Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
10
Mendoza, the Wine
Country & the
Central Andes
by Christie Pashby
Here, in the land of sunshine and
good wine, life is lo vely. With the gor-
geous, high Andes mountains forming a
dramatic backdr op, and r ows upon r ows
of Malbec in the for eground, Mendoza is
a very pretty place, one wher e you'll want
to linger , r elax, and feel good. The ulti-
mate M endoza moment is at a countr y
lodge, with a
copa
in hand, vines at y our
side, and the mountains in fr ont. Deeply
connected to the land, M endocinos, the
smiling residents of this delightful city and
vast province are relaxed, creative, and so
very friendly. They feel lucky to live in the
“land of
sol
y buen
vino.
”
Capital of the Province of Mendoza, the
city of Mendoza is an oasis amid an almost
desertlike high plain, somewhat of a mira-
cle, and a testament to the har d work and
determination of local pioneers. I f y ou
consider that only 5% of the entir e prov-
ince is cultivated, and that the area receives
around 15 centimeters (6 in.) of rain per
year, you'll realize the achiev ement of the
simple shade cast b y the many giant sy ca-
more trees that line the to wns. Thanks to
a v ast networ k of aqueducts and dikes,
which run through the rural vineyards and
even thr ough the hear t of M endoza city,
grapes and oliv es hav e been har vested to
international standards. The most famous
grape here is Malbec; it's of French origin,
but since storming to global attention in
the early 2000s, it has put Argentine wine
on the map.
In the past few years, wine exports have
jumped 30%, helped significantly b y
investors and exper ts from Europe. Tour-
ism is follo wing suit and booming like-
wise. F ortunately, it is gr owing fr om the
ground up . Locals continue to liv e as
always, but now they welcome visitors into
their lives—into their homes, their family
farms, and their vineyards.
There is a lot to see and do her e. The
first decision to be made is whether to stay
in the city or out in the wine countr y.
Downtown makes a good base for people
who like nightlife, cafes, and str olling on
their o wn. Countr y inns (and ther e ar e
some outstanding ones) will be better for
those who want to r elax and soak up as
much of the wine scene as possible. Either
way, after spending a fe w days exploring
the
bodegas
(wineries) close to the city ,
don't miss a day of adv enture in the
alta
montaña,
or high mountains—rafting,
horseback riding, or tr ekking. I f y ou ar e
staying in the country, take a
remise
or taxi
into town for a leisurely day visiting muse-
ums, enjo ying r estaurants and the lo vely
plazas of do wntown M endoza. B lending
time in the lo vely city of M endoza with
time in the quiet wine towns is ideal.
You should spend at least a day explor-
ing M endoza's old city—visiting the pla-
zas, and wandering about P arque General
San Martín—before heading for the wine
routes that wind through the most impor-
tant wine-pr oducing z ones of M endoza.
