parts.
Nov. 20, 2023
Finding Balance in a Changing Sector Yields Success for Portuguese Exporter
Quality serves as Est. Manuel Silva Torrado’s north star as the company navigates export markets and the country’s rapidly changing sector.
Apr. 16, 2024
Tuscan Producer Adapts to a Changing Olive Oil Landscape
Fattoria di Volmiano embraces new ways to produce high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
May. 11, 2023
Kalinjot Monovarietal Places Albanian Olive Oil on World Stage
Andrew Strong hopes the Gold Award at the NYIOOC for an organic endemic monovarietal will catch the world’s attention.
Oct. 31, 2023
California Farmers Plant Hedgerows to Conserve Water, Improve Soil Health
Hedgerows improve water retention in the soil and create natural habitats for beneficial birds and other pest predators. Farmers said they add aesthetic value, too.
Feb. 19, 2024
How One Producer Deals with Rising Volumes and A Shorter Harvest in France
In the South of France, the producer behind Mas des Bories manages a bumper harvest and a shorter window to mill.