Mendoza
A week of wineries, haute cuisine and relaxation in Mendoza
Some favorites and others not so much
The Cuyo province is a mecca for those seeking both wine tourism and gastronomic delight. For art lovers, in this chronicle we describe the cultural proposal we enjoyed on a previous trip to Mendoza.
The offer of labels produced in its soil, wineries of all kinds and great restaurants is enormous, so it is very difficult to define what to visit. There are more than fifteen hundred wineries in the province.
The story goes that it was Nicolás Catena Zapata who positioned the Argentine Malbec in an international wine fair, when the hegemony of the Chilean and Australian wines was hard to beat. He decided to ask a high price for his wine, fruit of the vineyards planted by his grandfather Nicola at the end of the last century. And so, Argentine wine was forever synonymous with high-end wine and Malbec its flagship.
For all these reasons, when planning this trip, we decided to dedicate an entire week to the Mendoza experience, that is, wine tourism and gastronomy. And it was a mistake: it turned out to be an excess.
To begin with, almost all the wineries' proposals are for lunch rather than dinner, and on top of that, it is a menu of courses, which requires a binge-proof stomach, especially if before the banquet, as is customary, there is one or two wine tastings.
As Mendoza is a destination that has positioned itself strongly in the foreign luxury tourism segment, especially from Brazil, visitors are willing to pay premium prices. As a result, the costs of experiences, accommodation in wineries and even restaurant menus are usually very high. Not to mention when it comes to buying a coveted bottle of wine, the prices at home are hardly seductive.
Undoubtedly a merit worthy of recognition for Mendoza... but especially to be taken into account if you want to make visits, tastings and lunches in wineries.
We started in the city, opting for the convenient accommodation offered by Plaza Italia Bed and Breakfast. There are five rooms in an unbeatable location, in an old house with the necessary comforts for an unpretentious stay. Upon arrival we were greeted by the exquisite Mercedes, our hostess. In her eighties, with her vitality intact and the cordiality of experience, she took all the time necessary to give us the information about the city she wanted to share with us, allowing herself to make recommendations and telling us what to avoid.
By then we knew that our initial plans had been modified, as there was no alternative but to honor her advice. We then headed down the main Belgrano Avenue to Juan B. Justo, heading for Anna Bistró. We ordered a crostón with crispy bacon, avocado and perfectly cooked egg. We also shared a gazpacho with tapenade. Like everything in Mendoza, it is served with an ultra virgin olive oil that accompanies each dish. We sat on the gallery, next to a dense and flowery garden, confirming how much green and vegetation is valued in this city, set in a desert. For dessert, we tried a pistachio ice cream between two tapas of macaroons.
Back at the B&B we rested and recharged our energies for the appointment we had for that afternoon.
The painter Veronica Valenti had invited us to her workshop with a sensory proposal that we didn't fully understand but we knew we wanted to know about. So we headed to Godoy Cruz. When we arrived, the entrance gate opened and, once inside, Verónica -from the inside and keeping the incognito- told us to follow the instructions. We passed through a colorful curtain and entered the garden. Two glasses of Malbec were waiting for us to introduce us to the artist's world.
Precise and concrete guidelines on small signs placed in that green garden -with a magnificent collection of succulents- we followed, paying special attention to the metal sculptures of animals. The singular thing was undoubtedly the expressiveness of those beings made of cold brass. The favorite of @tripticity_ was the snail by Pata Luján Williams, named "Ni lento, Ni perezoso" (Neither slow, nor lazy). After visiting the atelier, where Verónica produces her work, we went upstairs to enter the gallery where the artist invites the visitor not only to discover her work but to generate a unique dialogue with it and with oneself. It is a space of serenity, beauty and color. In the center, a xylophone invited us to play it, which we did not hesitate to do. The waves and vibrations that it generates completed the special atmosphere that the artist prepares for this sensory party between her works and those who contemplate them. Veronica's proposal is unique because the observer is the protagonist of the proposal, even being able to name each painting according to their emotions or impressions. @tripticity_ values the creativity with which the artist surprises because it is not about exhibiting her work but to allow the visitor a moment of enjoyment, to get out of the usual, to pamper the sensitivity, both when immersed in her works and in the distinctive habitat she created in her home. In his pieces the color stands out, vibrant at times, but also resonating earth tones and warm tones. A relative abstraction since in almost all of them some fact of reality generates the main attraction, be it a bird, a child with a lost expression, a fish or a mountain, in the middle of a landscape of spots in which the colors acquire relevance.
We continued enjoying the glass of excellent complimentary wine while we were more and more encouraged to perceive the vibration of the xylophone, gaining confidence in that environment, no longer so unknown and enjoying what we believe the artist wants to give: a space of connection, of silence, of extreme communion with oneself. As we left, we dared to interrupt Verónica's harmony, because we wanted to look into her eyes and -with deep sincerity- tell her thank you, because it is not usual to find spaces or moments like the one she created and gave us. @tripticity_ loves art, enjoys it, but how much more when it comes to these authentic avant-garde proposals.
On our way back to the city center, the dialogue revolved around that, how long it had been since we had been surprised by Verónica's proposal and how happy we were with that different invitation like hers.
In the evening we had a reservation at Fuente y Fonda, a cantina that ventures into homemade food, very homemade, with classic Argentinean recipes such as potato pie, milanesa or grandmother's pasta. As almost everything in Mendoza, reservations are essential because most of the time there is an invasion of foreign diners.
The place is nice, the deco is full of sixties and seventies objects from everyday life.
The wine list is presented in a folder like a school folder, with Estrada sheets, very funny.
The dishes are divided into starters and main courses, the latter are for sharing and include two desserts, which makes this restaurant a favorite in terms of value for money. Very accessible and very tasty food.
We chose the malfatti with tuco, cream and meatballs. The baked slab tray au gratin was a delight. Healthy food, good food from the house and very generous. We accompanied it with El Relator, a wine made by Fernando Gabrielli in homage, of course, to his grandfather, a horse racing reporter.
For dessert we chose the classic flan with dulce de leche and baked apple with cream.
Thus we finished that first Mendoza banquet, replete, ready to enjoy the comfort of our lodging, next to the restaurant.
In the morning after breakfast we finally met Hugo Laricchia.
We found out about him on Twitter, in those searches that only Mr. @tripticity_ knows how to do when organizing a trip. About seven months earlier we had contacted him. He, very much from Mendoza, promises to understand the preferences of the traveler to assist in the organization and then be the driver in the tours. Perhaps because his previous work with us was not so exhaustive, we did not manage to feel on the spot that understanding of tastes that had been promised. In short, it was too expensive for us, although it is a good option for those who don't feel like doing a lot of research before the trip through Mendoza.
@tripticity_ wanted to combine good gastronomy, knowledge of signature wines, not necessarily the great wineries, although a bit also those that show avant-garde architecture, all combined with a bit of art that increasingly connects with the world of wine, generating an interaction that is worth celebrating.
After those long months of messages, evaluations and chats, we met Hugo, who advocates even the separation of Mendoza, a brexit based on a conviction about the potential of his province. Straightforward, no-nonsense and no syrup, Hugo answered our queries during the trip about the world of wine and cuisine. But it bears repeating, like almost everything else in Mendoza, his services are very expensive for a normal pocket.
A cheaper option is to hire Uber Bodegas or its similar Cabify, 100% legal, if you prefer not to drive or take massive tours. In this regard, another piece of information. He had confirmed to us that alcohol controls were permanent (as reported by Google), but during our visit, seven days with a long weekend, we did not go through any. Rule or just coincidence? We will never know. Needless to say, we are not at all in favor of driving with alcohol in blood.
The first tasting we did that Monday morning was at the Cruzat sparkling wine cellar, already a classic for its traditional method.
First we toured the facilities, located in Agrelo, while the guide was telling us about the very particular manufacturing process. Then we went down to the cellar where the sparkling wine is produced using the champenoise method. At the end, we witnessed the process of extracting the yeast and placing the cork, invented by Clicquot's widow (Veuve Chicquot) after freezing the top of the bottle and removing the yeast without any residue.
Finally, on the terrace, we enjoyed the Cruzat's bubbles with a great view of the Andes.
From there, Hugo took us in a hurry to Durigutti because we had a reservation at Cinco Suelos, the restaurant created by the enormous Patricia Courtois, whom we had the opportunity to meet when we visited Colomé, in Salta Province. From there we became her fans forever.
Durigutti Winemakers winery opened an avant-garde restaurant in Las Compuertas. The menu prepared by the chef is multiple but does not lose the creativity in each proposal, not to mention the flavor of its cuisine.
As soon as we arrived we were treated to the courtesy of the chef, some great grape and Roquefort sandwiches, cherry tomato and pea cream, a mini empanada stuffed with salami and a toast with an amazing pate.
The second treat was the garlic soup in a small cup presented with an extraordinary bread basket, to which the extra virgin olive oil of the house was added.
But that was just the beginning. Then it was time for the starters. On the one hand, a humita in a pot in the Mendocinian style and, on the other hand, a silverside marinated in white wine and liliaceae.
For the main course, we opted for the tenderloin in cruote, known as Wellington, with vegetable criolla. Super soft, subtle, accompanying the flavor of the meat. Mr. @tripticity_ chose the Las Compuertas rabbit in white wine with creamy mashed potatoes and olives. Uncommon, a feast of flavor.
The sweets were citrus pavlova with coriander and walnut praline, and panacota, with apricots and spices.
We accompanied with a charbono from the estate, a wild wine, as described by Camila, the sommelier who assisted us. But we also tasted an Albariño from Spain, Raíces del Miño from Vinos de Aldea, invited by Patricia. Another must was the aperitif, a pedro ximénez with lots of ice.
Having satisfied our sense of taste, smell, sight and touch in that memorable lunch, we continued on to another exploration. We visited Hilbing & Franke for a tasting of premium distillates.
We were welcomed by Andrea, who showed us around the facilities and invited us to go up to the space that the family had set up to present their collection: three variants of their gin, triple sec, grappa and brandy.
She also gave us a theoretical and practical cocktail class, teaching us how to combine these distillates in different variants of aperitifs and cocktails.
Walter Hilbing, Rolando's son and continuator of the company that manufactures genuine distillates, introduced himself. He explained the different ways to obtain a distillate, spirits and eaux-de-vie, telling us about the difficulties and challenges it generates as well as the satisfaction that the family business has been achieving.
The day never seemed to end, it was a great enjoyment.
After that journey of sensations we arrived at Villa Mansa, our lodging for that night. We slept in the suite in the shape of a vat. Not only was the proposal fun, but we had an incredible view of the Andes. In addition, the suite had a jacuzzi, which of course we tried out, for a night of total relaxation. A great bubble bath was the prelude to a well-deserved rest after so much contentment.
In the morning we were able to get to know the facilities of this boutique hotel in Luján de Cuyo, which offers excellent value for money. After breakfast, we relaxed in its beautifully landscaped gardens.
At noon, we had a reservation at Vistalba winery's restaurant, run by Miguel Martín, whose flagship La Jamonería we visited on our trip to San Juan.
The Tuscan winery architecture stands out for the softness of its pastel tones and the galleries hidden behind its columns. The weather was inviting to take advantage of these galleries. We started with the "Walk through the Mediterranean", a Premium tasting of the most outstanding hams from Italy (Prosciutto Vismara, Reserva Dolce, San Daniele, Val del Cinghio and Parma) and then from Spain (Reserva, Duroc Raza Ibérica and Ibérico Jabugo de Huelva). Delicate, with a perfect flavor. The hams are presented with sourdough bread, tomato concassé and some curious molecular pearls of olive oil.
We paired it with Progenie sparkling wine, Brut Nature, the one that became @tripticity_'s favorite after this trip to Mendoza.
The mains were jumbo garlic prawns with Spanish paprika powder and a spinach rotolo with ricotta, walnuts and artichoke heart.
Then Entre Cielos, a design and avant-garde hotel in the same area of Vistalba, was waiting for us. The entrance, through a colorful and zen-like garden, was the prelude to our stay. Design, art, elegance in its exterior as well as in the rooms and even in the corridors that connect them.
The sober decoration of our room, with a world map on the headboard, denoted a modern sophistication.
In the afternoon, we had an appointment at the hotel spa. An authentic Turkish-style hamam, but with the house stamp of a simple and modern deco. A circuit through different baths and steam rooms, with the traditional Turkish attire (the pestemal), the silk glove (kese) and, of course, the bowl to refresh the body with cold water while enjoying the warmth of the hamam.
After the massages, we enjoyed the complimentary glass of chardonnay and viognier blend at the bar with some hearty olives, which -incredibly- whetted our appetite, so we decided to have a snack with some empanadas mendocinas (very different from the ones we are used to from Salta) and some powerful prosciutto croquettes, the perfect excuse to taste the criollo grape in Don Graciano's proposal.
After a long rest, we honored the sumptuous breakfast proposed by the luxury hotel, even toasting with sparkling wine.
The next day, a visit to Solo Contigo, a boutique winery in The Vines, in the heart of the Uco Valley, awaited us. The uniqueness of the place is completed with the modernist architecture of this house-winery of the Canadian couple Neelands, who entrusted their project to the studio Bórmida & Yanzón. In addition, as art lovers, they decided that the link between the house and the winery should be an exhibition hall of contemporary artists' works. The place is innovative and select. Definitely a different winery.
After that, a superb gourmet lunch orchestrated by chef Santiago Orozco Russo at DiamAndes winery followed. The phenomenal architecture of the establishment -also by the duo Bórmida & Yanzón- stands out in Clos de los Siete, with the Andes in the background and endless vineyards. A sculpture of a diamond emerges at its epicenter. Its restaurant offers a panoramic view and its subway and circular cellar around the diamond is amazing.
The Grand Cru menu is Diam's signature menu, designed to highlight the wines of the cellar, in a seven-step sequence, presented by the colossal chef himself.
First, esbriet cheese with zuchini from the garden on a focaccia bruschetta. Followed by a red cabbage soup, vichyssoise type, the color of wine, with kale, with a croquette of Potrerillos pine mushrooms and spicy powder. A perfect combination that described autumn, the season when wine sleeps. A millefeuille with smoked venison cream, a hazelnut and pine mushroom cream and roasted cauliflower hummus, accompanied by baby carrots cooked with butter and deglazed with coffee. The last starter was a smoked wild boar with seasonal vegetables. The main courses were a braised goat with a reduction of braising juices, wrapped with filo pastry and sweet potato cream and plum demi glace, and a filet with potato foam and creamy parsley sauce, with cubes of red fruit criolla, which gave a note of acidity to accompany the meat. The dessert was a feuilletine, a crunchy classic French pastry, chocolate with salty crunch, mascarpone with English pumpkin jam, in the middle a cremeux (like a silky cream) of 70% chocolate infused with cardamom, cloves, orange peel, accompanied by hibiscus flower gel and natural raspberries.
The list may sound like a lot of ingredients, but that lunchtime was a loving feast of the highest and most genuine signature cuisine.
The sequence of wines went like this: a rosé L' Argentin de Malartic, a 2016 Viognier, a 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, an unforgettable gran reserva blend of Malbec and Cabernet 2013 and the winery's Malbec in its 2019 version. The high-end wines are manufactured under the concept of estate bottled wines, that is a production of own grapes in a specific plot, to reflect the characteristics of the well mineralized terroir of the Uco Valley.
The lunch was, it bears repeating, masterful. In a restaurant with a great view, with service commanded by Santiago himself, a parade of tasty dishes as a base to enjoy the DiamAndes wine.
After visiting the cellar and the winery, we checked in at Alpasion, a wine lodge that promised a luxurious rest. We had opted for glamping with a view of the Andes and a wooden tub on the terrace, remembering the incredible experience we had some time ago when we visited Salinas Grandes, in Jujuy Province, when we stayed at Pristine Camps. But the Mendoza variant does not even come close to the northern one. The house, its living room and library, its patios and terraces are nice, yes, but at a price that is not at all consistent with the services provided.
Anyway, as usual for @tripticity_ we rescued the sunrises we enjoyed thanks to the lack of curtain of our luxury tent.
The next day we had another lunch waiting for us at Clos de los Siete, this time at Monteviejo, a large winery with an imposing architecture. A series of strawberry and tomato gazpacho and a mini roll of braised veal over warm soup of green leaves and potato tree, then followed ricotta sorrentinos with pistachios and beef eye, creamy potato and crispy rosemary, ending with pear infused with beet. The lunch was certainly tasty and the winery is majestic, but it did not surprise us. In addition, the tour guide made too many personal comments and the restaurant, which was not full, was very noisy.
We certainly missed the previous lunch.
We wanted to have a sunset experience, so, even though the reviews were not so friendly, we made a reservation at Giménez Riili for their late evening proposal.
It was a rather cloudy day, but beyond the weather, the truth is that it is nothing memorable. Music, decent food and a garden overlooking some vineyards would be the most benevolent summary of the experience.
That night an unusual half-hour storm threatened to blow away our glamping site, which luckily withstood the violent gusts stoically.
As fate would have it, the following midday was once again remarkable. To start in the morning, after passing through the historic Manzano de Tunuyán, where tradition says that General San Martín rested after the campaign to Peru, we headed to Salentein for a great date with art in the heart of the Uco Valley. The winery houses an extraordinary collection exhibited in the Killka space, both contemporary Argentine and Dutch art from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Works by Seguí, Polesello, Gorriarena, among other great artists. The architecture of the space stands out, such as the moving chapel of Gratitude, facing about two hundred linear meters, and further back, the Posada.
And then a precious outdoor moment at Michelini i Mufatto Cantina, in Tupungato. In a garden surrounded by vineyards, this restaurant for no more than thirty people a day also offers an authentic, relaxed lunch with classic recipes. The service was excellent, as was the setting, with basic tables in the green surroundings. We opted for a tasting of the young wines, the Cantina Chardonnay, Balsa de Piedra Semillón, Matorras Malbec and Balsa de Piedra Tinto. We also tasted the Don José Matorras and the Michelini Mufatto from Gualtallary.
The reception was with a carob toast with a sundried tomato paste, a fried pumpkin and cheese cake and the red quinoa cookie with lemon cream. The appetizers were lemon sweetbreads with tomato marinated in house creole crust and arugula pesto, on the one hand, and, on the other, a seafood casserole with corn tostón. The main courses were followed by the braised lamb and ricotta doppi with cheese blend, red fruit aioli and reduction sauce and the Nona ravioli stuffed with meat and vegetables with tomato sauce. Delicious. We finished with a chocolate mousse, cocoa and almond sponge cake and sundried tomato crumble and a coconut sponge cake with ginger cream and fresh fruits.
From there, straight to a break at Rosell Boher Lodge in Alto Agrelo. Among the vineyards of the Dragonback Estate project, the lodge features an award-winning restaurant, a subway wine cellar and vineyard houses. In our case, a complete and super spacious villa with a private underground wine cellar and a terrace overlooking the Andes.
In the evening, although after the great lunch we were not even hungry, we decided to order a pizza tasting for the sole excuse of being able to order the Brut Nature of the winery, elaborated - logically - with the traditional method, while enjoying a beautiful sunset.
In the morning, breakfast was huge, with house bubbles of course.
Then we made a very short visit to the Pasrai olive farm, which Hugo had recommended, but it turned out to be full of tourists and boring, so we left directly for our next appointment at RJ Viñedos. There we were welcomed by a very cordial Soledad, who showed us the old facilities, remodeled by Raúl Jofré, for his signature wine project, a wine manufacture with his daughters, who are present on the labels and in the photographs of the tasting room. We had planned to do the wine and chocolate tasting, but it turned out that they had run out of chocolates. We were left wanting RJ's proposal.
Our last lunch in Mendoza augured haute cuisine by Irish chef Edward Holloway, at Casa Agostino. Right in front of vineyards, we decided to opt for the terrace, although it was hot, as the inside was, again, very noisy. The view was beautiful and a sequence of Italian-style dishes awaited us.
But that day the kitchen failed due to a water problem, so although we tried all the dishes, we can't say it was memorable. On top of that, they did not pay attention to a specific indication of food restriction. However, we were impressed by the professionalism of the manager Gabriel, who introduced himself and apologized, inviting us to toast with a complimentary wine. In addition, we were upgraded to a superior room. That last night we toasted with a sparkling wine from Agostino Estate while we enjoyed the charcuterie and cheeses that were delivered to our room, grateful for the experience, perhaps a little tired from the hustle and bustle of those days, but recognizing the merit of the province to position itself as an international wine capital and attract international tourism willing to enjoy wine tourism and its gastronomy.
Conclusion? Mendoza is too big a wine tourism universe and there is everything. And that necessarily implies discoveries and disappointments. The latter perhaps enhanced by prices well above the national average, more than many other really luxury destinations in Argentina that we were lucky enough to know, such as our findings in Ushuaia or Iguazu.
To know and also to compare, to remember, to choose, always following one's own path.