Familia Irurtia

The history of the Irurtia family begins in 1882, when Basque immigrant Lorenzo Irurtia arrived in Carmelo and, through hard work and perseverance, began cultivating the land. In 1913, he achieved his first harvest, marking the start of a tradition that would span generations. Decades later, in 1953, his grandson Dante took over the small winery. A visionary and passionate winemaker, he transformed Uruguayan viticulture with innovations in vineyards and winemaking: importing clonal selections from Europe, pioneering the Lyra trellis system, and traveling the world in search of the best technology, at a time when exporting wines seemed a distant dream. His boldness was recognized in 1988 with the French government’s Order of Agricultural Merit.

Growth was constant. In 1966, Irurtia wines received their first gold medal in Sofia, Bulgaria, and since then have garnered international awards that consolidated the winery as a benchmark of quality. With more than one hundred harvests, the family has always preserved the spirit of “the persistent Basque Lorenzo” and Dante’s vision, who thought not only of the next vintage, but of the legacy for future generations.

Today, the fourth generation —Carlos in oenology, Marcelo in agronomy, and Liliana in commercial management— leads the project with the same passion, combining artisanal tradition with cutting-edge technology. The winery has a capacity of 9,350,000 liters, distributed in cement vats, stainless steel tanks, and French oak barrels, making it one of the largest in Uruguay.

Visiting Bodega Irurtia means walking through more than a century of winemaking history, discovering an exceptional cellar, and enjoying the warmth of a family that keeps the essence of the Carmelo terroir alive. With more than one hundred labels, the winery reflects the prestige of Uruguayan wine worldwide, with Tannat as its flagship and national pride.