It is currently 9:20 PM Buenos Aires time (yes, Argentina has finally decided to NOT do daylight savings), there is a huge storm going on outside, and Jessica and I are sitting here anxiously awaiting the arrival of our first two visitors: Greta & Ashley! Jessica and I have been so excited for them to come that we have created an extensive itinerary to ensure Greta and Ashley have the best trip ever (my next job: travel agent). To see what we will be up to for the next couple of days, see below:
DAY 1: MONDAY, OCTOBER 26
12:00 PM- Leave apartment for airport
12:30- 1:20 PM- In-Flight
2:00 PM- Arrive at hotel and check in
Almacen del Sur (http://www.almacendelsur.com/) CONFIRMED
4:00 PM- Lunch
“Enjoy a celebration of Mendoza's gourmet cuisine during a three or five course extended lunch in this tranquil setting. Gracious host Santiago Orozco Russo will give you a guided tour of the restaurant's vegetable gardens. Watch the chef prepare your meal from a charming array of country tables and chairs.”
- Recommended: The grilled meats
10:30 PM- Dinner at Don Mario (best beef in Argentina!) CONFIRMED (http://www.donmario.com.ar/)
“Ask Mendocinos where to find the best steak in town, and they will undoubtedly direct you to Don Mario. This no-frills Argentine parilla with a casual country house atmosphere is famous for its hefty portions of bife de chorizo (sirloin steak) and bife de lomo (filet mignon). The knowledgeable staff will help you select wines from the wide-ranging list. Request Cristian as your waiter.”
- Recommended: Bife de chorizo and the pears with Malbec sauce for desert
DAY 2: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27
10:00 AM: Leave Hotel
+ 30 – 45 Minute drive
ALL DAY @ LUJAN DE CUYO
Achaval Ferrer (http://www.achaval-ferrer.com) CONFIRMED
11:00 AM: Bodega Tasting ($30 Argentine Pesos)
“In the words of its founders, Achaval-Ferrer is and will always be a small Argentine winery that is passionately committed to producing small quantities of fine red wine. As a testament to their approach, their 2002 Finca Altamira Malbec scored 94 points in the 2004 Wine Spectator weekly. The work at Achaval-Ferrer is built around producing what they refer to as two "ideas" of wine. The first "idea" is a testament to terroir. These are single-vineyard Malbec varietals, all three of them from very old, low-producing vines in very special places in the Mendoza region. The other "idea" they call the "pursuit of the ideal wine". It is a blended wine based on Bordeaux varietals grown in the Mendoza region. They have named this wine Quimera (in Spanish Quimera means an impossible ideal). Based on what we have seen from this winery to date, we doubt that perfect is impossible.”
- Recommended: Quimera Blend (malbec, cabernet, cab franc, merlot)
+ 30 Minute drive
Carlos Pulenta (http://www.carlospulentawines.com/) CONFIRMED
1:00 PM: Lunch @ La Bourgogne
3:00 PM: Bodega Tour + Tasting ($25 Argentine Pesos)
“We will start our tour with a walk around our fine vineyards, the origin of our wines. Then you will get to know how our wines are elaborated as we tour the winery, and we will finally enjoy a wine tasting session at Club Vistalba. After the tour, we will taste three of our wines: Tomero White or Rosé, Tomero Red, Vistalba Corte C, Vistalba Corte V - Olive Oil. “
+ 30 Minute drive
Haceinda del Plata (http://www.haciendadelplata.com.ar/) CONFIRMED
5:00 PM: Wine Tour + Tasting ($20 Argentine Pesos)
“Despite it's easy access from Mendoza in Chacras de Coria, Hacienda del Plata quickly envelops you in the history of the legendary Argentine gaucho and Argentine winemaking. On your first visit you will be pleasantly surprised by the remarkable transformation from the surrounding city to the vineyard that is hidden behind this unremarkable gate. Offering tours that focus on grape growing techniques on its 30 hectares of vineyards, this bodega insists that their personnel treat each vine with the same respect that the gauchos used to tame their horses. The bodega limits tours to one to two small groups at a time, insuring a relaxing, personalized visit. If you want to spend a leisurely afternoon at the Hacienda, they also serve a traditional asado (barbecue) lunch beneath a canopy of wisteria on the back patio.”
- Recommended: Mayoral Malbec
9:30 PM: Dinner at Azafron (www.bve.com.ar)
“From the garlic wreaths and bouquets of dried flowers hanging from the ceiling to the wood cabinets that line the walls, Azafrán exudes the warmth and exoticism of the spice that inspired its name. The eclectic menu draws products from all over Argentina: Patagonian deer and lamb, Tierra del Fuego crab, and, of course, beef from the nearby Argentine pampas. Chefs cook meat to perfection, lending a creative spin to their dishes with generous doses of herbs and spices. Don't skip the tapas (especially the crab croquets with ginger sauce and the spicy meatballs) or the venison raviolis. Visit the restaurant's wine library, in which wine racks replace bookshelves, to choose a bottle from the wide array of Argentine wines in all price ranges. The deli next-door features an excellent selection of Mendocino wines, olives, cheeses, and cold cuts - perfect for an al fresco picnic.”
- Recommended: Pork Tenderloin
DAY 3: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28
9:00 AM: Leave Hotel
+ 60 Minute drive
ALL DAY @ VALLE DE UCO
Salentein Winery (www.bodegasalentein.com) CONFIRMED
10:30 AM: Wine Tour + Tasting ($350/4 = 87.50 Argentine Pesos)
“ Situated in the middle of 455 hectares of vineyards below the eastern slopes of the Andes, Salentein is a massive, concrete and steel harbinger of the future of Argentine wine. With annual production exceeding 1 million bottles, the winery is known for classical varietals, old vine preservation, and European production methods that yield world-class wines. The 45 minute tour showcases the award -winning architecture of the magnificent, cross-shaped bodega, which uses a traditional gravity transfer system to allow wine to flow from French stainless steel tanks and wooden vats to the underground oak casks used for aging. The tour ends in the dramatic, low-lit tasting room, where guides pour wines atop a massive marble altar.”
- Recommended: 2001 Salentein Reserve Pinot Noir; Salentein 2002 Malbec.
+ 30 Minute Drive
O’Fournier (www.ofournier.com) CONFIRMED
1:30 PM: Wine Tour + Tasting
“Spanish company O Fournier built this temple to gravity-only winemaking in homage to its resident winemaker. It is worth the trip to Valle de Uco to see this marvel of architecture and technology and to taste award-winning Tempranillo blends. The winery has a capacity of 600,000 litres in stainless steel, oak and cement housed some of the most unique architecture in the Mendoza province. O Fournier is known for its "Alfa Crux" and "B Crux" wines - wines that are as complex and rewarding as the architecture where they are produced. The wines are named for the stars of the Southern Cross. This constellation is visible in the Argentine sky.”
- Recommended A & B Crux 2002
2:00 PM: Lunch @ winery
Jacques & Francois Lurton (http://www.francoislurton.com)
5:00 PM: Wine Tour + Tasting
“Jacques & François Lurton are the sons of a renowned French Bordeaux maker, Jacques and François Lurton founded their landmark Mendoza winery in 1988. Cultivating grapes in the Uco Valley and Maipú regions, the Lurton brothers draw on their 'old world' viticultural expertise to produce fine wines in 'new world' terroir (including their Piedra Negra 2002 Malbec, which earned 90 points from the Wine Enthusiast in 2004). The Lurtons' wood, concrete and stainless steel cellar - situated in the middle of the vineyard - showcases a unique system of freezing the grape must to extract maximum flavor. This tradition cum innovation approach yields uniquely balanced wines that can be enjoyed young or aged for several years.”
9:00 PM: Leave hotel
+ 10 minute drive
9:30 PM: Dinner at 1884 (www.1884restaurante.com.ar) CONFIRMED
“Some people come to Mendoza just to eat at celebrity chef Francis Mallman's restaurant, inside the Romanesque Bodega Escorihuela -- known, among other things, for housing the biggest wine barrel in the province. With fine Argentine meats and fresh local produce, his carefully presented cuisine combines his Patagonian roots with his French culinary training. Local go-tos such as lechón (young pork) and chivito (baby goat) are classics, and the huge outdoor wooden stove produces an incredible salted chicken. This is simple food prepared in a stripped-down style typical for Mallmann. Dishes are prepared with matching local wine selections, with Malbec and Syrah topping the list. In the summer, request a coveted garden table. For dessert, the chocolate fanático will blow your hat off. You can easily combine in the same visit a meal here with a tour of the bodega, which also has an art gallery. Tours are offered weekdays every hour from 9:30am to 3:30pm.”
- Recommended: Chivito (young goat) with grilled vegetables
DAY 4: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29
10:00 AM: Wake up and have breakfast @ hotel
11:00 AM: Vines of Mendoza in downtown
12:00 PM: Leave for airport
1:20- 4:02 PM: In- Flight
SIDE OPTIONS:
Casa 3: Hip bar/restaurant that wouldn’t look out of place in Barcelona
De Un Rincon De La Boca: Best pizza in town (bring your own wine!)
Decimo: Wine bar in town
El Palenque: Downtown fun and exciting restaurant /bar (place to be seen)
PS: Jessica and I are in the process of updating our blog to create more information for our readers! One recent feature we have added are links, so when you see an underlined word you can click on it in order to visit the website!
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