Week 26: Mendoza
We spent the last week of our 6-month adventure in Argentina's beloved wine country, Mendoza. Similar to Napa, Mendoza has an abundance of wineries (bodegas) ranging from boutique to grandiose, and most offer a range of tours, tastings, and multi-course meals. The dry weather, high altitude (at the base of the Andes), and nearly year-round sunshine make the desert area perfect for growing delicious grapes, most notably the Malbec. We spent our first three nights in Mendoza city at B&B Plaza Italia, a beautiful family-home-turned-guesthouse, across the street from from one of Mendoza's tree-filled plazas. We strolled around the city (a smaller, cleaner, more manageable Buenos Aires) the first day, and upon reading the NY Times "36 Hours in Mendoza", we giddily planned our stay to include as many highlighted activities as possible. First up was a delicious dinner at 1884, located in a beautiful old bodega, where we indulged in lamb (cooked for 7 hours) and pumpkin ravioli, tender and rich... The next day we strolled through the 5 plazas in central Mendoza, took in a little street art (dioramas of the old city), and hopped on a public bus that took us through their central park, university, and city outskirts. Afterward we began our wine tasting at Vines of Mendoza, a chic tasting room and information center for wine touring throughout Mendoza province. We sipped a variety of Argentine wine (Torrontes from Cafayate, Malbec from Mendoza) along with some fabulous cheese, nuts, and fruit. Full on wine, we enjoyed a simple but delicious Italian dinner next door to our B&B. The last day we went with Javier, the wine guide at our B&B, to visit four bodegas in Lujon de Cuyo, about 20 minutes outside the city center. First up was Achaval-Ferrer, a small winery started as a collaboration between an accountant, lawyer, and wine enthusiast (from Stanford). Santiago Achaval is one of the leading vinters responsible for the international rise of Malbec, and he also plays a big role in the Vines of Mendoza estate, resort & spa being built in Valle de Uco, another wine-growing region farther south. After a speedy history lesson and explanation of the wine-making process, we got a nice tour of the cellar to view the barrels and different experiments going on downstairs. The wine was great, we had some blends of Cab and Syrah, some Malbecs, and ended with a sweet dessert wine, Dulce. The next winery was Mendel, even smaller than Achaval-Ferrer; we had a cheery tour and tasting there as well, and also got to try their delicious olive oil. Our next stop was lunch at Bodega Vistalba, at the famous restaurant La Bourgande, and indulged in a 4-course tasting menu that included carrot amuse bouche, tomato brie soup, leek parmesan tart, rabbit and salmon, and a dessert of three-layer dulce de leche... all paired with wine. Our last stop, bellies and bladders full, was Alta Vista, an older bodega where we tried 6 varieties, including a surprisingly tasty Malbec rose sparkling wine. A great day of wine tasting indeed. The last three nights of our trip we spent in Maipu, about 15 km from Mendoza city, another wine region with a dedicated bike touring route. We found another great guesthouse, Tikay Killa, that we fortunately had to ourselves, along with the owner's golden lab, Suki. We spent one day bike riding along the 14 km route, taking in the vistas of snow-capped Andes above and barren vines (it's winter) below to reach the furthest bodega, Carinae, where we tasted a sampling of Malbecs. We then headed across the street to Laur olive orchard for an olive oil tasting. On the way back, we had one last tasting at Tempus Alba, a winery with a contemporary design, self-guided tour, and beautiful roof terrace to enjoy our tasting. The town of Maipu impressed us for many reasons, not least of which was the friendly police who followed us home to make sure we didn't get lost. When our B&B owner Francisco left for Angola for the weekend, his friend Elena helped out and was another example of the friendly, local, hospitable vibe of the town. When it rained the next day, we visited her Dreamcatcher Cafe and not only got a taste of Reiki, but also got to understand how all the small business owners in town get along and help each other out. Our last day, and our last Shabbat, we spent walking and biking again... This time to Los Olivos to taste olive oil, chocolates, and liqueurs; La Bodega Rural, the local wine museum to see some old-fashioned wine-making techniques and supplies; and Casa de Campo, a delicious lunch spot with homemade empanadas, gnocchi with brisket, and chicken in white wine sauce... We enjoyed a sunset bike ride cruising the quiet Maipu streets, and a delicious asado for dinner, reminiscing about the past six months over a 7-meat BBQ with Malbec. It was a fitting end to a "trip of a lifetime"...