Mendoza is the main wine region in Argentina, which is the fifth wine producing country in the world. Mendoza is located in the Cuyo region. It is located to the west of the country and borders Chile and the Andes mountain range. In fact, the Aconcagua –measuring 6,960 metres– is the highest peak in the continent and is located in Mendoza. What is more, most of the Mendocenean territory lays more than one thousand metres above sea level. This peculiarity has turned Mendoza into an excellent terroir for vineyards since the end of the 16th century. The most planted variety in the province is the Malbec –the star grape variety in Argentina–, followed by the Cabernet Sauvignon, the Tempranillo and the Chardonnay. Local varieties Criolla grande and Cereza are still relevant today. By means of Argento’s blog, The Real Argentina, discover the secrets that Mendoza is keeping; secrets that have turned this area into one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the country. The province offers trekking routes, high mountain sports in the Andes –skiing in winter– and, of course, the magic of discovering the complex wine production process during guided visits in some of the popular Mendocenean wineries. Wine tradition is so important that since 1936, the province has celebrated the Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia (Grape Harvest Festival), which is considered one of the five most important festivities in the world and the second most important harvest festivity in the world by National Geographic. It is celebrated between the last Sunday in February and the first Saturday in March. The festivities include tastings, parades as the Vía Blanca or the Carrusel, the election of the Queen of the Grape Harvest and musical shows where, of course, tango is danced. The main activities take place in the capital, the city of Mendoza, a city renowned by its cleanness and its charming streets and people. The current city was rebuilt in 1863 after an earthquake had destroyed the original city two years before. Thanks to the research work of our collaborators, you can discover other local festivities in the province. You will also know which are the best places to stay in Mendoza, which wineries offer the most interesting visits, which restaurants have the most delicious menus and which bars are the most welcoming ones to enjoy a Mendocenean glass of wine. Moreover, you will see which are the most adequate places to enjoy both Mendocenean and national gastronomy, including traditional dishes, as the renowned empanadas, the Argentine roast or the patitas aliñadas (seasoned small legs).
Question: how did Argentinian wine, so recently the object of pitying amusement from wine buffs, become profitable, fashionable and, more to the point, drinkable? Matt Chesterton talks to Ian Mount to find out.
Buenos Aires has the bright lights, Patagonia has the show-stopping scenery, Mendoza has the food and wine, but if it’s the beating heart of rural Argentina you’re longing for, you’ll find it on the country’s estancias.
Do you like the idea of year-round sunshine and views of snow-capped Andean mountains? How about drinking wines straight from the vineyards? If so, read on for the lowdown on Argentina’s most famous wine region, in our Mendoza travel guide.
‘If you’ve got it, flaunt it’, goes the saying, and Argentina has taken this to heart with the coming Malbec World Day on 17th April which will see a 24 hour celebration of its flagship grape sweeping the globe.
If a developing country’s economic health can in part be judged by the foreign investment it attracts, then by the same yardstick Argentina’s wine industry appears to be in fantastic shape. Some of the biggest names of the global wine fraternity been drawn here, and they have all come to make high quality wines.
Where do you go when you want to see some of Argentina’s lesser-spotted tourist areas and places of interest? Matt Chesterton channels Sir Ben Kingsley and hits the road to find out.
Travelling through Argentina’s vast and beguiling landscapes leaves no doubt as to the incredible variety and contrasts found in this country’s wine regions. From the dizzying heights of northerly Salta, to the wind-swept southerly climes of Patagonia, experience Argentina’s terroir.
Taking at least one overland trip in Argentina is a must and the only way to really appreciate the country’s vast size. A few trips later – and bingo games aside – you start to realise Argentina bus travel is akin to being on a plane.
When Luigi Bosca, a top wine producer from Mendoza, made his first appearance at the London Wine Fair in 1993 people shuffled up to his stand, looking curious. “Does Argentina actually make wine!?” How times have changed…
Of all the national dishes on offer throughout the country, empanadas are especially evocative of Argentina food and culture. In this delicious empanada recipe, we’ll be going showing you how to prepare ossobuco empanadas topped with hot tomatoes and baked red onion sauce.