Page 81 - Off The Tourist Trail - 1000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives (Part 2 of 2)

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Wine-Tasting in Mendoza ART AND CULTURE

vs Wine-Tasting in Napa Valley

In the shadow of the magnificent snowcapped Andes in Argentina, the high-altitude vineyards of Mendoza
are a stunning alternative to the well-trodden wine trails of California’s Napa Valley

their way up to 5,577 ft (1,700 m) above sea level.
NEED TO KNOW
They cross deep fertile valleys and high plains and
LOCATION Mendoza lies in the skirt around enormous vineyards that sweep for
foothills of the Andes in western
Argentina, 440 miles (710 km) .&/%0;" $ØSEPCB miles across the picturesque foothills, boasting
northwest of Buenos Aires fabulous Andean panoramas at virtually every turn.
NUMBER OF #VFOPT "JSFT This dramatic landscape has hundreds of vineyards,
WINERIES 700 "3(&/5*/"
$)*-& from large, family-owned estates to state-of-the-art
DAYTIME
TEMPERATURE "UMBOUJD boutique wineries and little rustic bodegas.
0DFBO
During the autumn harvest 1BDJmD A lazy vineyard walk is the perfect prelude to
festival in March, expect a 0DFBO
daytime average of 82°F (28° C) intimate tastings with wine experts who speak
passionately about their produce. There is little
show here, only great wine. Stop at a high-end ABOVE Bunches of bluish grapes on the vine, Mendoza
Whatever happened to the romance and charm estate for an evening rooftop tasting. Watching
of Napa Valley? It’s an all-too-familiar lament, and the sun set behind the towering Andes as aromatic abundant varietals, but its most outstanding wine is
one with a simple answer: they’ve been put in premium varietals roll across your tongue is an a deep, rich red, made from the Malbec grape, which
the shade by Mendoza, Argentina’s premier wine- exquisite experience. Stay overnight at a luxury flourishes in the dry air and high altitude. Malbec
growing region. Likened to the pre-boom Napa wine spa before visiting a small bodega that has enthusiasts can attend gourmet lunches hosted by
Valley of the early 1980s, Mendoza is an emerging remained unchanged for a century, with cobbled winery owners who pair the wine with local cuisine,
destination of empty roads and fabulous, exotic courtyards that open directly onto the vineyard. or travel on horseback to vineyards where the grape
wines. And the vineyards here, set against a Here, sweating mules still plough between the thrives. The riding routes skirt herds of guanacos
splendid backdrop of the soaring, white-tipped vines, grapes are pressed by hand, and ice-cold beneath the gaze of Andean condors gliding high in
Andes, are some of the most scenic in the world. run-off from the Andes irrigates the fertile land. the sky. Ahead, among a whirl of soaring rock faces,
Mendoza’s roads, many of which are prettily Mendoza’s wines have at last won the global is Aconcagua, the highest peak in the world outside
lined with poplars and sycamores, gently wind recognition they deserve. The region produces Asia. It’s a dizzyingly beautiful scene.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
FORGET NAPA VALLEY?
Getting There and Around (kid goat), a local specialty, and
There are regular flights from accompany with a rich Malbec.
THE BUILD-UP Napa Valley, which is just an hour north of
Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, Where to Stay
San Francisco by car, is renowned for its world-class wines. to Mendoza City. Shuttle buses
Each year, hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts visit its 300 run from Mendoza’s airport to Nestled at the foot of the Andes
in its own vineyards, Cavas Wine
or so wineries by bicycle, luxury 4WD, hot-air balloon, or the city center. The region’s three Lodge (www.cavaswinelodge.
aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train. Rolling green hills main wine-growing areas – com) boasts luxury suites and
provide a picturesque backdrop to wine crawls in the area. Luján de Cuyo, Valle de Uco, and a spa with wine-therapy
Maipú – are only a short drive treatments.
away. Tour agencies run tours of
THE LETDOWN Napa has sadly shed much of its original When to Go
varying lengths and provide
charm. Tours emphasize entertainment over wine and tastings itineraries should you wish to Visit during the harvest season
have a happy-hour feel, led by volunteers that are more like explore alone. from February to March, when
bartenders than wine experts. Highway 29, the region’s main Where to Eat visitors help with grape-picking
ABOVE A busy picnic spot at the V. Sattui Winery, and take part in Vendimia, the
road, is bumper to bumper with cars during the high season.
St. Helena, Napa Valley, California Housed within the Escorihuela area’s lively wine-harvest festival.
Winery – one of Mendoza’s oldest
GOING ANYWAY? Try to visit outside the peak season. Spring is a great time to go, when the weather is wineries – is the sumptuous Budget per Day for Two
warm, there are fewer tourists and the winery owners are less busy. If you plan on traveling in the high Francis Mallman 1884 restaurant US$375 including wine tours,
accommodations, and dining out.
season, aim for a midweek stay and book early-morning tastings to avoid the crowds. Try the wineries on (www.escorihuela.com), which
serves classic Argentinian cuisine. Website
the Silverado Trail, a more scenic, less-traveled alternative to Highway 29.
Order a succulent steak or chivita www.argentinawineroute.com.ar

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