Wine region
No trip to Mendoza is complete without a tour of the local wineries. Wine is at the heart of Mendoza's landscape and industry, and the bodegas are beautiful places to visit. Surrounded by semi-arid lands with little vegetation, the rich green vineyards seem miraculous, stretching out in perfectly ordered rows towards the dramatic backdrop of snow-dusted mauve mountains beyond. Most establishments are delighted to show you around, with a tour (often entirely in Spanish) to teach you about the winemaking process, and to invite you to taste their excellent produce. Some of the more interesting bodegas have good restaurants too, and many have opened smart and comfortable boutique hotels. These tend to be on the expensive side, but they are beautiful places to stay, since you're in the
middle of vineyards, with the added advantage that you can enjoy superb wine with your meal and not have to worry about driving.
Tapiz
www.tapiz.com
, is one of the best and is gaining a reputation for excellence.
Cavas Wine Lodge
www.cavaswinelodge.com
, is also frequently recommended.
There are three main wine-producing areas in Mendoza province. The
High zone of Río Mendoza
, the oldest wine producing area, is immediately to the south of Mendoza city with bodegas sprinkled among two towns, Maipú and Luján de Cuyo. The second region is the
Uco Valley
, to the south of the small town of Tupungato which lies southwest of Mendoza in the foothills of the Andes. And the third region is around
San Rafael
(286 km south of Mendoza city). Only the first region is described here, since both Tupungato and San Rafael are described in Southern Mendoza .
Argentina's wine industry has grown considerably in recent years . Now it's being shaken up by the arrival of foreign investors who have bought extensive vineyards in the region: and as well as British, French, Dutch, Spanish, American and Australian wine growers, there are other enthusiasts who have settled down here and started up more related businesses, running bodega tours, wine clubs, wine magazines and opening restaurants. This area of tourism is bound to change dramatically in the next few years, so check for new information if you're serious about your wine. For more information on the wine-growing region in general, see the following websites: www.bestofmendoza.com.ar; www.turismo.mendoza.gov.ar (has maps and information on the Camino del Vino); www.mendoza.com.ar (in Spanish and English with lots of information); www.vendimia.mendoza.gov.ar (covers the annual wine harvest festival in
Mendoza); www.welcometomendoza.com.ar (another very useful site, designed in English
by expats with a good general overview); and www.welcomeargentina.com/vin.
While you're on your way around Argentina, perhaps anticipating a trip to Mendoza, it's a good idea to try some of the famous brands in restaurants so that you know what you like when you're choosing vineyards to visit. This is a list of the best known and longest established names whose wineries you can visit in Mendoza province: López, Valentín Bianchi, Escorihuela, J&F Lurton, Trapiche, Flichman, La Rural, Norton, Félix
Lavaque, Navarro Correas, Nieto Senetiner, Chandon and Weinert.
|
This is edited copy from Footprint Handbooks. For comprehensive details (incl address, tel no, directions, opening times and prices) please refer to book or individual chapter PDF
Products in this Region No related products |
PDF Downloads No PDFs currently available |
Digital Products  Available NOW!Read more... |