Mendoza Wine Tours, Argentina
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Mendoza wine tours in Argentina. In the heart of the Andes mountain range, with the majestic Aconcagua holding sway of its heights, Mendoza unfolds its breathtaking beauty and challenges the visitor with the power of the mountain. Its peaks covered in eternal snow, its impetuous rivers, its huge water bodies and its steep slopes of awesome dryness stand as the unique framework of a land that rewards man for his efforts with delicately flavoured vineyards and fruits.
Extreme sport, adventure tourism, typical dishes and the best wines in the world can be found along paths spotted with farms and ranches- all of this and more you will find in Mendoza, land of adventure.
Situated in the centre-west of the Argentina and is bordered in the north by the province of San Juan, in the east by San Luis Province, in the south by Provinces of Neuquén and La Pampa and in the west by Santiago de Chile.
An earthquake completely destroyed the city in 1861 but ever since its reconstruction, the whispering of trenches and the shadow of so many trees help create a city with a distinguishing atmosphere.
Mendoza is plenty of cultural and commercial activities. The visits to the various wineries are constantly growing and the wine shop and bars are already part of the urban landscape.
Mendoza is the main wine producing centre of Latin America and Argentina, having 70% of the country’s vineyards and producing 70% of its wine. In the region’s 1,200 wineries, some of which use traditional methods, the majority using advanced technology, the finest wines are produced – national and internationally recognised champagne, as well as Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and the highly acclaimed Mendoza Malbec, amongst others. Year after year, the quality of these wines is proven in all the main fairs and competitions of the world.
Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. Mendoza is the fourth largest census metropolitan area in the country.
A major road between Argentina and Chile runs through Mendoza and the city is a frequent stopover for climbers on their way to climb Aconcagua (the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere) or for other mountaineering, hiking, horseback riding, rafting, and other sports. In the winter, skiers come to the city for its easy access to the Andes.
Two of the main industries of the Mendoza area are wine making and olive oil production. In 2008, National Geographic listed Mendoza as one of the top 10 historic destinations of the World
Wine Route
Mendoza is the main wine producing province in Argentina and, as of July 2005, one of the eight Great Wine Capitals of the world. It holds about 150,000 hectares cultivated with vines, and over 1,200 wineries distributed over five different regions. Enological tourist circuits are continuously organized in four of these five regions.
This province offers every kind of landscapes, all of which are just perfect for active tourism. Snow, rivers, mountains, lakes, caves, deserts, wildlife and plant reserves, picturesque cities, and important museums are just some of the countless sights and places you can enjoy in this province.
In fact, out of the many things you can do in Mendoza, adventure or sports tourism is at the top of the list. One of the main activities is skiing, which is practiced in three venues, namely, Las Leñas, Potrerillos, and Vallecitos. The Mendoza, Atuel, and Diamante Rivers are a must for rafting lovers. Every circuit has something to offer. Horseback riding —even through the snow—, upland scuba-diving, mountain bike ridings, trekking, paragliding, rappelling, and mountaineering are some of the many alternatives tourists can enjoy.
Mendoza River Heights
A preferred growing place for the Malbec variety of vines, this region is par excellence the area where fine wine is produced, as well as the place which holds the most wineries in the province. It stretches over the Districts of Maipú, Luján de Cuyo, Godoy Cruz, Guaymallén, and Las Heras. Very near these districts lies the peaceful City of Mendoza, known for its groves, its gutters, its squares, and its parks. This region has also become famous for its olive industry, which is particularly important in Maipú, where, by the way, there are two very interesting wine museums. Chacras de Coria, in the Luján de Cuyo area, includes top-class restaurants, farms, and lodges.
This is the so-called “first region”, for it boasts the oldest vineyards in the province, which, consequently, are the most appreciated ones because of their deeply concentrated grape flavor. Apart from Malbec, other varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tempranillo, Bonarda, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier are grown in this area. The crops are carefully arranged at 650–1,050 meters above sea level. Also, here there are the most ancient wineries in the country, and also the most modern ones. Most of them are especially designed for the production of high quality wines. As regards tourism, this area features the greatest number of facilities and proposals, which go far beyond the enological tours, and include all kinds of accommodation, food choices, and lots of alternative activities.
Eastern Region
The size of its vineyards and the volume of wine produced make this region the most important of the five wine producing regions of Mendoza. This region, lying at 600–740 meters above sea level, includes the Districts of San Martín, Rivadavia, Junín, Santa Rosa, and La Paz. The prevailing landscape is the barest of deserts— this can be observed in all its magnificence from the famous site of Altos Limpios, in Junín.
The wineries in this region are often large, fully equipped for the large-scale production of ordinary wines, and usually with a capacity of over 10 million liters. The wineries have lately incorporated modern technologies, which have inserted them into the fine wine markets. The varieties traditionally grown include Criolla grande (big Creole grape), Muscatel, and Cereza (Cherry). Fine varieties, including Malbec, Merlot, Bonarda, Sangiovese, Syrah, Tempranillo, and Ugni Blanc, have been introduced in the area along the last ten years.
Uco Valley
This region, formed by the San Carlos, Tunuyán, and Tupungato Districts, is the youngest and the highest (900–1,200 meters above sea level) of the wine growing regions. This tremendously expanding region is one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing areas in the province. Development is not only reflected in the number of wineries, but also in the proliferation of small hotels and lodgings which accommodate the ever-growing number of visitors. Sitting on the Andes Mountain Range, this region offers a lot of enticing tourist activities.
Young though it is and despite the fact that hardly any vineyard in it is more than ten years old, the Uco Valley produces intense wines, due to its big temperature ranges (up to 15°). Foreign companies, from countries such as Chile, France, Spain, and Netherlands have settled in this area. The red varieties grown in this area include Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tempranillo, Merlot, and Barbera. Outstanding among the white varieties, which stand for 30of the total production, is the Semillón.
Most wineries have been built in the last years and have been carefully designed from an architectural point of view. All of them include state-of-the-art technology, which makes them fit to produce exclusively the finest wines.
Southern Region
This traditional wine growing region sits in the center of the province and includes the Districts of San Rafael and General Alvear. The region is crisscrossed by the Atuel and Diamante Rivers, and features strikingly beautiful landscapes, such as the Atuel Canyon, the El Nihuil and Valle Grande Reservoirs, and the Agua del Toro and Los Reyunos Dams. Water sports, including rafting, boat sailing, canoeing, water skiing, kayaking, and salmonid fishing can be practiced in all these places. The landscape is peppered with olive trees and fruit trees everywhere you go.
This region, which is as traditional as the Maipú and Luján de Cuyo one, is home to all sorts of wineries, from the familiar ones and those who still use traditional producing methods, to the big must manufacturers, and from the small boutique-like wineries and the old classical ones, dating from one hundred years ago (there are many very important ones of the kind), to the most modern sparkling wine producing plants which manufacture champagne-like wines.
Sitting at about 600 meters above sea level, this region holds 20,000 hectares of land cultivated mainly with Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Bonarda, Syrah, Chardonnay, Chenin, and Sauvignon Blanc vines.
Malbec
The Malbec is, without the shadow of a doubt, the emblematic Argentine wine, and the one which was most largely awarded in the world, especially during the last twenty years, i.e., since it started being produced as a first line varietal. This France-borne grape found a perfect habitat in such distant places of Argentina as the northernmost valleys, in Salta, and the southernmost oases, in Patagonia. However, it is in Mendoza, and particularly in the “First region” (Luján de Cuyo and Maipú), that the Malbec has developed to its best as a varietal, resulting in wines which are special for their color, aroma, and taste.
Museo del Vino San Felipe (San Felipe Wine Museum)
Just a few minutes away from the City of Mendoza, in the La Rural winery (Coquimbito District), you can visit the Museo del Vino San Felipe. This museum, which is considered to be the most important of its kind in the Americas, exhibits some 5,000 original pieces ranging from ancient presses and barrel-making tools to baked clay pottery, old carts and enology books.
Address: Montecaseros 2625, Coquimbito, Maipú. Phone Number: (54 261) 4972013/3590
Wine Harvest Festival
Ever since 1936, the Fiesta de la Vendimia (Wine Harvest Festival) has been one of the landmarks in the Argentine wine industry. This event is considered to be unparalleled in the world. Thousands of people from all over the country and the world are gathered year after year, during the first week of March, in every district of Mendoza, where they participate in countless harvest festivals and ceremonies, which include dances, music, and typical food. The big central festival is celebrated at the heart of the City of Mendoza, in the amphitheater of the San Martín Park, which is one of the most beautiful amphitheaters in Argentina.
Tours to this destination is available to book separately or as part of a larger tour of Argentina. Why not enter your requirements within our Build Your Own Tour section and organise a dedicated “Wine Route” tour in Argentina, taking in Mendoza and other provinces where wine is produced. The stand alone price for a standard 3-4 days in Mendoza can be found within our Add-On Tours section. We are also currently taking advanced reservations (no obligation to book until final itinerary/price is published- currently only guide price available) for a “Total Argentina” tour in November 2010 which will include Buenos Aires, Iguazú, El Calafate & Mendoza (wine route). Please contact us for further details.