Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
R. Saenz P eña 3531.
&
261/498-9400.
www.carlospulentawines.com. Reservations required. Tastings
$8-$16 (£5.40-£11) per person, depending on the label
286
. Free t ours M on-Sat 10:30am, noon, 3 and
4:30pm.
Other Attractions
It's not all about wine her e in the Land of M albec. There are also engineering and r eli-
gious wonders, as well as the chance to explor e the mountains around Luján.
The
Cipolleti Dike,
for instance, is a study of M endoza's intricate system of aque-
ducts. Known as
el dique Cipoletti
in Spanish, it's in the Vistalba area of Luján. Built by
Cesare Cipolletti in 1895, this dike or div ersion dam regulates the flow of the Mendoza
River and directs its water into v arious channels, some heading thr ough the fertile vine-
yards and others forming the Guaymallén Channel, which moves water through the heart
of downtown Mendoza and into all those lovely fountains. The Italian hydraulic engineer
who organized the irrigation infrastructure here, as well as aqueducts in Florence and on
the Tiber River, is a tr ue Mendozan hero, buried nearby. In the near distance is a major
oil refinery run by YPF. You'll likely see this dike if you take a standard 1-day tour of the
Mendoza area with one of the operators listed earlier in this chapte. Wine tours also drive
nearby and would take a detour if y ou requested it. You'll also pass nearby if you are on
a tour of the Alta M ontaña on your way to Potrerillos. If you're in possession of a r ental
car, this engineering marvel is worth a visit on its own. The dike is situated just south of
the Mendoza River and west of the Panamerican Hwy. 40. Take RP Hwy. 87.
If you have a spare day and just want to r elax, head to the bubbly
Termas Cacheuta,
RP 82, Km 38, Thermas de Cacheuta (
&
262/449-0152;
www.termascacheuta.com),
for some thermal soaking. There is a natural cave, hydro-massage therapy, and a beautiful
garden. You can visit for the entire day and have a gourmet lunch for $35 (£24), includ-
ing transfers fr om Mendoza. A cheaper option is to bring a picnic and enjo
y the nine
thermal pools only. With transfers, that runs you $9 (£6.10).
The
Iglesia de la Virgen de C arrodilla
, corner of S an M artín and Carr odilla,
Luján de Cuyo (
&
261/435-1667
), the home of the patron saint of Mendozan wine, is
also worth a visit. This Virgen is displayed in a painting br ought from Spain 1811 that
shows Mary pushing a cart, with a child in one arm and grapes in the othe. The Spaniard
believer built a chapel close to his house to house the painting, which is no w a popular
historic monument. I n 1938, she was consecrated the patr on saint of vineyar ds. The
adobe-walled church includes wonderful wine-themed murals. The church museum next
door has an interesting collection of Catholic artwork. It's open Monday through Satur-
day from 9am to noon and 4:30 to 7:30pm. The Virgen de Carrodilla is venerated annu-
ally during the Vendimia Festival in March. Across the street is an empanada stand where
you can grab a snack.
10
MAIPU
14km (8
1
/
2
miles) NW of Mendoza
The Maipú region includes v ast fields of oliv es and fr uit as w ell as grape vines. I n fact,
locals cherish oliv es every bit as much as grapes her e—evinced by the annual N ational
Festival of Olives held in the second half of F ebruary each year. If you feel like y ou are
in Tuscany as y ou r oam the shade-lined str eets and r ural r oads, y ou're not far off the
mark: P eek inside any home, and y ou'll notice that most inhabitants ar e of I talian
descent—which explains their lo ve of good food, good wine, and the good life. Like
Luján de C uyo, M aipú is both a sprawling r
ural r egion and a to wn with the same
name.
