Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
293
with it man y of the f ounding families of t oday's wineries , who carried new
winemaking techniques and varietals from Italy, France, and Spain. A series of
economic crises plagued the industr y in the first half of the 19th c entury, and
Mendoza's wines seldom made it far ther than the c ommon Argentine table.
Some of the wines were so low in quality that soda water was needed to help
wash them down, a tradition that continues in some places today, though not
because the wine is of poor qualit y.
In the past decade, wine from Mendoza has reached well beyond the com-
mon table to the international stage. Argentina's National Wine Growing Insti-
tute has r egulated the c ountry's wine industr y and spearheaded qualit y
improvements, with increased focus on the international market. New produc-
tion techniques, state-of-the-art machinery, foreign investment and expertise,
advanced irrigation pr ocesses, and bett er grape varieties ha ve combined to
bring Mendoza international acclaim. The region's dry, sandy soil; lo w humid-
ity; and rich sun combine to create wines of high alcohol content and rich fruity
character, the most important of which is Malbec, characterized by a powerful
fruit bouquet with sw eet, dense tannins . M endocine vineyar ds g row man y
other varietals , including cabernet sauvig non, t empranillo, bonar da, S yrah,
Barbera, chardonnay, and sauvignon blanc.
10
blends mostly contemporary Argentine art with a bit of the (unnamed) owner's collection
of Dutch classics. The exhibition room is ever-changing. Visits to the
bodega
start with a
15-minute film. Guests then walk across to the cross-shaped
bodega,
which eerily resem-
bles a temple. You wouldn't be the only one who thought of
The Da Vinci Code
or James
Bond while touring the underground. Tastings, like everything here, are dramatic. Come
to Salentein for the day, and include lunch at the Posada.
RN 89 and Videla, Los Arboles, Tunuyán.
&
262/242-9000.
www.bodegasalentein.com. Reser vations
required. Tour with tasting $5 (£3.40) per person, includes entranc e to gallery. Mon-Sat 10am-4pm.
Clos de los Siete/Mon teviejo
Led by the infamous and influential “ flying wine-
maker” Michel Rolland, seven French wine investors, excited by the limitless possibilities
to plant without r estriction, make up the
Le Clos de los S iete.
Their property in Valle
de Uco is divided into sev en wine cellars. They'll help y ou appreciate the fr eedom that
Mendoza affords the world's great winemakers, who else where feel restricted and left to
nature's mercy. A visit here will help you put Mendoza in perspective. For a splurge, ask
them to uncork a bottle of the award-winning Clos de los Siete 2003 blend.
Clodomiro Silva s/n, Vista Flores.
&
262/242-2054.
www.monteviejo.com. Reservations required. Free
tours; tasting prices range from $17-$47 (£12-£32). Daily 10am-5pm.
O. Fournier
This Spanish-owned company has a remarkable “concept
bodega
” that
shows the power of gravity. It's this natural law that makes for outstanding, natural wine.
Opened in 2006, the winer y has stunned critics with its modern ar chitecture and ne w
