Mendoza, producing over 80% of Argentina’s wines, is comparable to the Napa Valley of California as a hot destination for the wine-loving traveler. When people think of Argentina they usually think of steak, tango, futbol, and Malbec; and Mendoza is the place to get your fill of this unique Argentine wine.
The Malbec grape originates from France and actually means “badly cut” in French. The vine did terribly in the rainy weather of France and was considered a table wine or used to simply add a rich dark color to other preferred wines. But when the Malbec grape reached the sun-soaked desert soils of Argentina it flourished into a beautiful fruit-forward wine perfectly pairing with the Argentine diet of steak. Mendoza has more bodegas than you can visit, and all are well set up with tours and tastings to learn more about the wine making process.
Bike wine tour! a fun option for packing in a full day of wine tasting
Our wine buff’s favorites:
Paul Hobbs, an art collector and wine master of the Viña Cobos bodega, has produced a technically flawless Malbec that is wellworth a visit that is sure to leave you with at least a couple of bottles packed in your luggage.
Domados bodega is nestled in the Valley de Uco; the top wine region of Mendoza due to its high elevation, rich soils, natural Andean sourced irrigation, and over 250 sunny days a year. The Domados family are a polo-playing, horse-loving bunch that has compared the art of wine making to the art of horse taming, and has done a brilliant job at it too!
Ruca Malen bodega offers an unforgettable experience of a melt-in-your-mouth five course meal paired perfectly with choice wines and enjoyed on their terrace overlooking the vineyards and snow-capped Andes mountain range.
Achaval Ferrer bodega owners skip through the vineyards playing guitar and harmonica, believing that music helps the plants produce more concentrated and abundant grapes. It must work, because they are highly ranked and produce a wine comparable to the top European wines in taste. Their Malbec was featured in the Wine Spectator´s 2010 Top 100 wines article!
