Tasting Wine in Mendoza, Argentina (Part One)

Hi Steemit friends! For those of you who love (or even like) wine - I am so excited to share some winery recommendations from my recent trip to Mendoza with you!

To give a brief background, Mendoza is the capital of the province of Mendoza in Argentina, located on the eastern side of the Andes. Wine is one of the main industries of Mendoza, and Mendoza is considered one of the nine Great Wine Capitals. Generally, people are most familiar with Argentina’s highly rated Malbec wines, but going to Mendoza really opens your eyes to all it has to offer (beyond the marvelous Malbecs).

Okay, so one last thing to break down about Mendoza before I delve into my recommendations. There are three distinct wine producing areas in Mendoza:

1. Maipu Valley: This wine region is closest to the city of Mendoza (a quick 15 minute drive). It is also considered the easiest to visit, as most wineries can be visited without a reservation. Elevation here is approx. 2,500 ft.

2. Lujan de Cuyo: This wine region is about a 30 minute drive from the city of Mendoza. Many of the wineries here require a reservation, so be sure to plan ahead if you are going to visit this region. Elevation here is approx 3,200 ft.

3. Uco Valley: This wine region is the farthest from the city, and takes about 75 minutes to get there by car. This is considered the premiere Mendoza wine region, and is worth visiting not only for the world-class wine, but also the amazing views and beautiful architecture. Most wineries here require reservation. Elevation here can be up to 4,000 ft. above sea level.

Today I’m just going to focus my recommendations on wines in the Lujan de Cuyo region, as to not overwhelm (I can get a little long-winded when I’m excited about something). I will cover the other two regions in a future post!

1) RUCA MALEN

I have to start with Ruca Malen because it was my absolute favorite winery experience on the trip. I did a ton of research in preparation for the trip to Mendoza (as I always do, especially when it comes to wine) and read everywhere that their five course lunch with wine pairings was the best in Mendoza. Thank you internet.

In my humble opinion, if you don’t have time for anything else, you must must must make a reservation to have lunch here. The menu was delicious, inventive, and just plain fun! There is a lot of care and preparation that goes into this menu, and it shows - and the wines are phenomenal to match. The beautiful view of the mountains in the distance only adds to the beauty and romantic feel of this place.

pictured above: a few of the heavenly dishes from the meal

Our meal ended with an exquisite dessert and then another dessert platter with little pastries to go along with coffee (pictured below). We were able to sit outside and take in the beautiful views. Perfection!

Pro tip: If you are planning to join them for lunch, ask to be seated in the solarium. The views of the vineyards and surrounding mountains are amazing and it creates a lovely, intimate experience.

Website: http://bodegarucamalen.com/

2) CLOS DE CHACRAS

This winery is charming and quaint, housed in an architecturally restored 1920s building. We arrived a little late to our scheduled tasting, but the staff was generous enough to give us a private tasting and tour! If you opt for a tour, you will be taken through the winery and then end with a tasting of the various levels of wine they offer. They also offer lovely outdoor seating in warm weather.

Website: https://www.closdechacras.com.ar

3) CARMELO PATTI

I was so sad not to make it to this winery as I read so many great things about this place. The owner, Carmelo Patti, started picking grapes as a child for his Sicilian winemaker dad. After years of practice, working at wineries, and studying oenology, he sold his car to finance his own project. Since then, he has made a name for himself purchasing grapes and then working his magic (in his “warehouse chic” garage). Carmelo welcomes visitors with a beaming smile and will personally take you on a tour of his facility. His wines have a cult following, and he sounds like such a lovely fellow. I will definitely make this my first stop on my next trip to Mendoza!

Website: None -- but check see more info on tripadvisor http://bit.ly/2BIbRh3

4) ACHAVAL FERRER

This is a newer winery, started by a group of Argentinian and Italian friends in 1998. Achaval Ferrer’s focus is on producing small quantities of fine red wine. The tour is said to be informative and interesting, and at the end of the tour you stop for a barrel tasting in the cellar. I was sad not to be able to make it here on our visit, but plan to go next time!

Website: http://www.achaval-ferrer.com/

I hope you find this post helpful! Keep an eye out for my next post on recommendations in the other two wine regions in Mendoza.