WINE TOURS
You cannot come to Mendoza without doing a wine tour. Your budget will determine greatly what quality of tour you do, with Maipu the most economical as it is the most accessible and popular to tour by bike. However Lujan de Cuyo has the best range of fine wine establishments - old and new, boutique and industrial, foreign and Argentine.
The vast majority require prebooking and private transport to get to. There are 1,000 wineries in Mendoza but there is basically a core 50 wineries that are worth visiting in the sense that they have good wines, beautiful locations and knowledgeable guides. The vast majority are located in Lujan de Cuyo. A recommended wine tour company is Trout & Wine, Sarmiento 133, Galeria San Marcos. Tel 4255613; www.troutandwine.com.
LUJAN DE CUYO
Lujan de Cuyo is Mendoza’s finest winery region for tours as it has the best variety of wineries, incredible views of the mountains and relative proximity to the city. The first of Lujan’s wineries are 20 minutes from the city and the furthest 40 minutes away along the Route 7 to Chile. Poor public transport and visits by appointment means it is more convenient to join a wine tour company when touring the area. Go to our “Top 20 wineries to visit” on page 24 to see what wineries we recommend. The most wineries you can see in one day are four: five maximum as many have set times for visits – usually 9.30am, 11am, 3pm and 4pm. There is no cellar door service in any wineries. The better wineries charge 30 pesos to enter and more to sample the premium wines, which include varietals such as Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Bonarda, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. A good quality one day tour of the area costs $135 US.
MAIPU
The closest wine district to the city has seen a surge in wine quality in recent years. This is the best area to do an economical tour of the city; usually by bicycle. This region is huge and much is covered by urban sprawl; many wineries have street locations with little or no vineyards. The further south you go the prettier the landscape becomes, with the city opening up into olive groves and vineyards. Take buses number 171, 172 and 173 from La Rioja street in the city center and alight on Urquiza. There you will se some bike rental establishments including Mr Hugo (tel.497-4067; www.lavidyelvino. com.ar). Always check your bike is a decent ride as a breakdown can ruin your day. Go early and bring lots of water as it gets hot out there. Go to our “Top 20 wineries to visit” on page 24 to see what wineries we recommend. Excellent lunch stops include Casa de Campo, Di Tommasso and La Encantada.
VALLE DE UCO
Valle de Uco is the new frontier in Mendoza wines; a high altitude valley with stunning views of the mountains. Most of the wineries here are new concept wineries, foreign-owned with imposing architecture. Many vineyards are newly planted though some areas such as La Consulta have 100-year old vines and are producing incredible wines. Common varietals are Malbec, Merlot, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The most wineries you can visit are three in one day and the closest are 90 minutes drive from the city. Go to our wineries page to see what wineries we recommend.
WINE TASTING
The Vines in Mendoza city centre offers tastings of Mendoza’s wines. You can opt for one of the flights such Las Reservas de Malbec, which is an intro to reserve Malbecs or Especial de Blancos, which is examples of excellent white wines. The tasting takes place in stylish and comfortable rooms, with bilingual guides who will pass on their extensive knowledge of wine. It is the first and only tasting room in South America and the only place in Mendoza where you can try a wide range of excellent wines by the glass. Regular events include a winemaker’s evening every Wednesday and a cheese and wine tasting on Mondays (this schedule changes in the winter months). The Vines also have a second tasting room located in the Park Hyatt Mendoza, next to the Q Grill. The Vines of Mendoza; Espejo 567, Tel. 0261 438-1031; www.vinesofmendoza.com
