argentina
Clockwise from right: Fountain of the Continents at General San Martín Park, Mendoza; vintage car in front of a winery in Maipú, Mendoza; bottles of wine inside special display cases in the Zuccardi winery in Mendoza’ s Uco Valley the coveted rating, further cementing Argentine wine’ s world-class reputation.
But wine doesn’ t start and end in Mendoza. Salta’ s elevated vineyards are nestled within a lunar landscape and breathtaking scarlet canyons, many dotted alongside the legendary Ruta 40, which runs the length of Argentina and is revered by road-trippers. Star grapes here include aromatic Torrontés, spicy Malbec and fresh Grenache. Jujuy’ s fledgling Quebrada de Humahuaca wine region, meanwhile, shares terroir with Qhapaq Ñan, the Inca Trail network that’ s home to epic mountain landscapes inhabited by small Indigenous communities. And, in recent years, exploration has taken winemakers to the Atlantic coast and Patagonia, where cooler maritime climates better suit grapes such as Albariño and Pinot Noir.
TASTING TIMES
More than 200 of the 900 bodegas in operation in Mendoza open their doors to wine aficionados, making the city an ideal destination for those keen to sample vintages. In the Maipú Department is the family-run Bodega Santa Julia, which opened to the public in 2001 rather spontaneously, says tourism director Julia Zuccardi( after whom the winery is named).
“ Back then, people would simply turn up and ask to look round, and the truth was that we had absolutely nothing organised in terms of offering a proper tour,” she says.“ Anyone who was available, someone from the administrative team or an enologist, would just show these curious folks around.”
Before 2001, travellers mostly visited Mendoza for the mountain-related activities, such as trekking or taking on major expeditions such as scaling Mount Aconcagua— the highest mountain in both the Western
Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere at 22,840 feet. Julia and her family paid heed to the change in visitors’ interests, and the intervening years have seen Santa Julia spotlight Mendoza in a host of ways. In the early days, Julia’ s grandmother Emma created a link between wine and art, showcasing the work of local artists by organising exhibitions and asking them to design labels for the bodega’ s wines. Meanwhile, Julia’ s brother Miguel has been producing award-winning extra virgin olive oil, Zuelo, for the past 20 years, sharing his passion for Arauco, Picual and Coratina olive varieties.
Today, the winery cultivates nearly 1,000 acres of certified organic vineyards, Argentina’ s largest, and their biodynamic wines are named after farm animals, such as El Burro Malbec(‘ The Donkey’), with the labels designed by Julia’ s young children. Visitors with an appetite can book a table at one of the bodega’ s two restaurants, the Italian-inspired Pan y Oliva and the traditional La Casa del Visitante. These ventures laid the blueprint for the family to build and open Zuccardi Valle de Uco in 2016, chosen not once but three times as the World’ s Best Vineyard for its stunning architecture. Naturally, 100-point vintages made by Julia’ s viticulturist brother Sebastián form part of the portfolio. Depending on their budget, guests can sample a three-wine flight with a sommelier or book a lunchtime feast paired with top vintages.
Every bodega adds its own flourish for visits( it’ s always best to book ahead), serving up chocolate and wine pairings, horseback rides through vineyards or fun experiences that include blending and bottling your own vintage. It’ s practical to devote a couple of days each to key valleys Luján de Cuyo and Maipú, using either of the cities of Luján or Mendoza as a base.
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