Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Sunday Hours
Sunday is a day for Argentines to be with family and have an
asado
barbecue. In
Mendoza, as in most of the country, most shops, restaurants, and wineries are
not open, with the exception of a handful of
bodegas
and the local mall (Men-
doza Shopping Plaza).
charging for visits, partly to offset the fact that visitors are buying less wine in-house due to
luggage restrictions. Still, compared to elsewhere in the world, a $7 (£4.75) tasting remains
a bargain.
Tour Operators
Local tour operators have the inside scoop on everything from booking rural inns to in-
depth presentations on the local wine scene. They can make your time in Mendoza more
carefree, helping y ou navigate the r ural r oads of M endoza, and narr owing do wn the
hundreds of
bodegas
to choose fr om. All y ou have to do is r elax, soak up the gorgeous
views, and indulge in some fabulous food and wine.
Ampora W ine Tours
(
&
261/429-2931;
www.mendozawinetours.com) offers
small-group wine tours that visit some of the most inter esting wineries in the ar ea.
Groups run from two to eight, and trips to either L uján-Maipú or the Valle de Uco, go
out just about ev ery day. Their guides ar e friendly and trips include a big lunch, with
wine of course.
Bikes and Wines
(
&
261/410-6686;
www.bikesandwines.com) rents bikes fr om a
handful of spots in the wine country (you can take a local bus to get their hubs), provides
an easy-to-follow self-guided route map that includes a handful of close-by
bodega
visits,
and books you for lunch. The first winery visit is “free,” and then the rest have a charge.
While the concept of bike tours in wine countr y may be successful in other par ts of the
world, it's still problematic here. Mendocinos are notoriously aggressive drivers, and bike
lanes are nonexistent! This is the most budget-conscious (if adr enaline-charging) way to
see the wineries.
Mendoza H olidays
(
&
261/429-7730;
www.mendozaholidays.com) has priv ate
1-day tours in the wine countr y star ting at $165 (£112) and multiday tours in wine
country that include lodging. I t also organizes ski trips to Las Leñas, star ting at $1,000
(£676) a week.
Trout & Wine
(
&
261/429-8302;
www.troutandwine.com) r uns in-depth and
personalized wine tours in M aipú, U co Valley, and L uján de C uyo. They kno w the
people behind almost every vineyard in the area, offering a chance to get a more person-
alized, close-up experience. Tours ar e limited to six people, and special tastings ar e
arranged. Guests also get a gift pack of wine. As their name suggests, they also r un fly-
fishing tours.
Uncorking Argentina
(
&
866/529-2861
or 261/429-3830; www .uncorking
argentina.com) is run by a transplanted Californian who has a deep kno wledge of wine
and has friends thr oughout the local wine countr y—a “wine educator” whose trips ar e
informative, in-depth, and fun. All-inclusiv e 9-day tours star t at $2,800 (£1,893). S he
also teaches shor t wine-tasting classes if y ou have a fr ee evening and want to br ush up
before you head out.
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