Argentina for wine tourists
With a bit of careful planning – and armed with this guide to where to go and what to see – it’s possible to get a taste of everything Argentina’s wine country has to offer
Argentine wine country has never been a more attractive destination. With wine styles moulded by the high altitudes, a little tradition and plenty of modern ingenuity, it’s no wonder that 1.2 million travellers a year come to see the country’s vineyards, set against the craggily dramatic skyline of the Andes.
Offering a unique mixture of luxury, architecture and Latin American culture, the vineyards of Argentina require a little effort to visit but they repay the investment in spades. Organisation is key: crossing the wine country in its entirety is the equivalent of travelling from Edinburgh to Morocco, so it’s important to do a little research and choose your destinations carefully.
AROUND MENDOZA
Located 987km west of Buenos Aires, the province of Mendoza accounts for 70% of the wine produced in Argentina. The region boasts 153,000ha of vineyards and 625 wineries, of which 146 offer hospitality services and activities. Of its three sub-regions, the Primera Zona to the north and the Uco Valley to the south can be easily visited in a day trip from the eponymous capital city, with vineyards located from 30km to 130km away. It is essential either to rent a car or book your travel through an agency.
Luján de Cuyo & Maipú
The Primera Zona is made up of two districts that border Mendoza City: Luján de Cuyo and Maipú. These districts have formed the heart of wine country in Argentina since the 19th century, when Malbec first found a home here.
Against a backdrop of long rows of cottonwoods, the region offers a mixture of traditional and modern culture. A pair of wineries – Alta Vista and Trivento – are good examples of each, respectively.
Alta Vista (www.altavistawines.com), built in 1890 and owned by the D’Aulan family since 1998, is a refurbished winery that today sits next to residential areas and has an olive garden suitable for picnics or a traditional asado barbecue.
Trivento (www.trivento.com), 10km east, is a more hi-tech winery. It even has an art museum on site, which is well worth a visit before you take a tour of the
neighbouring vineyard by bicycle. And if you’re stopping here for lunch, the winery restaurant serves tapas.
It is across the Mendoza river (4km south), however, that you can really get a feel for how Argentina’s wine industry has developed in recent times. Agrelo, a sub-district of Luján de Cuyo, boasts more than 100 wineries, all established after 1990. Make your first stop Susana
Balbo Wines (www.susanabalbowines.com.ar), which has just celebrated its 20th anniversary. Taste wines from the local terroir before enjoying a five-course lunch at Osadía de Crear tapas restaurant.
About 15 minutes’ drive south brings you to Bodega Budeguer (www. budeguer.com). This pretty family winery opened in 2012 and has now become a hot spot for wine lovers looking to head off the beaten track. View the Virgen de la Carrodilla chapel (designed by Mendoza architect Gonzalo Merlo) before enjoying an exclusive wine tasting. Your third stop in Agrelo, Pulenta
Estate (www.pulentaestate.com), is about five minutes’ drive to the southwest, and can be identified by the row of olive trees that line the entrance. The winery, which offers regular scheduled tours, belongs to an historic fourthgeneration wine family, whose cellars also contain the odd classic Porsche.
Uco Valley
Drive south on Ruta 40 and you’ll come to the Uco Valley (about an hour from Mendoza City). Casa de Uco and
Alpasión Wine, Lodge & Vineyards are both located in the new Los Chacayes GI (geographical indication) and make an excellent base from which to explore the area on a one- or two-day tour. Casa de
Uco (www.casadeuco.com) is a luxury hotel designed by the architect Juan Tonconogy. If you can’t stay overnight, a day visit includes a tour of the ‘telescopic’ winery, while the restaurant serves food made from ingredients produced on the estate. Horseriding treks through the mountains are also on offer.
Alpasión Lodge ( www.alpasion.com) is a warm and welcoming inn that’s suitable either for a lunchtime visit or
‘Luján de Cuyo and Maipú have formed the heart of wine country in Argentina since the 19th century, when Malbec found a home here’