La temprana vitivinicultura en Uruguay: surgimiento y consolidación (1870-1930)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the emergence and consolidation of the wine industry in Uruguay during the first stage of industrial growth of the country, more known as early industry (1870-1930). The results indicate that one of the main factors which determine the evolution of the sector in the period was the plague of phylloxera, which requires a deep viticultural transformation and a technique modernization based in the increase of the land productivity. This process permitted an important growth of the wine industry which, however, was accompanied by a technological immobility in the elaboration process. Finally, the work shows how the increase in the national elaboration volume, together with a hard fallen of the wine imports, made possible a fast process of import substitution during the period.