Click on pictures to supersize.

When I visited my „house winery“ BraccoBosca  last week, to stock up for Easter, Enrique came up with a surprise, a taste of a new wine.

  And Mike – what do you think about this wine ? – muses Enrique.

I had a look onto the bottle and couldn’t make out the name first. Was it Ambi or Dinbi or whatever?  The taste convinced me to take a few bottles home.

   The new wine label from BraccoBosca.

What a surprise when I read the label. First, the name was Ombu !!! Second, Ombu is a tree (what is the connection between a tree and a winery ?) and sudden my research curiosity was awakened. What I found out I like to share with you.

     A blend of Syrah (Shiraz), Tannat and Petit Verdot, filling year 2015.

Did you know that there are bushes the size of large trees? In the Pampas grasslands in South America there is a „bush“ or a „tree“ called the Ombu (Phytolacca dioica).

Beautiful Ombu near Atlantida, around 20m (60f)  high and wide.

The noun OMBU has one sense only: „Fast growing herbaceous evergreen tree of South America having a broad trunk with high water content and dark green oval leaves“. It is the only tree-like plant that lives on the Pampas because it does not need a lot of water to survive.

  Lonely Ombu tree in the Argentinian pampas.

The Ombu can be found in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. Normally they grow isolated, only in Uruguay you will find a whole forest, the largest OMBU FOREST  in the world.
It does not need much water considering there is only 10-30 inches of rainfall a year in its natural habitat.

   Tree trunk in the Ombu forest near Rocha.

That amount of water is not enough to support a lot of trees and even the Ombu plants are widely spaced because of the limited availability of water. Droughts can occur in the grasslands, so the plants that grow there often develop unique characteristics.

      Massive Ombu trees in Montevideo.

The Ombu Tree.

The Ombu is a large evergreen with an umbrella like canopy. It can have a girth of 40 to 50 feet(14 to 17 meters) and its height can reach 40 to 60 feet (14 to 18 meters).
It grows rapidly. Its wood is soft and spongy, soft enough to be cut with a regular knife.
The Ombu often has multiple trunks and is the only tree-like species for miles. Its sap is poisonous, therefore the bush is not browsed by cattle.

                                                        Ombu flowers , fruits or seeds and leaves.  Pick a few and cultivate in your garden. Be careful, they grow big !

It is also immune to locusts and other pests. The bush is covered with dark, glossy, green leaves. It has greenish-white flowers that grow in long clusters. These clusters droop from the weight of the crimson, ripe berries that develop from these flowers.

   The Uruguayan national tree on a stamp.

The Ombu’s massive, fire resistant trunks contain water storage tissue, an excellent adaptation for intense grassland fires which are common in this region.
The „trees“ have enlarged bases in which they store water.

  Ombu trees ar native to South America, but found now allover the world where the climate conditions are similar. This giant pictured here I’ve seen in Albert Park, Aukland New Zealand. Centuries ago the „companias“, like East or West India company shipped plants and seeds allover the world. Like coffee, which was totally unknown to The Americas. Click on pics to appreciate.

  Ombu’s allover the world. Here Barcelona, Spain, planted 1914.

The Ombu is also known as the „Lighthouses“ of the pampas, since the „tree“ provides shade for gauchos (South American cowboys) and other people that are traveling through the grasslands. And – most of them where standing out like monuments against the sky – travelers could use them as orientation points.  Sometimes the leaves are used locally for a hot drink, or dried, used as smoke.

   Gaucho lunch under an Ombu tree.

  Well known novel (lovestory, drama)  about a magnificent ranch in the middle of the Argentine pampas. Santa Montefiore is a London based author.

The Ombu Bonsai.

This plant makes an amazing Bonsai plant and is easily grown in a container. And may be the coolest tree you will ever grow! Another name for it is Elephant Tree.
Elephant Tree = Phytolacca dioica means „The Beautiful Shade“.

   Wonderful Ombu Bonsai.

If you want to grow them, for bonsai or your garden, you easily can buy seeds on eBay.
Place the seeds for germination in semi-shaded beds or pots containing clayey soil, cover them with a light layer of the substrate and screened irrigate twice a day.

  The art of Ombu Bonsai. Click on pics.

Transplant the seedlings to individual containers when 4-5 cm, which will be ready for planting in situ in 4 months. The growth of plants in the field is quite fast.
Germination in about 6 to 8 weeks, so be patient. It’s drought tolerant. Average water needs, water regularly, do not over-water. Full sun to part shade.

  Isla de los Ombues, Lavalleja Uruguay.

The Ombu Forest.

The world’s largest ombú forests can be found in the area near the Laguna de Castillo in the department of Rocha, Uruguay. Some of the trees that stand there are more than 500 years old. Legend has it that those who visit these forests suddenly remember early childhood experiences. I like those story’s.

  Ombu forest near Laguna de Castillos, Rocha.

The Ombú is a large evergreen tree that mostly stands solitary. It has a special value in Uruguay since it provides shelter and shade. These unusual large groups of Ombu trees that can be found in Rocha include ancient trees, with huge gnarled roots. Some fig trees grow surrounding the Ombu trunks.

  What a massive tree trunk.

The Ombu wine.

Why does BraccoBosca calls a wine series „Ombu“ ? The answer you’ll find on their label.

    Supersize this label picture and read the story. I like this kind of fairy tale.

When I read the label I faced a few surprises. First the name, second the tree connection, third the rear label in English (specially made for export), fourth the Germans are already importing this great wine (as you can see at the bottom of the rear label) and fifth the quality of this fine blend wine to an affordable price.

  BraccoBosca vinyards north of Atlantida.

   The Ombu at BraccoBosca winery has still to grow a few years.

  Syrah grapes (the treasure) at BraccoBosca.

  Ombu labeled wine making at BraccoBosca.

  The Ombu blend from Tannat, Syrah and Petit Verdot.

A very interesting wine with a special taste, sweet and mild. The hardness of the Tannat is gone and the flavors bring out a good taste of cinnamon and coffee, a bit of a woody touch. The nose will inhale twice to get it and the eyes will discover a very dark ruby color. NICE !

  See this dark ruby color, even better against a candle.

Visit the winery yourself and meet the always helpful and friendly couple Adriana and Enrique. Take a few bottles with you, in an affordable low range of 200,–peso (just over six dollars) a bottle, for such a very good quality. This wine also makes an excellent gift for a wine lover. And YES, they have other wines too.

   Wine or tree,   ENJOY OMBU !!!