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Wine Tour from Mendoza

DAY 01 - Arrival Mendoza & City Walking Tour
Arrival in Mendoza, meet and greet at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation.

Today we visit Mendoza's main plazas; starting at the Plaza España and then walking up the pedestrian street until we arrive at Plaza Independencia (which plays host to a modern art museum and a theatre). We continue walking to Las Heras Street Museum and the historical indoor Central Food Market, an over 100 year old food market where people from Mendoza still do there food shopping! .

Our driver picks us up to head up to Parque General San Martín. At the top end of the park we ascend Cerro de la Gloria (Glory Hill) crowned by a magnificent statue of San Martin and his Liberation Army, together with "Liberty" breaking the chains of bondage. Erected on top of and around the sides of a natural rock platform, it really is one of the worlds most powerful and complex bronze sculptures, constructed by the well known Uruguayan sculptor Ferrari, with help from four Italian sculptors nearly one hundred years ago.

On the way up the hill we see the Greek-looking amphitheatre (25,000 capacity) which is the permanent home of the annual and hugely popular crowning of "The Queen" (see Wine Harvest Festival). Towards the bottom end of the park we come to the Parks Lake, around which we can take a walk and stop for a coffee.

Accommodation: Bohemia Boutique hotel - bohemiahotelboutique.com or Park Hyatt
Meals: None

DAY 02 Full day Wineries at Lujan de Cuyo (Premium)

We will visit the three of the best wineries in the country. This region is the very heart of the famous Malbec country, with the snow-capped Andes Mountains in the background.

Our first visit is to DOMAINE ST. DIEGO one of Mendoza's most unique wineries, owned by Angel Mendoza, Argentina's most well respected wine maker. He has a very specific policy - no exporting, so clients can only buy his wines from their small production directly in the winery. The visit includes a walk through the vineyards, which are planted on the hills of Lunlunta Valley, ascending to the "balcony" in amongst the vines allows visitors a privileged view of the Valley.

Following the visit we have arranged a private tasting of their high-quality wines in the gardens accompanied by a member of the Mendoza family.

Following this we visit BENEGAS; owner Federico Benegas Lynch has lovingly restored this 106 year old winery using hard-to-find "adobe" craftsmen, so that the building looks as it did, when built a century ago. Nothing old in his wine making skills though, except his vines all ranging from 30 to 80 years old, the latter planted in the dry Mendoza riverbed. The winery has some very old Cabernet Franc descending from pre-phylloxera Bordeaux. Michel Rolland has a hand in this operation, most likely because it's a chance for two "wine passionate" men to share the odd bottle. The tasting here includes their Benegas and Benegas Estripe lines.

From here we lunch in boutique winery CLOS DE CHACRAS. The winery was constructed in 1921 and still holds the same style and infrastructure, while the wine is made with the newest technology allowing this small-production winery to produce some very interesting top level wines. Lunch is prepared by one of Mendoza's most sought after chefs and is accompanied by their Cavas de Crianza line and their Clos de Chacras line. As this winery is in the heart of Chacras de Coria, you may take a stroll after lunch around the cobbled streets before heading back to your hotel.

Accommodation: Bohemia Boutique hotel - bohemiahotelboutique.com or Park Hyatt
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch.

DAY 03 Mendoza - Participants may choose between the following tours:

1 Wine tasting on Bikes - Lujan de Cuyo (South of the River)
Meet the guide at the hotel to visit two of the best wineries in the country. This region is considered the very home of Malbec, particularly the sub-regions of Agrelo and Perdriel, where the cost of land directly translates to the quality of the grapes. These two sub-regions epitomize "Terroir" made for the Malbec grape.

We start the day pedaling on our bikes to visit CHANDON, the first of the "old world" wineries to invest in Argentina back in the sixties. Hived-off the red winemaking capability into another division and now concentrates on making 18 million bottles of "bubbly", right through the price range. They receive visitors and it is interesting to see the operation on a commercial scale. Chandon has recently expanded their production capability.

From here a short ride brings us to RUCA MALEN, a rising star on the Argentine wine scene. This French owned winery has only been producing since 2001, yet its Cabernet Sauvignon has already made its own mark. Look out for its top brand Kinien label. The Malbec is a concentrated fruit bomb. They also make a Chardonnay 25% fermented in oak barrels making it rich and complex. Here we will enjoy a delicious lunch.

2 Cooking Class at Terrazas de los Andes
Meet the guide at the hotel to drive to Luján de Cuyo Wine Region. This region is considered the very home of Malbec, particularly the sub-regions of Agrelo and Perdriel, where the cost of land directly translates to the quality of the grapes. These two sub-regions epitomize "Terroir" made for the Malbec grape.

We visit TERRAZAS DE LOS ANDES, which is still a wine division of Chandon, all part of the Moet & Chandon group. Wines are regularly featured amongst the very best of South American bottling. Here we enjoy a cookery class selected to give clients a real traditional cooking experience. The class takes us step-by-step through traditional Argentine recipes, using local ingredients and traditional cooking methods such as, el horno de barro (oven-cooked) & parrilla (grilled). At the end of the course we will enjoy "our masterpieces" complimented by Terrazas de los Andes wines

3.- Wine Tour Malbec (Lujan de Cuyo).
Meet the guide in the lobbyof the hotelfor a full day visit to Lunaj de Cuyo which is the heart of the Malbec country.
The first visit will be ACHAVAL FERRER, the first Argentine winery to obtain 96 points in the Spectator. This project is the idea and commitment of 6 men from Italy and Argentina. Little they do can be described as conventional, but the operation has style and passion and it is evident in every bottle, which is why this talented group have 5 wines at 92 or more points.

From here we travel a short distance to BELASCO DE BAQUEDANO, where we will get the opportunity to explore the only sensory room in Argentina.

We lunch at CAVA de CANO. This micro winery is worth a visit just to see how the entire process can be fitted into a garage sized room. Set in a beautiful colonial style building this is an atmospheric step back in time. Lunch is a spectacular buffet with every type of delicacy.

Our day concludes with a visit to CARMELLO PATTI. Given that all winemakers are artists, this man is the personification. He does not advertise his boutique winery in any shape way or form and only makes what his devoted customers actually ask for. Carmello Patti has been making wine in Mendoza for 36 years.

4 Wine tasting on Bikes - Uco Valley (with a supplement)
Meet the guide at the hotel for a ninety minute drive down to Uco Valley a relatively new and very exciting valley where great grapes, walnuts, and various fruits grow in abundance. A totally different climate (sometimes difficult), varying elevations, even in the same vineyard and abundant sweet water provide winemakers with some of the best "terroir" they could wish for. Many of the oldest, together with the most modern and progressive wineries based up in the Luján and Maipú regions have also planted vineyards in this valley simply because of the quality of its´ grapes.

We will begin our day at SALENTEIN, a concept winery famous for producing Argentina's first high-altitude Pinot Noir. Here we visit both the winery and their nationally acclaimed "Kilka Art Gallery", containing permanent exhibitions of Argentine works of art from the second half of the Twentieth Century and an ever-changing exhibit of up-and-coming artists and their work.

From here it is a short bike ride to ANDELUNA is a 100% American owned, modern winery belonging to Herman Ward Lay, of snack food fame. As well as being an architecturally pleasing building, it has one of the most harmonious and congenial visitor centers in the country, with beautiful views over the vines and the Andes as a back-drop. Great photograph opportunity here, particularly when the vines are "fully dressed". This fine winery just won the Decanter Magazine unique Grand Trophy award for their Cabernet Franc Limited Edition 2003, in addition to a Gold Medal for their superb Pasionado Grand Reserve 2003, a great and well deserved pair of wins. Here we will enjoy a delicious six-course lunch.

Accommodation: Bohemia Boutique hotel - bohemiahotelboutique.com or Park Hyatt
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch.

DAY 04 Mendoza
Day at leisure until the transfer to the airport to board your onward flight.

Meals: Breakfast

Rates in U$S (US dollars) per person based on double accommodation These rates are for a minimum of 2 passengers travelling together.with hotel
with Bohemia Boutique- through March 31st/ 2012 = U$S 730. Single Room Supplement = U$S 104
with Park Hyatt Mendoza - through Dec 31st/ 2011 = U$S 944. Single Room Supplement = U$S 369. from Jan 1st through Mar 31st/ 2012
= U$S 1031. Single Room Supplement = U$S 445

Supplement for: Wine tasting on Bikes - Uco Valley U$S 98 per person.

These rates include:
* Accommodation with breakfast and local taxes included at the mentioned hotels or similar.
* Transfers in private car except for the bike & tasting at Zuccardi which will be shared with other visitors to the winery. Some winery visits may be shared with other visitors.
* Assistance of bilingual guides(Spanish - English speaking )
* Meals as per the itinerary without beverages at the estancias.

These rates do not include:
* Airline tickets, airport taxes and local airline taxes.
* Meals - except the ones mentioned on the itinerary - and beverages
* Personal expenses or extras
* Travel insurance
* Tips for baggage handling and optional gratuities for guides / drivers.

We can also do tours based at Salentein, Cavas Wine Lodge, Club Tapiz, etc. Just let us know what you would like.