Had enough of parades and beauty pageants? Amanda Barnes has some suggestions to escape the crowds.
A Wine tour on Horseback
Horses, barbecue and wine seem to embody the image of Argentina for most gringos like me. So when I heard of a horse trek through the vineyards stopping off at a winery and then heading back for an asado (Argentine barbecue) – it seemed like the perfect gaucho-meet-gringo day out.
Our transfer collected us at 9am and whizzed us off to Cesar's stable in the beautiful leafy Lunlunta valley in Maipu. Passing a pretty, crumbling church, we drove down a bumpy lane to what is more like a zoo than a stable. With horses, cows, goats, sheep and birds – Cesar breeds quite a lot, but what he is really famous for are his stunning thoroughbred criollo horses, which we would be riding today.
Saddling up we headed out to trot through some picturesque vineyards where you could see the Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes shaping up on this early summer's day. Cesar – who dresses appropriately in traditional gaucho wear – and his loyal dog Taco guided us through the rows of vines until we emerged at a headland looking over the Mendoza river (mostly dried up), the valley and the foothills of Lunlunta with the snow-capped Andes towering in the other direction – a view to linger over.
The trek then took a slightly more adventurous note, galloping (or rather it felt like galloping to this rather inexperienced rider) and splashing through the shallow river, up small rocky bays and through native scrubland. As our trusty steads hauled us up some steep ridges we made our way to the winery - Bodega Bonfanti, a small family-run bodega.
Leaving Cesar to secure our horses, we were greeted by the wife of owner Ricardo Bonfanti who took us out to the vines to show where the wine really began and describe the nature's year-long cycle before moving into the winery to see the wine making and ageing process. Then it was onto everyone's favourite part – wine tasting!
Bonfanti has a beautiful tasting room set right in the middle of the vines, and while enjoying the view we delighted in a light and fruity Malbec rosé, an intense Malbec full of black fruits and a spicey Cabernet Sauvignon rich with cassis.
Finishing up these lovely wines, we jumped back on the horses and took a relaxed pace down a leafy narrow road before a bit more 'off-roading' through the small foothills and ravines before heading back up to Cesar's stables for a traditional asado.
The fire was already lit as we settled into the rustic wooden dining room, poured a nice sizeable glass of wine and were brought an array of barbequed meats to go with salad and bread. Cesar entertained us with stories of how he crossed the Andes on horseback and we all happily chattered about the ride, Mendoza and more. After some fresh cherries and a bit more wine, our transfer to took us back to the city in the late afternoon.
A Meal to Remember
There are many great restaurants in Mendoza, but during these months many are full to the brim. So if you want to escape the crowds and enjoy an intimate night of food, wine and education – Finca Adalgisa's cooking course is a good option.
This boutique hotel is tucked away in an old vineyard in Chacras de Coria and boasts beautiful hotel rooms, a swimming pool, a small winery and a lovely glasshouse-style restaurant. Arriving as the sun was setting, we sat by the glowing BBQ with a glass of their homemade Malbec as chef Cristina Brino explained our dinner for the evening: traditional Mendocinian empanadas, steak with chimichurri sauce and barbecued potatoes followed by caramelised fruits for dessert.
Friendly and knowledgeable chef Cristina told us about the regional importance of empanadas and how they vary – the Mendocinian ones for example use a lot of onion (almost half onion and half meat). We made the soft dough and then the filling, frying off a couple of large onions over the fire, adding beautiful pieces of chopped steak and spicing it with cumin, chilli pepper, salt, black pepper and fresh oregano from their herb garden. We put the filling onto each pastry disk, along with a slice of boiled egg and an olive and worked on the art of empanada making (some were more artful than others!) Sliding the empanadas into the barbecue, we settled down to make the fresh chimichurri sauce which was based on the finca's own olive oil, fresh herbs and spices.
By this point we had quite an appetite. The warm, freshly baked empanadas went down a real treat. After putting the juicy Argentine steak and vegetables on the grill, Cristina started to prepare the fruit for dessert (a mixture of orange, pear and apple with lots of sugar to caramelise it). As she cooked our steaks perfectly to order, we relocated to the cosy restaurant. Here we were presented with an irresistible plate of steak, roasted potatoes and fresh chimichurri. After enjoying our hearty meal with more Malbec, we were brought a delicious dessert of caramelised fruit with ice cream and mint.
This is an enjoyable, instructive and intimate evening with the added advantage that you can cook with none of the fuss of cleaning or laborious preparation. You learn all about Mendoza's regional specialities whilst sitting back and relaxing as a perfect meal is prepared before your eyes.
For more information visit www.fincaadalgisa.com.ar
Other things to do in Mendoza to escape the heat and crowds
Rafting – If you want to cool down a bit in Mendoza's cool mountain waters, there is no better way than to strap yourself to an inflatable and splash your way down class 4 river rapids that snake through the towering Andes. Contact Argentina Rafting on (261) 429 6325, www.argentinarafting.com
Spa – Maybe you want to soak your aching bones after the busy celebrations? Try out South America's first traditional Turkish Hamman at the luxurious Entre Cielos resort in Lujan www.entrecielos.com, (261) 498 3377. For a more rustic approach, go up into the mountains for spectacular poolside views in Cacheuta at the Termas Hotel and Spa www.termascacheuta.com
Grape picking at Zuccardi – Get into the spirit of Vendimia and try your hand at grape picking. Spend a morning picking grapes at Familia Zuccardi and then sitting back to a scrumptious lunch at one of Mendoza's finest winery restaurants. Or if you are a real foodie, try their great cooking course whilst in the kitchen learning all the secrets of their top chefs. www.familiazuccardi.com
