Argentina/Mendoza

Mendoza is one of the great wine capitals in the world, known for its Malbecs and variety of bodegas (vineyards).

But I will not be praising this city, as I was really disappointed. Maybe because I’ve visited Bordeaux and other wine regions, I was biased but Mendoza really didn’t hold to my expectations. The city has no charms at all, it’s all old buildings, and by old I mean not taken care of, dirty and grey. Maybe I didn’t visit it right though, so maybe you could have a different experience. And to be fair, I did go in autumn and did get robbed (I’ll come back to that). But I had a great time because I was there with amazing people!

In the city, you could visit he different squares such as Independencia, but I wasn’t moved by them. Only funny thing is that the fountains’ water is red, like wine. The Sarmiento Park is nice though, I have to admit!

You can take the city tourist bus, like a hop on hop off, but I don’t recommend it. The explanations were poor, and nothing the best places could be easily accessed by foot.

But if you’re like me, you came here for wine! You have 3 different regions you can visit: Maipú (the closest), Luján de Cuyo and Uco. I only had time for Maipú and people had told me it was a must, again, I was disappointed.

We took the tram to Maipú and rented bikes at Hugo because everyone was talking about it. The bikes were in really bad shape! But whatever, we were not going to ride mountains, so we went along. Riding from one Bodega to another, I expected nice vineyards, paths in the vines, nice views. Think again! You ride on a big road, nothing nice about it. Please, DO NOT PUT ANY VALUABLES IN THE FRONT BASKET! A car drove by and just took my bag from the window. Thank God nothing important in it, but I’d rather tell you about it so it doesn’t happen again. The police was really nice and healthful, even if it took about 4 hours to get a statement.

I did really enjoy the tour at Trapiche Bodega. The place is one of the most important wine productions in the country. You can pay for a complete tour, where they explain the process and you get to taste different wines of theirs. It was really enjoyable.

Keep in mind that everything is closed on Sundays, including wineries! Apparently, some vineyards are open in Uco, but you have to plan it ahead.

One good recommendation for Mendoza, would be the restaurant Azafran that used to be a local deli but has turned into a real hotspot. The food is home made, tasty and the place is cute. You should definitely book in advance! And ask to have the table in the front room, it’s full of charm and private..

Sarmiento 765

I’ll maybe have to go back in summer in visit he other regions to reconcile with he city…