Wine Tasting Paradise
We’ve had some extraordinary wine experiences around the world. Some of them include the Valley of Beautiful Women in Eastern Hungary, the wine caves of Moldova, Port tasting in Porto, and the Cascadian peaked vineyards of the Willamette Valley in Oregon, US. However, we’ve never had a wine experience quite like the ones we’ve been experiencing in the world class wine destination of Mendoza. Wow. Wow. Wow. Top quality. Top value. Top atmosphere.
Among them were several tastings/tours, which even included a blind experience. And three food/wine pairing lunches. And…it finally happened…we arrived to the cusp of getting wined out. 🤣🍷
Planning wine experiences in Mendoza is not an easy choice considering there are over 1500 wineries in three notable valleys…Lujan de Cuyo, Valle de Uco and Maipu. Among them you will find wide open spaces with nothing but grape vines, and some of the best wines ever, often accessorized by snow-capped Andean peaks. Not to mention, far fewer crowds than some wine-soaked regions like California’s Napa or Portugal’s Douro Valley. In short, Mendoza is incredible. A true once in a lifetime must for any wine connoisseur (or general wino.)
Our favorite wine/food pairing lunch for atmosphere and food presentation went to Hacienda de Plata Bodega where we ate in the shade under giant cypress trees. We all ordered the beautiful vegetarian option which was a puréed calabaza (pumpkin) and cheese topped with veggies and served with a Malbec.
The appetizer was an exquisite fondue and pastry crust empanada, and dessert a coconut flan topped with ice cream. We had to take a lot of breaks because it was a very filling meal. This three course pairing cost about $25 each for three courses and three wines.
Around the lovely property grounds.
Another wine tasting experience was at Tierras Altas run by the Vargas Arizu family in the Uco Valley. Here we tasted five wines and toured the facility.
And of course, reviewed our basics of tasting including using sight, smell, feel and taste.
It was here Greg tasted his “best in show” Malbec wine directly from the barrel using a wine thief. (That’s the fancy pants name for the glass tube used to lift the wine from barrel.) We all liked it because it had a hint of spice to it. Greg unfortunately didn’t get to taste too much because he was the designated driver, (but he did lots of learning, slurping and spitting.) We then went down to the cellar to taste an aged Malbec from 2005. They needed a wine aerator to filter out the sediment, but after that it was delicious.
The next stop this day was Claroscuro for a different wine pairing lunch. Although we didn’t get a tour, we got to take a peek at the glossy equipment.
As we walked the grounds, they seemed very reminiscent of places we’ve seen in California.
Preparing our waist bands for a five-course meal, which also included unlimited wine pours of four different selections. This Malbec/Cabernet was the favorite of Mandy and Grace (Greg’s stepmom.)
She didn’t actually drink this much but it was fun posing with all our empty glasses 🤣
Four courses: zucchini gazpacho, pork in a beet emulsion, green salad and an orange cream brownie with avocado foam. They also offered delicious vegetarian options.
The main course was two giant tomahawk beef hunks and chimichurri sauce. (Of course… we’re in Argentina.) There was SO much food and they even asked if we wanted another steak of beef for no extra cost. For those of you wondering the price, it was about $20/person for all this.
The official menu and the wine list for take home bottles. At the time of our meal, the blue dollar rate was $1=970 pesos.
The lunch salon was full. However, the staff, some English-speaking, were attentive and excellent, especially when it came to dietary restrictions. Some of the best service we’ve had in the country. (Granted, you can’t really expect this kind of service with our usual $.35 empanadas.) 🤣
Our blind tasting was at Bodega Piedra Negra which was one of the most beautiful settings, looking toward the snow-capped Andes.
They welcomed us with a Pinot Grigio which is a rare grape found in this part of the world. All of their wines were organic and natural.
They showed us their fermenting facilities, and a unique photographic exhibition that was done on their winery. #GOALS
The cellar and storage room was very modern, which included clay fermentation jars instead of the usual stainless steel or oak, which were very unique to this winery. The clay pots were used by ancient winemakers so it was a nice throwback to some of the processes we’d seen in Georgia. We also got to see the personal collection of the owner, Francoise, who is from France.
Our blind tasting setting overlooked the mountains.
We thought this meant we’d be blindfolded and denied the beautiful view, but it actually meant the four wines were all explained to us and then mixed up. Our job was to put them back in the correct order, which was harder than it sounds, particularly after two other wine sloshings on that day and completely blown taste buds 🤣
After this, it was time for our sober Gregorio to roll the lushes back to Mendoza. Three tastings and a tomahawk steak later….wrecked 🤣 We officially decided that 1-2 wino activities daily would be our new limit. But alas, when in Mendoza…
On another day (with only one scheduled wine activity), we went to Bodega Renacer for our final wine pairing lunch. The setting amongst weeping willow trees was also extraordinary.
And the days were perfectly warm and springy.
Here we go again.
This tasting was “only” three courses and included:
- a fish paste confit in an unidentified crunchy shell
- encrusted lamb with beet sauce (Greg)
- burrata, strawberry and fennel salad (Mandy)
- cod in a lemon sauce (Mandy)
- rabbit ravioli in a cream sauce (Greg)
At one point we got our wines mixed up and Grace couldn’t figure out which was which. 🤣 How we love wine tasting with these two!!
Into the Andes and Mount Aconcagua
Besides the overflowing rivers of wine, another amazing thing about being in Mendoza is easy access to the simply stunning and snow-peaked Andes Mountains, which includes Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in all of the Americas at 22,837 feet (6,961 meters), which towers about Denali by about 2,000 feet.
It’s also a spectacular place for a road trip so we were very fortunate to be with Greg’s parents and have access to a car! However, it really whetted our appetite for a return trip where we have a little more opportunity to hit the trail
Heading toward the Chilean border absolutely takes your breath away. The Andes is the longest mountain range on earth at 7,000 km (4300 miles) and spans 7 countries.
Even from the road you can see brilliant blue glacier feed lakes.
The condition of the road couldn’t be better unlike other Andean thoroughfares we’ve experienced. Nor could the day…
Stopping for a lunch at a roadside restaurant we were bound to find meat being roasted “gaucho style.”
Yummy for some. We opted for the go-to chicken.
Continuing west the views got better and better, until we finally arrived for a little peak of Aconcagua.
And wow…was she majestic and the clarity was unreal. Next time…we must get closer!!
Just the tip!!
On the way back, we stopped at the village of Puente del Inca, which seems to be mostly a village developed for tourists to see Natural Bridge over the Cuevas River.
Its name refers to the natural bridge and the visits that the Inca peoples made to the bridge, under which thermal waters with healing properties flowed. It is part of the Andean road system Qhapag Nan and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The sediment deposits are really striking. Bizarrely there is (was) a vintage hotel perched underneath the bridge. It was built in 1925, a real luxury for the time. Each of the rooms had its own thermal bath. It was destroyed by the devastating avalanche of 1965.
We then stopped at the Cemetery of the Andinistas which is dedicated to all the people who have lost their lives in the nearby mountains, particularly Aconcagua. It does not include the bodies of those that famously died in the 1972 plane crash of the Uruguayan rugby team from the book/film “Alive.” It was very touching regardless. This man died on Aconcagua just this year.
Our Accommodation: Posada Verde Oliva
Our first time staying on a vineyard which was founded in 1889. Bienvenidos to our private villa in Mendoza! A very special treat for us. Thank you Larry & Grace! 🙂
