Promoted by the Brazilian platform Wine Locals, Albariño y Mar reaches its 5th edition in November at the iconic Casapueblo Museum
Some 800 km separate Punta del Este from Porto Alegre, the nearest Brazilian state capital, a journey that many summer visitors from Rio Grande do Sul repeat every year. Accordingly, the season will begin with the 5th edition of Albariño y Mar on Saturday, November 21, at the Casapueblo Museum in Punta Ballena, one of Uruguay’s best-known landmarks. Albariño y Mar is therefore part of the calendar of events promoted by Wine Locals, in collaboration with Punta Verano, the traditional circuit of New Year’s parties in Punta del Este, run by the Porto Alegre group Te2.
Why does the albariño grape thrive on the Uruguayan coast?
A grape from the Atlantic
The festival’s protagonist is, of course, albariño. Native to Galicia, in northwestern Spain, and to northern Portugal, where it is called alvarinho, this white grape variety arrived in Uruguay in 2001, planted by the Bouza family. In just 25 years, it has become one of the most widely grown varieties in the country.
The explanation for this success also lies in the climate. As in Rías Baixas, the grape’s birthplace in Spain, the Uruguayan coast receives a direct influence from the Atlantic. In Maldonado, the Punta del Este region, soils of metamorphic rock complete the picture. As a result, the wines are fresh whites with the salinity typical of coastal wines and fruit that is somewhat riper than that of their Galician counterparts.
Food and wine experience and participating wineries
Food and wine offering
Although it pays tribute to the albariño grape, the selection also brings together whites, rosés and reds from different regions and wineries across Uruguay. Among the 15 participating Uruguayan wineries are:
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Bodega Garzón
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Familia Deicas
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Bodega Bouza
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Bodega Juan Toscanini
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Bodega de La Carolina
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Bodega Cerro Chapeu
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Bodega Cerro del Toro
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Bodega De Lucca
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Bodega Pizzorno
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Bodega Viggiano
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Cofradía de la Sierra
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Alto de la Ballena
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Brisas del Este
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Pisano
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Varela Zarranz
In addition, to accompany the tastings, several seafood stations prepare paellas, small bites and sweets, alongside Uruguayan olive oils and cheeses.
Organizers and event location
About Wine Locals
Wine Locals is Brazil’s largest wine tourism and wine events platform. Since 2020, it has connected wine enthusiasts with South America’s main wine destinations, and it brings together more than 200 partner wineries across more than 15 terroirs in Brazil, Uruguay, Chile and Argentina. However, its most notable recent milestone is that, over the past year, it sold more than 100,000 tours and activities with those partners. @winelocals
About the Casapueblo Museum
Created by Uruguayan artist Carlos Páez Vilaró, Casapueblo was built over decades on the rocks of Punta Ballena. Today it houses a museum, a gallery and spaces dedicated to the artist’s work; for this reason, it is considered one of the most visited sites on the Uruguayan coast.
EVENT INFO | ALBARIÑO Y MAR 2026
When: Saturday, November 21, 2026 Where: Casapueblo Museum, Punta Ballena, Maldonado, Uruguay Hours: 5 pm to 10 pm Tickets: from R$775 for ages 18 and over, available on the official website. Organizer: Wine Locals
