Mendoza (MDZ) - the ultimate Q&A thread [Archive]

amunter

May 21, 06, 8:44 pm

Please feel free to post away with your questions right here, I will do my best to share what information I have and my experiences.

Okay, I'll bite -- we're headed on a South American trip in a couple of weeks, and will be arriving by bus from SCL into Mendoza on June 7 and departing June 9. We're staying at the Park Hyatt and will have a car. Around SCL, we're staying at Hacienda Los Lingues and visiting some wineries, but would love to get some recommendations on restaurants and/or wineries to visit around the Mendoza area.

I'm not sure what distinctions there are between the Chilean wine scene and the Mendoza, Argentinian one, but any suggestions that help highlight those distinctions would be great, too!

Thanks, Gaucho100K -- we're actually headed to EZE from Mendoza, and will take advantage of some of your great expertise from the EZE thread while there, too!

Gaucho100K

May 23, 06, 5:59 pm

Depending on which specific subregion you visit, Mendoza is spread out over larger portions of territory. Signage in Mendoza is still rudimentary, thingsare generally more organized in Chile. If you mean styles of wines, then I would say that Chile has a clear advantage when it comes to still white wines, while in the red wine department - Argentina has considerably more depth in quality wines.

Some restaurants:

1884 Francis Malmmann
Bistro at the Park Hyatt
El Palenque (local, good homemade style food)
La Bourgogne at Vistalba Carlos Pulenta
Postales del Plata (Chacras de Coria)

Wineries to visit (please note some places require advance booking):
La Rural Rutini - Museo del Vino
Chandon Argentina
Familia Zuccardi
Bodegas Lopez
Catena Zapata

amunter

May 23, 06, 10:36 pm

These are great jumping-off ideas; thank you SO much. I appreciate your generosity with your expertise!

Jim Kutsko

May 25, 06, 10:23 am

>>Depending on which specific subregion you visit, Mendoza is spread out over larger portions of territory. Signage in Mendoza is still rudimentary, thingsare generally more organized in Chile. If you mean styles of wines, then I would say that Chile has a clear advantage when it comes to still white wines, while in the red wine department - Argentina has considerably more depth in quality wines.

Some restaurants:

1884 Francis Malmmann
Bistro at the Park Hyatt
El Palenque (local, good homemade style food)
La Bourgogne at Vistalba Carlos Pulenta
Postales del Plata (Chacras de Coria)

Wineries to visit (please note some places require advance booking):
La Rural Rutini - Museo del Vino
Chandon Argentina
Familia Zuccardi
Bodegas Lopez
Catena Zapata<<

We went to Mendoza for the Vendimia at the beginning of March. Here are a couple of observations.

The Park Hyatt is a good location. It's right across the street from Plaza Independencia. Just up the street on the way to San Martin Park on Avenue Sarmiento you will find a number of little bistros and restaurants (includeing Azafran which my wife really liked) that were pretty good. There is a really good Helado (Ice Cream) store on the corner of Belgrado and Avenue Sarmiento which we really liked. We ate at 1884 Francis Mallman twice in our four day visit. My wife loved their pumpkin ravioli (had it both times) and I had a steak once and a salted chicken which was very good.

We took a tour for visiting the wineries which was really interesting and fun. I really enjoyed Alta Vista winery and we had lunch at Ruca Malen. At Ruca Malen winery you do the wine tasting with lunch (lunch was very good--It included Sweet corn tortelette, beef tenderloin, and cinnamon and cheese mouse for dessert).

We went during the Vendimia and it was fabulous. So much was going on during our stay that we are talking about going back next year again.

Gaucho100K

May 25, 06, 5:26 pm

The Hyatt is indeed a fine hotel, although in the end its just another Hyatt. If one is open to explore new types of experiences, I would strongly suggest trying alternative lodging in a somewhat less than urban setting. I suggest looking into the following places:

Postales del Plata - http://www.postalesdelplata.com

Cavas Wine Lodge - http://www.cavaswinelodge.com/

Lares de Chacras - http://www.laresdechacras.com/

For the budget minded, some options to consider are:

Hotel Aconcagua - http://www.hotelaconcagua.com/english

NH Cordillera - http://www.nhhotelesdirectorio.com

Gaucho100K

May 26, 06, 7:18 am

Many folks ask me about renting a car in Mendoza. This is of course possible, but there are a number of drawbacks.

First, rental costs in Argentina are high when compared to other countries. Signage in Mendoza is rather ackward, and distances from winery to winery is sometimes important. Dont think Napa where everything is close and signage is perfect... Mendoza is big, there is a lot of new development and even the locals arent the best for directions, things are changing very quickly. Plus, if you really want to enjoy your wines, its a bad idea to get behind the wheel.

Renting a car with a driver or a van if you are in a small group is the best way to go. I will dig up a few contacts and post more information later.

SanDiego1K

May 26, 06, 1:19 pm

What airlines fly between Mendoza and Bariloche? Is the distance sufficiently far that flying is the most sensible way to travel?

Gaucho100K

May 26, 06, 1:25 pm

What airlines fly between Mendoza and Bariloche? Is the distance sufficiently far that flying is the most sensible way to travel?

Im fairly certain that there are no direct flights from Mendoza to Bariloche. The only way would be to route through AEP (Buenos Aires City Airport), or alternatively through SCL although I assume that would be more expensive.

Long distance bus is also an option, although Ive never traveled that route and dont have the details.

nor4

May 26, 06, 2:19 pm

What airlines fly between Mendoza and Bariloche? Is the distance sufficiently far that flying is the most sensible way to travel?

The Aerolineas web site lists only flights (https://wftc1.e-travel.com/pl/arwebv7/en/OverrideServlet) via AEP. About 4 hours flying and waits of 1+(+++) hours at AEP.

Gaucho100K

May 27, 06, 9:22 am

Thanks for confirming my guess. Domestic air travel in Argentina does have its issues, things have gotten slightly better as of late so there should be no major delays.

rustyr

Jun 10, 06, 6:16 pm

The Aerolineas web site lists only flights (https://wftc1.e-travel.com/pl/arwebv7/en/OverrideServlet) via AEP. About 4 hours flying and waits of 1+(+++) hours at AEP.
You can fly from MDZ-BRC via SCL, but it's only one day a week:Thursday. The SCL-BRC direct flights are limited to Th pm outbound and rtr SUN evening. U wld lve MDZ am11:20, arr SCL 11:15, dep SCL 3:35 arr Brc 6:30; one-way fare on LAN for a thursday JULY 13=$372(Unless U have visa you're stuck in transit area 4 1/2 hrs!). The return would leave you in SCL Sun nite as the 8PM dep flight won't connect to any MDZ flights so hotel stay would be in your pocket.(LAN could fly u back to MDZ via AEP) The roundtrip cost for that would be $515. Not including cost of hotel and 100 visa fee for leaving airport for stay. You have better selection via AEP from MDZ the rtrip is $ 672 currently for same days. Maybe an airpass might be consideration if u plan on doing any more flying while there. I did not check on rtrip rtr via AEP both ways cost.

Gaucho100K

Jun 13, 06, 9:33 am

Does the airpass help you with the visa issue...? I guess those costs would be incurred regradless, or?

rustyr

Jun 17, 06, 9:52 am

Does the airpass help you with the visa issue...? I guess those costs would be incurred regradless, or?
Yes on both counts if u plan on visiting Brazil or Chile either on airpass or single flights u would have to add in costs for visas.

keisari

Jun 17, 06, 9:46 pm

Gaucho;
Thank you for the offer.
I was in Baires for 5 days in March and loved it.
I lived there for some time during my childhood (many many years ago) and know I remember why my family LOVED Argentina.
I am going for 2 weeks in September and rented an apt.
Just planning to eat good food, drink a lot of Limoncello, ice cream and coffee.
I would like to go "out of town" for 2 nights.
Bariloche is expensive. I am quoted 1700-2500 pesos per person.
I was looking for something much cheaper.
how about Mendoza? I love wine.
by the way, I used to live in Catamarca. Is that worth a trip?
thank you very much for your help
Gracias

Gaucho100K

Jun 19, 06, 8:16 am

For September, 1700 pesos per person may be reasonable for a destination like Bariloche. What services are included?

Ive never been to Catamarca, so Im afraid I cannot help you with that destination.

Mendoza will be less expensive if you select budget accomodations. You could save more by traveling by bus instead of flying.

MIA-SAT

Jun 25, 06, 8:24 pm

I am returning to Mendoza late in the summer. Some time ago a Mendocino recommended the Salentein Malbec and I have been quite happy with it. Are there other Malbec's that you would recommend that would be worth schlepping back to the US? The Malbec was also memorable as one of the times that I purchased it was during the time that the peso fell from 1.3 to 3 to the dollar in about 2 days. While this was a terrible misfortune for the Argentines, it was an accidental good fortune of timing for me.

Gaucho100K

Jun 26, 06, 7:24 am

Wine prices have re-settled after the havoc caused by the banking & currency crisis that you mention above. The Salentein Mablec Roble you mention is a good wine, albeit IMO not great. There are currently a good number of wines in the AR$25 to AR$60 range that have excellent QPR. A short teaser list includes:

Benegas - Juan Benegas Malbec
Escorihuela Gascon Malbec
Tikal - Tahuan Malbec
Benegas - Benegas Malbec
Terrazas Reserva Malbec

For more detailed Recs. and other related information, please PM me and I will be happy to assist you.

Disclaimer: I am a EZE based wine merchant.

nor4

Jul 5, 06, 8:17 am

If you're intersted in Mendoza, you might also be interested in this article from the New York Times (http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/07/02/travel/02next.html) on "neighboring" Salta, an up and coming wine/tourist region. Seems to attract more Argentinians and Europeans right now, but may be worth a look. Enjoy.

Gaucho100K

Jul 6, 06, 7:29 am

nor4-- You make an excellent point. Salta is (after Mendoza) the next most important destination for the serious wine aficionado. Other regions to consider are Patagonia, and San Juan.

RD57

Jul 22, 06, 4:11 pm

Greetings:

First trip to Argentina.
I'll be spending 5 nights in Mendoza Sept 21-26, 2006.
Any comments about the Apartments Park Suites
on Avd. Mitre?

Any suggestions about tour of Mendoza, Winerys, and the
surrounding mountains?

Thx.

Richard

Gaucho100K

Jul 23, 06, 10:20 am

Im afraid I dont know the apartments you mention. You will be there during late Spring, so skiing will most probably be out of the question, still, the weather should be quite nice to go up to Las Leñas and perhaps do some riding or hiking.

As for wine country, I suggest you check out the following bodegas:

La Rural - Rutini
Bodega Benegas
Terrazas de los Andes
Escorihuela Gascon
Chandon Argentina
Catena Zapata

Have a great trip.

pbonta

Jul 24, 06, 11:51 am

Gaucho100K

Jul 25, 06, 6:32 pm

I will be traveling to Mendoza in October and would like recommendations on where to stay. My wife and I thought it would be nice to stay at a small winery but I've also read great things about chacra de coria. Can anyone recommend lodging at a small winery - not interested in the large ones - or have any comments on staying in chacra de coria and taking day trips from there??

Gracias,

I suggest you stay in the area of Chacras de Coria. Please feel free to email me and I will put you in contact with the owner of a place which offers great service and reasonable rates.

billycwhatup

Jul 28, 06, 12:49 pm

RD57

Jul 28, 06, 8:29 pm

I'm headed to MDZ next week and looking forward to it. I had read somewhere that there was once daily non-stop to EZE rather than AEP but can't seem to find it (and assume it is incorrect info). Any idea? Thanks

Uh....where are you coming FROM?

If you are asking about flights from EZE to MDZ, there are two flights that connect through SCL:

LA 460 EZE - SCL 02:15PM 03:30PM 320
LA 932 SCL - MDZ 04:25PM 06:25PM 320

and,

LA 402 EZE - SCL 06:45AM 08:00AM 320
LA 930 SCL - MDZ 08:45AM 10:45AM 737

**Note really tight connection!

That's the only two I know about.

FYI - do you know about expertflyer.com and/or itasoftware.com?
EF is subscription, but ITA is free, and you could easily find the info you needed there (and much more). Try it, you'll like it.

Bondiboy

Jul 31, 06, 9:17 am

Gaucho100K,

I have read your various helpful pieces of advice and I would like you to know that I am extremely grateful.

I will be visiting Argentina in November and Mendoza in in plans. While in Mendoza I would like to take a bus trip accross the Andes to SLC and I would be grateful for any advice regarding the best/most reliable bus company. Also any links to the schedules and booking arrangements would be appreciated.

Gaucho100K

Aug 5, 06, 1:13 pm

Thanks for your kind words. However, it seems like I will have to let you down with your request for help, since all I can tell you is that I know there is a regular (scheduled) bus service from Mendoza to SCL, but Ive never used the service and Im afraid I dont know the specifics.

A quick search on the internet took me to this site:

http://www.e-mountain.com.ar/0BUS/catamdz.htm

Sorry I cant be of more help.

Bondiboy

Aug 6, 06, 10:06 am

Gaucho100K

Aug 6, 06, 6:56 pm

Thanks for the information. I guess that I will follow up with my hotel when I make my reservation (s).

I have a new question relating to hotel rates for gringos (or Aussies in my case).

The rate for the Park Hyatt Mendoza that are available on the Aerolineas Argentinas site ("Hotel" tab) is ARS 468 (abt $156). When I tried to book this, I got a message back stating that the rate for foreigners is $220.

Can you enlighten me on this policy. Is there any way around it? Why would the hotel care?

Thanks for the wonderful contribution that you are making.

Brian

Brian,

It seems the Hyatt is offering special rates to residents. The issue of special rates for citizens and residents has been widely debated on various threads throughout FT, as this practice happens throughout various cities in the world.

Viajero Perpetuo

Aug 10, 06, 10:32 pm

While in Mendoza I would like to take a bus trip accross the Andes to SLC and I would be grateful for any advice regarding the best/most reliable bus company. Also any links to the schedules and booking arrangements would be appreciated.You mean SCL? Also the buses don't terminate at SCL but inside the city at Estacion Alameda or Estacion Santiago.

I personally have taken 6 different bus companies on this route.

The best (for this 7-8 hour trip) are Turbus, Andesmar and CATA.

Tickets can safely be purchased day of or day before at the Mendoza bus station EXCEPT DURING A CHILENO OR ARGENTINO HOLIDAY WEEKEND! Buy days in advance for this situation.

Get seats up front across from the driver's side for thrilling views. The highest peak in SA will be to the north. Take a jacket or sweater for the border crossing and something to snack on but do consume and trash all fresh produce before the border.

Gaucho100K

Sep 18, 06, 10:12 am

Thanks for the detailed info on the buses, Viajero.... I get asked this question all the time and I can never answer proficiently, until now that is... :D

RxCapt

Oct 20, 06, 9:07 pm

I am coming to BA next week. Are there any day tours offered from BA to Mendoza? Air and tour of the region? What can I expect to pay? Thanks!

Gaucho100K

Oct 21, 06, 11:31 am

While its (in theory) feasible to go to Mendoza and return the same day, considering the recent air-travel issues that have hit Aerolineas Argentinas and the rest of the local carriers serving this route, I would suggest caution if you need to be back the same day and on time to catch an outbound international connection.

Gaucho100K

Oct 31, 06, 4:45 am

As advised in a separate thread, please beware that flights to Mendoza from Buenos Aires are now being operated from EZE and not from AEP (Buenos Aires City Airport).

RD57

Oct 31, 06, 5:30 pm

As advised in a separate thread, please beware that flights to Mendoza from Buenos Aires are now being operated from EZE and not from AEP (Buenos Aires City Airport).
Sure about that? EF shows plenty of AR flights AEP-MDZ in November.

Gaucho100K

Oct 31, 06, 6:33 pm

I dont know what EF is.... but, please note Im not saying that service to MDZ is being shut down, Im just saying that flights will operate from the International Airport. Perhaps flights are still being sold as operating from AEP, but in practice, the information that was published today in all the major Buenos Aires papers indicates that all flights to MDZ will have to operate out of EZE.

SanDiego1K

Nov 18, 06, 10:38 pm

Gaucho100K

Nov 20, 06, 6:36 am

Im afraid I dont know of an online map. I think an accurate drive time is about 30 minutes.... however, getting around Mendoza is not easy and there is a lot of road work going on, further complicating things. If you rent a vehicle, I would strongly suggest you arrange for a driver to take you around (make sure he knows the wineries you want to visit).

Gaucho100K

Nov 20, 06, 6:37 am

BTW, the recommendation of La Bourgogne is a very good one, when in Mendoza - dont miss out on a meal at LB. IMHO, its better than LB in Buenos Aires.

Gaucho100K

Nov 22, 06, 7:30 pm

I want to add Andeluna to the list of top places to have a meal in Mendoza. Andeluna is a winery, its a joint venture of the Reina Rutini (ex La Rural) and the Lay (Frito Lay) families. They have build a state of the art facility in the Valle de Uco, and have more recently opened a guest-facility that includes a very nice restaurant. Chef Pablo del Rio is in charge, and the food is very good. Only catch is that advanced reservations are a must, and there is a minimum group of 5 required, plus other details.

Please note that the Valle de Uco is approx. 100 kilometers away from the city of Mendoza, so make sure to plan this in advance, including issues of transportation and possible lodging nearby.

For more information on Andeluna, please see:

http://www.andeluna.com/

Gaucho100K

Nov 24, 06, 5:06 pm

Good news for Mendoza visitors. Starwood has finalized plans and purchased a large plot of land in Tunuyan (in the Uco Valley) where they plan to develop a 5 Star Resort, presumably under the Sheraton Flag. This will give Mendoza an excellent option for international standard accomodations, and serve visitors that wish to have better access to the entire Valle de Uco region. Today, visitors that stay in town (ie. Mendoza) have to travel up to 130-150 Kilometers to visit many of the important producers that have their operations in the Uco Valley. With the opening of this new Starwood resort, travel distance will be less than 40 kilometers to most all Bodegas.

No dates on opening for the resort have yet been announced, but this is great news for Mendoza and will probably mean more players will look closely into building new hotels to add to the Mendoza Wine Route.

dmk11

Nov 29, 06, 6:08 am

Gaucho100K

Dec 3, 06, 1:36 pm

Hello from Mendoza!

I arrived here yesterday via an overnight bus from BA. Not wanting to think, we decided to take the half day winery tour offered by many travel agents. This particular one, brought us to "Cavas de Don Arturo" & another. During the tasting, we tasted Cab '04 and it seems pretty good. So we decided to buy their Cab 04 & 03. Back at the hotel, we tried those wine and they seem different than the one we tasted.
During the tour, they said that they don't sell their wine anywhere else but US (some exclusive deal with some US company) so you won't see it in Argentina. I've googled the web but only came up with blogs from people that went to the same wine tour.
When we did the tasting, they didn't open the bottle in front of us, they already had it in a decanter. Now I'm wondering if that was some different wine they try to "bait & switch" on us. And this is their only means to sell the wine. It's a small winery, family run.
Have anyone heard of this winery?? or am I just being paranoid?

Dear dmk11-- There are many wine projects in Mendoza that are 100% export oriented, and quite a few of these are focused exclusively on selected US markets. It seems like the winery you visited has an agreement to exclusively sell the wine they make to one US importer. This is not uncommon in Mendoza (and many other wine regions internationally).

Im afraid I dont know this winery, and cannot give you further references. All I can think of is that if you have a phone number handy, I would give them a call and have them replace the wine.... also, have you tried decanting the bottles you purchased? Are you serving the wine at the same temperature it was served to you at the winery?

SoFlyOn

Dec 3, 06, 10:10 pm

...
For more information on Andeluna, please see:

http://www.andeluna.com/

Alex - what's your opinion of their wines?

I enjoyed the 2004 Malbec Reserva, but the bottle of 2004 Merlot I opened was basically undrinkable - it had some overpowering off notes. Was this just a bad bottle? I haven't been tempted to open the second bottle I have, but anyway I'll have to wait until I'm back in BsAs.

John

Gaucho100K

Dec 4, 06, 5:25 am

John-- Im sure you just got caught with an off bottle.... most probably corked. Andeluna is a very serious & quality oriented producer, Im a fan of all their wines - especially their Reserve Chardonnay. Their high-end Pasionado blend is also very good.

Eastbay1K

Dec 12, 06, 1:37 am

"2 Perfect Days in Mendoza"?

I didn't expect I'd be there in a few weeks, but will be spending 3 nights (2 FULL days, with an evening and a morning on either end).

I haven't really had time to figure out what I want to do there, but the vino is an interest. However, having been to countless wineries of many shapes and sizes, a mass-production place with styles crafted to the "typical north american" palate wouldn't be of much appeal, nor would being on a busload of gringos to a factory.

I found an acceptable rate at the NH (many properties seem to be full), which seems quite central. I don't care to rent a car.

So given this, what is a good way to pass 2 days in Mendoza? Does the town itself have much appeal/attractions?

Gaucho100K

Dec 12, 06, 5:38 am

For the small Bodega experience, I suggest you look into visiting:

Bodega Benegas
La Azul
Achaval Ferrer
Domain St. Diego

To avoid the bus load of folks... just hire a car & driver. Mendoza proper is nice to walk around for maybe half a day... but Im not sure there is much to see that is of huge interest.

SanDiego1K

Dec 17, 06, 6:54 pm

The best (for this 7-8 hour trip) are Turbus, Andesmar and CATA.

Tickets can safely be purchased day of or day before at the Mendoza bus station EXCEPT DURING A CHILENO OR ARGENTINO HOLIDAY WEEKEND! Buy days in advance for this situation.

Get seats up front across from the driver's side for thrilling views. The highest peak in SA will be to the north. Take a jacket or sweater for the border crossing and something to snack on but do consume and trash all fresh produce before the border.

Superb advice^

The Hyatt concierge insisted that only Turbus ran this route. However, we had your post and knew otherwise. We got Hyatt to call the 3 companies and find the schedules. Hyatt insisted that none had double decker buses, as they were too high to drive thru the Andes. Of course, all 3 companies had double deckers.

We bought from CATA, and it was just fine. Seats were assigned upstairs. They had a lot of legroom; they are much superior to an American bus. We wished we had bought from Andesmar, as it appeared that they had first class seats downstairs, whereas Turbus and CATA only had single class seats.

It is a beautiful drive thru the Andes, a real day of sightseeing. You pass the Portillo ski slope on the Chilean side. It takes 1 1/2 hours to cross the border. You have to get out of the bus, go into the border building, do the paperwork to exit Argentina and then the paperwork to enter Chile. We weren't charged the Chilean reciprocity fee. Then the bus is brought up and emptied. We had to put our hand luggage thru the scanner as well. Not only do they confiscate produce, they will take honey and cheese.

It took us about 7 hours including the border crossing time.

SanDiego1K

Dec 17, 06, 7:08 pm

Hotels
We stayed at the Park Hyatt, nicely sited on the main square. The River Plata team stayed at the hotel, and security was heavy inside and out. We saw a tower being erected with the Sheraton name in front. This building is one block from the in town Avis office. I have no idea when it is to open.

Restaurants
We had two superb meals.

1884 Francis Mallman (www.escorihuela.com.ar)
Belgrano 1188 - Godoy Cruz
If you are driving here, get very careful directions. There is a Belgrano on the west side of town, but this is not the street you need. The restaurant is on the east side of town, not too far from the divided road that comes from the airport past the bus station, wrapping itself around the south side of the city.

The restaurant is inside the Bodega Escorihuela. If the weather is warm, book a table outside, overlooking a pleasant small courtyard. The food was very good, with a decent selection of lighter continental fare.

La Bourgogne (www.carlospulentawines.com)
This is the best restaurant in Mendoza, and it is pheomenal. We were shocked to find the food so good at a place that only had 30 or so dining. In a major world city, the place would be jammed, and prices would be 4 to 5 times as high. Book this before you get to town, and you will not be disappointed.

Get very specific directions from your hotel if you plan to drive, and it will still be a bit tricky. Some letters on the restuarant sign are down, and the winery sign is very small. The gate is closed, and it simply doesn't look like a place with a restaurant within. Nonetheless, after a few false starts, we found it, and the guard found our name on his list.

You walk thru a complex of buildings to the restaurant, which overlooks the vineyard. If you are there during the day, book a table on the terrace. It is lovely. The food was absolutely exquisite, from start to finish. The chef blends classic French techniques with premium local ingredients for a uniquely Argentinean meal.

Azafran
This restaurant was a 2 block walk from the Park Hyatt. It was recommended a number of places, but we were unimpressed. We found the food quite simple and rather roughly prepared.

Car Rental
We rented a car, and found it simple enough to drive. You need to take care, as many streets in town are one way. There will be an arrow by the street name that indicates which direction you can drive. Also, intersections are a bit exciting, as few have stoplights or stop signs. There is an Avis office in town if you want a car for just part of your stay.

Eastbay1K

Dec 21, 06, 10:00 pm

SoFlyOn

Dec 21, 06, 10:24 pm

"2 Perfect Days in Mendoza"?
... So given this, what is a good way to pass 2 days in Medoza? Does the town itself have much appeal/attractions?

Well if you get bored, I can recommend jumping off a cliff (parapente).
http://www.cuyo.com/mendozaciudad/cerroarco.asp
I jumped with Alejandro Pissinatto who's mentioned in the article I linked (allong with his cell phone number).

Saludos!

John

SoFlyOn

Dec 21, 06, 10:34 pm

And rafting on the Rio Mendoza was fun too:

http://www.betancourt.com.ar/rafting.asp

John

Gaucho100K

Dec 22, 06, 5:07 am

Departing MDZ, how long should one plan for (1) trip to airport, and (2) how far in advance to arrive prior to int'l flight?

Also, is there a lovely "we're glad you stayed, debes cancelar tu impuesto de salida, viajero - Chao un beso" booth?

Thanks

Even in traffic, its never more than 30 minutes to MDZ airport. I dont think that arriving earlier than 1 hour or so is needed... its a small airport and there are few international flights.

Gaucho100K

Jan 12, 07, 4:42 am

(bump)

Eastbay1K

Jan 12, 07, 9:10 am

I'd suggest arriving 1:30 prior to an int'l flight. Without Lan or OW status, the line at that point took awhile. I was check-in #77 (on an A320). With status, there was no line. By the time you wait to check in, pay the tax at the booth, go through security, visit the exit immigration counter, and spend time in the opulent Duty Free shop, I had extra time, but not a lot, and the check-in line quickly got long behind me.

jimmac

Jan 17, 07, 7:34 pm

I stumbled on a great article that covers many of the restaurants in Mendoza (http://thegrapevine-argentina.com/dining.htm) recommended in this thread. It really sounds like some fine eating.

The Park Hyatt concierge has recommended La Bourgogne, on the grounds of Vistalba Carlos Pulenta. She tells us it is about a 20 minute drive; however, the article I referenced above says it is about 40 minutes. Gaucho100K, what do you think? We'll have a car. How difficult is it to find? It only matters because we will be stepping off a plane at 11:30am, then going out for lunch. Also, is there an online map that shows where this is? I've had no success in my search.

I'm surprised this thread was up so long before some-one posted this link. It is for a newsprint guide that is distributed in Mendoza. Pick one up when you are there.

Francis Malman's restaurant is superb. La Sal is excellent. La Tasca is a wonderful small, informal place that even has some of its own almost unlabelled wine.

Club Tapiz is an outsanding place to stay and its restaurant Terruno is also excellent. Great place to base yourself for some time out of the City.

Hertz has a rental location in Plaza Independencia where you can rent at a reasonable cost and you can return the car at the airport. On our last visit we spent 3 nights in the city at Park Suites which are great value in a great location. Then we got the car and spent 3 nights at Club Tapiz and did a drive into the mountains from there plus one day at a couple of wineries, Ruca Malen and Catena Zapata. Lunch at Ruca Malen is superb. If you plan to visit more than a couple of wineries in a day then do so from the city and hire a car with a driver...its reasonable and much safer.

Gaucho100K

Jan 20, 07, 10:00 am

Thanks for mentioning La Sal and La Tasca, I havent visited these places in a while and need to check them out again... ^

Eastbay1K

Jan 20, 07, 12:26 pm

If you plan to visit more than a couple of wineries in a day then do so from the city and hire a car with a driver...its reasonable and much safer.

I'll second the driver idea - I had a free part-day and asked at the hotel desk about tours/drivers, etc. and they called and got a driver, and the "unnegotiated" fixed price was AR$60 for a few hours in the afternoon. Worth every centavo.

Gaucho100K

Feb 6, 07, 4:45 pm

Almacen del Sur - a great place for a Meal

I want to add Almacen del Sur to the list of must visits in Mendoza, especially if you are looking for a gourmet meal. Reservations are a must for evenings, and although you may show up for lunch without an appointment, I strongly suggest you book in advance.

For details please see: www.almacendelsur.com

Siempre Viajando

Mar 5, 07, 3:36 pm

A place not to be missed in Mendoza is the Zuccardi winery, about 30 km from town a couple of km off the road to San Luis (it's signed, and taxis are cheap...). Excellent food there, good parrillada, good service, great wines and the prices aren't bad...try it, you won't regret it!

Gaucho100K

Mar 6, 07, 6:46 am

prh

Mar 29, 07, 7:35 pm

Gaucho100K

Mar 30, 07, 11:29 am

Hello prh--

Im afraid I cant refer you to a guide, but I can tell you which bodegas I think you should consider visiting. Before I list names, please be aware that distances are considerable... so if you want to cover more bodegas then you may have to settle with visiting only those that are closer to the city. There are very interesting producers in the Valle de Uco region.... but if you go there you will probably not have time to visit more that 2 producers.

Some bodegas for you to consider visiting:
- Benegas
- La Rural Rutini Wines
- Trapiche
- Escorihuela Gascon
- Terrazas de los Andes

Producers that are further away:
- Bodega La Azul
- Reina Andeluna / Andeluna Cellars
- MonteViejo / Clos de los Siete
- Achaval Ferrer

Gaucho100K

Mar 31, 07, 5:52 pm

Im sad to report that Im taking La Bourgogne Mendoza off my list of top spots to dine in Mendoza. My last visit there was a disaster... just about everything went wrong.

Got there at 8pm (exact time of my reservation) and my table was not ready - please note the restaurant was empty at the time. Service took for ever, they didnt have a proper bar for before dinner drinks - imagine no JW Black label :eek: .... they then take 40 minutes to take our order.... food takes for ever. Wine list is a fluke, they have 4 chardonnays listed but none of them in stock. We order the two best sparkling wines on the list, both come out at the wrong temperature...

:mad: :td: :rolleyes: :mad: :td:

Eastbay1K

Apr 1, 07, 7:01 pm

Two questions:

1) Does anyone have recommendations for a private day long tour of the better vineyards near Mendoza, and by near, I'm willing to go an hour or two away?

2) I'm considering hiring a driver to take me from Mendoza to SCL at the end of my stay -- yes, I know it's about 6 hours, but then my flight doesn't leave SCL until 11 pm. Is that feasible? If so, any recommendations for a driver or a company that supplies drivers?

As for 1) - you might just want to hire a private driver for the day, and you can come and go as you please, and pick the types of wineries / tours that suit your tastes. I hired one for an afternoon (which was plenty for me) - I don't think I have the driver's card, but if I scrounge it up, I'll post it.

As for 2) - if you want to travel over land, you'd best use one of the bus services. I can't imagine any driver charging less than double or triple what an airline flight would cost, as the cost of fuel is quite high, the driver will have a lot of "down time" (one way with no fare, up to an hour each way in customs), and I don't know if there are any tolls on the highway that crosses through Santiago on the way to the airport - if so, and you don't have a car with electronic tags, you are asking for trouble. Also, note that in the early evening hours, the exit passport control lines can get quite lengthy @ SCL (followed by very short security lines) - flying from MDZ will eliminate this.

nor4

Apr 1, 07, 7:15 pm

georgiastrick

Apr 13, 07, 3:11 pm

Gaucho100K

Apr 14, 07, 6:52 am

Car rentals in Argentina are expensive.... and drop off fees will kill you. Im not sure there is a low cost way to do this. IMO, I would forget driving by myself (in Mendoza signage is not very good).

georgiastrick

Apr 22, 07, 5:48 pm

does anyone know about the argentino hotel in mendoza?

Siempre Viajando

Apr 23, 07, 10:27 am

Siempre Viajando-- I havent been to Zuccardi for a while now... do they have a walk in restaurant or do you have to make reservations? Zuccardi makes great wines... and if you can, try the Alma 4 Sparkling wines made by Sebastian Zuccardi, they are very very good. Plus, for lovers of sparkling red wine, make sure to try the sparkling Bonarda and Syrah.

Sorry for the delay in responding...haven't signed on for a while. We went at high season (late Jan / early Feb) and walked in without waiting very long...helped that we showed up early for lunch. But I think we got lucky...if I recall correctly they take reservations and I'd definitely recommend it especially for high season visits.

Haven't tried their sparkling wines but I love their "Q" series wines and the Santa Julia reds are usually pretty reliable, and they're now available in Canada where I live.

Siempre Viajando

Apr 23, 07, 10:31 am

in may i will go from santiago to mendoza and would like to hire a professional driver to take us over the andes. do you know any professional i can contact? i am also interested in renting my own car in mendoza and driving it to buenos aires to drop off. i have found that the drop off fee is exorbitantly expensive. do you know of any local rental agencies i could use? national, avis, hertz are all about the same cost.

Try José Luis Cáceres in Santiago. His cell phone is +56(9)9251-1494. He runs a lot of drivers in Santiago and is pretty much locked to one client, but he might do some stuff on the side as well. He's a can-do guy and very honest. As far as I know he speaks no English, so I hope your Spanish is up to it. Tell him "Don Derek" referred you.

georgiastrick

Apr 23, 07, 11:00 pm

mucho gracias, i'll give him a call and cross my fingers that i can get my request across!

Gaucho100K

Apr 24, 07, 8:22 am

Sorry for the delay in responding...haven't signed on for a while. We went at high season (late Jan / early Feb) and walked in without waiting very long...helped that we showed up early for lunch. But I think we got lucky...if I recall correctly they take reservations and I'd definitely recommend it especially for high season visits.

Haven't tried their sparkling wines but I love their "Q" series wines and the Santa Julia reds are usually pretty reliable, and they're now available in Canada where I live.

Try to see if you can find a bottle of Zeta, its their top of the line label, a blend of Malbec and Tempranillo. The Sparkling line Alma 4 is being relaunched this month, and they have increased production so its possible that it will begin to be exported to selected markets by the end of the year.

Siempre Viajando

Apr 25, 07, 11:33 am

Try to see if you can find a bottle of Zeta, its their top of the line label, a blend of Malbec and Tempranillo. The Sparkling line Alma 4 is being relaunched this month, and they have increased production so its possible that it will begin to be exported to selected markets by the end of the year.

Next time I'm in Mendoza I'll try it, thanks for the recommendation. BTW what's it cost? The Q was up around US$20 last time I bought, which is pretty pricey for Mendoza, I suppose the Zeta is even more...?

Gaucho100K

Apr 25, 07, 3:15 pm

Next time I'm in Mendoza I'll try it, thanks for the recommendation. BTW what's it cost? The Q was up around US$20 last time I bought, which is pretty pricey for Mendoza, I suppose the Zeta is even more...?

Hi SiempreViajando--

A bottle of current vintage Zeta costs AR$200.

My experience tell me that relative pricing is always an issue of perspective. The problem that many wine aficionados face in most new export markets in the case of Argentine wines is that they are usually only exposed to the very inexpensive wines. However, if you consider all the wines that are made in Argentina, US$20 retail for a bottle of wine is not pricey.

Mendoza produces a very deep & varied selection of premium, super-premium and cult wines... but most all of these are hardly known in most export markets. To give some additional perspective, Robert Parker Jr. recently rated one cult Argentine Malbec at 96 points. The same wine was rated by Wine Spectator at 94 points. The reference price of this wine is US$150 per bottle (in the USA).

On a final note... the good news is that even at the cult wine segment of the market... Argentina still has incredible values. Compare how much you have to pay for a bottle of a cult wine from France or California that is rated 96 points by Robert Parker, and the above-mentioned concept, "pricey", is immediately put into perspective.

Cheers from Buenos Aires,
Alex (Gaucho100K)

hotellie

May 3, 07, 9:33 am

Hi Alex, thanks for a really helpful thread. Just had a few questions:

1. Which hotel is closer to the majority of good wineries (and restaurants) - the Park Hyatt or Cavas Wine Lodge?

2. Are these hotels able to arrange a car and driver, and make winery appointments/reservations as well?

3. Is it easy to visit wineries in the Valle de Uco area in day trips from the PH/Cavas or is it preferable to stay in the Valle de Uco area itself (if so, any thoughts on the Posada Salentein)? Not quite sure where the hotels are in relation to wineries in the Maipu, Lujan de Cuyo, Valle de Uco etc.

Gaucho100K

May 3, 07, 11:15 am

1. Tricky question... it really depends on your choice of wineries. However, the Park Hyatt is centrally located so you are able to walk around town. Cavas WL is in a secluded area... so you are basically in the need of a car to move around.

2. Both hotels are full service establishments, so they will have a concierge that will be able to do all this for you.

3. Tricky again..... it depends on what sort of a trip you want. Its feasible to do day trips to the Valle de Uco, you will spend approx 75-90 minutes to get there from any of the two potential locations.... but its hard to be exact because inside the Valle de Uco you have wineries that are located in various sections of the Valle (and the area itself is quite large). Also, will you be driving yourself or will you be driven around by a chauffeur? (I strongly suggest the latter). I usually prefer to stay in less urban settings... so if it were me I would stay at Posada Salentein, which I find is a very nice place to stay***

*** these are nice accomodations, but not super luxury. They have nice attention to detail but they do not offer a Park Hyatt Suite like experience. The Posada is about experiencing the sights and atmosphere of the Valley, and its all about the wine.

In closing, depending on how many days you will spend in Mendoza, I would recommend you do a little of both.... a couple of days at the PH or CWL and then a couple of days at the Posada Salentein, or alternatively the Postales del Plata Valle de Uco Lodge.

Please feel free to post and/or PM me with any additional questions.

kharma99

May 5, 07, 8:38 pm

Hi,
Thanks for all this valuable info!! Definitely some great places to check out next time I'm there!!
I just got engaged and my fiancee is from Argentina. We plan to get married in MDZ at some point in '08.
I was wondering if anyone here might have suggestions on a couple of things:
1) I've been using Kayak and ITS Software to search for fares. Does anyone know of any other search engines that might useful for SFO/OAK to MDZ?
2) While I'm at it, any suggestions on a nice winery not too far from the city to have a wedding?
Thanks in advance!!

Gaucho100K

May 6, 07, 7:11 am

kharma99-- congratulations on your engagement. The concept of having a wedding at a winery is still relatively new in Argentina. It seems to me that the best ones equipped to handle such an event would be the ones that already have some sort of visitors center and/or restaurant service. Of course, its perfectly possible for you to just select a winery because of the ambience & scenery and just have the event fully catered at that location.... so I guess its more a matter of how much advanced planning & logistics you guys want to be involved in. Some names of places that come to mind are (but not all are close to the city):

- Familia Zuccardi
- Andeluna Cellars
- Terrazas de los Andes

kharma99

May 6, 07, 1:42 pm

Thanks Alex!!
I appreciate your help and suggestions!
I'll take a close look at those wineries you listed in your message.

Gaucho100K

May 7, 07, 2:42 pm

One other location that is very nice and has just finished new facilities including a very large reception area and accomodations is Bodegas Salentein. They are also located in the Valle de Uco area, so its approx. a 60 minute ride from the city of Mendoza.

gregrmoore

Jun 1, 07, 5:22 pm

Do you know if it is possible to rent scooters in Mendoza? We travel frequently to Europe and have found scooters to be a fun and convenient way to explore an area.

Gaucho100K

Jun 2, 07, 6:42 am

Great question.... but Im afraid I dont know the answer. Are you staying at a full service hotel? If so, I suggest you have the concierge desk check this out for you.

Panam Clipper

Jun 14, 07, 8:32 pm

Gaucho100K

Jun 15, 07, 7:33 pm

radical1977

Jun 23, 07, 10:10 pm

Hi - We are planning a trip to Medoza and would like to stay at a vineyard for 2 nights. Do you recommend any moderately priced vineyards that we can stay at?

Also,

1) how you suggest that we plan our visits to the various vineyards?
2) We would like to go horseback riding/hiking - any suggestions how to plan this?

Gaucho100K

Jun 24, 07, 8:36 am

Vineyards that have on site accomodations are not the norm in Mendoza... you have various options that are in wine country per-se but that are not on Bodega property. Not that there are no vineyards that offer this but they tend to be in the high end range.

For reasonable rates, I would suggest you consider Postales del Plata. Check them out at:

www.postalesdelplata.com

thebobmc

Jun 30, 07, 12:32 pm

SanDiego1K did the Mendoza-Santiago bus trip and wrote it up the SAm forum. It included some good infor on which bus line to use. She says the bus trip is pleasant and worth the journey. I don't have the link, but do a search on SanDiego1K and it should pop up.

Would someone kindly post a link to the above mentioned bus trip report.

I tried to find it using "Search" but I failed miserably.

Also, thank you very much to everyone who has contributed information to this thread. It is very useful and most interesting.

Gaucho100K

Jun 30, 07, 2:56 pm

For information on bus travel from Mendoza to Santiago, I also suggest you check out TripAdvisor, great information over on those boards.

KathyWdrf

Jul 11, 07, 4:14 am

Would someone kindly post a link to the above mentioned bus trip report.

I tried to find it using "Search" but I failed miserably.

Also, thank you very much to everyone who has contributed information to this thread. It is very useful and most interesting.
It's in this very thread, post #49:

Mendoza to Santiago by bus (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6863987&postcount=49)

Panam Clipper

Jul 13, 07, 9:22 pm

Siempre Viajando-- I havent been to Zuccardi for a while now... do they have a walk in restaurant or do you have to make reservations? Zuccardi makes great wines... and if you can, try the Alma 4 Sparkling wines made by Sebastian Zuccardi, they are very very good. Plus, for lovers of sparkling red wine, make sure to try the sparkling Bonarda and Syrah.

I know it's been a while since you asked this but here it goes: we were at Familia Zuccardi in April. We took one of the local agent tours with another couple from New Zealand. The deal included a visit to the Don Bosco school and winery (with an olive oil plantation to boot), where we met a very friendly host. Then on to Zuccardi for the tour and later lunch. I believe you can also call in and reserve a table. The service there was relaxed and efficient. The couple from NZ was overwhelmed by the amount of food offered and we all enjoyed the wine pairings. I will not comment on the quality as I am no expert, but I can say I enjoyed the meal and the whole tour. All this (including pick up and drop off at our hotel) for the equivalent of $30 US each!

USAFAN

Jul 14, 07, 7:45 am

I know it's been a while since you asked this but here it goes: we were at Familia Zuccardi in April. We took one of the local agent tours with another couple from New Zealand. The deal included a visit to the Don Bosco school and winery (with an olive oil plantation to boot), where we met a very friendly host. Then on to Zuccardi for the tour and later lunch. I believe you can also call in and reserve a table. The service there was relaxed and efficient. The couple from NZ was overwhelmed by the amount of food offered and we all enjoyed the wine pairings. I will not comment on the quality as I am no expert, but I can say I enjoyed the meal and the whole tour. All this (including pick up and drop off at our hotel) for the equivalent of $30 US each!

Panam Clipper:

Thanks for your report!^ How did you arrange this tour? Do you have a link, phone number etc.?
I am planning 3 days/2 nights in Mendoza ... after reading Gaucho's comments, I probably staying away from renting a car and making/joining a tour.
Also thanks to Gaucho running this thread^

Gaucho100K

Jul 14, 07, 11:16 am

prh

Jul 15, 07, 5:03 pm

Last time I got some advice that probably won't work for me so I'm posing my questions again in the hopes that someone may have some more concrete information. Basically I have two questions:

1) Does anyone have some recommendations on arranging private or semi-private wine tours out of Mendoza? I'd probably be looking for a full day tour on a Saturday in early February.

2A) I also need to figure out how to get from Mendoza to Santiago (with considerable baggage) on the following Sunday to catch an 11 pm flight to the United States. I had planned to hire a driver, but some of the earlier responses were this was prohibitive. There are two of us traveling -- if we fly the airfare appears to be running somewhere around $450 to $600. Also LAN has two flights on the day in question -- one early in the morning; the other arriving at 8:15 pm, which seems to be cutting things close.

2B) If we do drive, when should we have the driver leave to safely get to Santiago by around 8:30 pm?

2C) Is the bus a viable option? How comfortable is it -- and, how long does it take?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

Gaucho100K

Jul 15, 07, 5:41 pm

prh-- where are you staying? Do you have access to a concierge service at your hotel? If so, I suggest you have them arrange for a car & driver and have the vehicle take you around Mendoza to your various appointments. Please note that you will have to book/make appointments. Walk in visits are not the norm.

If you are getting high airfares and there are two of you... then maybe the option of hiring a small van for both of you may not be such a bad option. Again, I would try to get a concierge to shop around for fares for you.

The Bus is a very viable option... you should be able to get a premium bus service that should be quite nice. This will be the most cost effective solution as a excess bags on the bus service will be very inexpensive.

Viajero Perpetuo

Jul 15, 07, 7:11 pm

2A) You need to do some cost/benefit research and calculations here.

Assuming you have already paid the $100 Chile reciprocity fee for your passports and are not flying Lan out of SCL and don't plan on flying them for a while...

FYI, there are $70 base fare "RT" MDZ-SCL tickets (read: "throwaway") for approx.$92 all in. The problem will be luggage:

Tourist Class 20 kilograms
Excess baggage will be charged as follows:

- For every kilogram of excess baggage, the passenger will be charged one percent of the highest published LAN oneway Tourist Class fare for the route in question.

So, being creative and assuming the change fee is not prohibitive, how about trying to add on a one-way LAN segment, MDZ-SCL, to your current return segment out of SCL and interline your bags to your final destination? If you do this, the LAN baggage rules then change to:

Passing thorugh North America: When my origin or destination it is NOT Miami, Los Angeles or New York

* Two pieces of luggage are permitted.
* Each piece of luggage must be 23 kilograms or less.
* The height + width + breadth of each piece must not exceed 158 cms.

Excess baggage is defined as the following:

- An extra piece in addition to the two permitted.
- Any piece exceeding the permitted dimensions.
- Any piece weighing over 23 kilograms and less than 32 kilograms will be charged with US$ 25.
- Any piece weighing over 23 kilograms will be charged according to the following:

* US$ 150 per each excess.

2C) If you decide on the bus, the most convenient for an ultimate transfer to SCL would be to take the bus with the Chilean company Turbus from Mendoza to the Terminal Alameda in Santiago (the main Turbus and Pullman Bus terminal). After receiving your bags, you can then stroll over to the airport transfer bus kiosk and purchase your pasaje for the hourly bus that leaves from the platform in front of that kiosk (1.800 pesos). They will check your bags below like on any intercity bus in Chile and Argentina. There is also an official taxi stand area if you exit the terminal to the left of the Turbus airport transfer kiosk. If you have sufficient hours to burn, there is also a bag check storage facility inside the terminal and the Metro station Universidad de Santiago is connected to Terminal Alameda on the bottom level.

WARNING (especially for the bus terminal in Mendoza but applicable to all bus terminals in this part of South America): WATCH YOU LUGGAGE, HANDBAGS AND POCKETS!! You can relax though once you have you luggage checked into the bus hold.

Observation: In Argentina, the person loading the bags in the hold is looking for a small tip. In Chile, this is not done. The bus attendant though always publicly asks for a small tip on the route between these two cities.

prh

Jul 15, 07, 7:32 pm

Replying to the two replies above, first thanks. Now let me try to respond to some of the questions and comments above:

1) We're staying at the Hyatt -- I've just contacted the concierge, who has asked me which wineries we want to go to -- suggestions? I also asked about the "transfer" to Santiago.

2) My flight situation is this -- we're on a frequent flyer ticket on AA from the US to Santiago and back. I've also got a LAN South American Airpass which will take us from Santiago to Punta Arenas, up to Iquazu, down to BA, and over to Mendoza. When I booked the Airpass, I had thought the drive over the Andes would be a neat way to end the trip and figured that it wouldn't break the bank. When I checked lan.com for the one-way flight from MDZ-SCL, it was quoting $305. It seems if I modify my Airpass the cost would go down about $80. BUT, that still leaves us with the dilemma of getting to SCL around noon (with bags in hand) or around 8:15 in the evening which seems a little too close for comfort.

Interestingly, I just checked lan.com, if we book a roundtrip ticket from MDZ to SCL and back, the roundtrip ticket is $70! Can we safely do that and throw away the return??????

Viajero Perpetuo

Jul 15, 07, 8:30 pm

Interestingly, I just checked lan.com, if we book a roundtrip ticket from MDZ to SCL and back, the roundtrip ticket is $70! Can we safely do that and throw away the return??????Ssssshhhhhhhh! Don't ask, don't tell. Its $92 with taxes and other charges.

Still leaves the checked baggage cost issue. Do you only have 20k each?

There is also a left luggage facility at SCL.

http://www.aeropuertosantiago.cl/contenidos/navTpl.php?c=20040708153345&s=20040708153249

The bus AFAIK will not have any extra luggage fees assuming you are traveling like a tourist.

Panam Clipper

Jul 16, 07, 10:06 pm

I will try to find the name of the agency where we made the arangements. I can meantime give you the name and number of the guide we had that day: Liliana N. Rodriguez Tel (0261) 4390864 and her cell (0261) 578605. I am sure that you can easily arrange the winery tours once you arrive in Mendoza. Familia Zuccardi was the one we really enjoyed . Heard great things about bodega Tapiz but did not make it - will have to do it next time. You should also consider the day tour to "La Cordillera" unless you plan to cross the Andes by surface to go to Chile.

KathyWdrf

Jul 17, 07, 2:38 am

Let me share my recent experience getting to Mendoza from Buenos Aires. Instead of the plane, my wife and I decided to try the bus. There seem to be two companies that stand out: Andesmar and Chevalier. I purchased the tickets on Andesmar online @ www.andesmar.com There are several services each day and we chose the "Executive" service that leaves B.A. at 7.45 PM and arrives at Mendoza at 9 am or so. Each round trip ticket was 350 pesos or about $116 US at the rate of exchange at the time. Hint: to find the origin point look not for "Buenos Aires" but "Retiro - Buenos Aires". The bus leaves from the main bus terminal near the Retiro train station by Plaza San Martin. Just after the ride starts you get a full fledged safety demo, followed by a game of Bingo. A short while later you are served dinner (choice of chicken, beef or vegan) with beverage of your choice (we went for the red wine). Then it's a movie or two on the flat screen or sleep on the full flat "bed", more or less like an international business class seat. The bus is set so that it does not exceed 50 mph, which is good considering that the roads are ok, but not up to US or Western Europe standards (in my opinion anyway). After dawn you get breakfast and a short time later you are close to downtown Mendoza. We were very satisfied even though it is a long ride; service was cordial and efficient and the accomodations (seats are 2-1 per row) quite adequate. Anyway an option to consider - much cheaper than the plane and hey, you save one night's hotel bill!
Your post has inspired me to make plans to travel between BsAs and Mendoza this way!

I do have a couple of questions. I went through a "trial" booking online on andesmar.com (haven't actually booked yet) of a first-class itinerary just to familiarize myself with what's available, and looked at the seat maps. I doubt that there is the equivalent of seatguru.com for these buses, so I wondered if you had any recommendations for seats that are particularly good or bad. The seat maps show a lower and upper floor; piso inferior has seats 1 - 6, and piso superior has seats 7 - 26, so it appears that the "lower floor" is actually just the front of the bus, and then I'm guessing that there are a few steps up to the rear of the bus, where the majority of seats are. Since I'll be traveling alone on the bus, I'll probably pick one of the single seats (on the right side), but if you can think of any particularly desirable or undesirable places to sit on the bus, please let me know.

Also, how was the food? Was it at least of airplane quality and quantity? ;)

I plan to take an overnight bus, stay one night at a hotel in Mendoza, then take another overnight bus back.

USAFAN

Jul 17, 07, 9:32 am

Panam Clipper

Jul 17, 07, 12:04 pm

Your post has inspired me to make plans to travel between BsAs and Mendoza this way!

I do have a couple of questions. I went through a "trial" booking online on andesmar.com (haven't actually booked yet) of a first-class itinerary just to familiarize myself with what's available, and looked at the seat maps. I doubt that there is the equivalent of seatguru.com for these buses, so I wondered if you had any recommendations for seats that are particularly good or bad. The seat maps show a lower and upper floor; piso inferior has seats 1 - 6, and piso superior has seats 7 - 26, so it appears that the "lower floor" is actually just the front of the bus, and then I'm guessing that there are a few steps up to the rear of the bus, where the majority of seats are. Since I'll be traveling alone on the bus, I'll probably pick one of the single seats (on the right side), but if you can think of any particularly desirable or undesirable places to sit on the bus, please let me know.

Also, how was the food? Was it at least of airplane quality and quantity? ;)

I plan to take an overnight bus, stay one night at a hotel in Mendoza, then take another overnight bus back.

Wow! I do hope you have a similarly pleasant experience. First off - I just noticed that Andesmar has fine tuned their booking system a bit and now the origin/destination listing is more logical showing BUENOS AIRES RETIRO TERMINAL as an option. Yes, if you are alone you will want one of the single seats on the right. We chose seats on the upper level because we thought we might like the view and also because the toilet is at the front of the lower level. If you get the front row you'll have the best view of course and there are curtains to keep the light out if you choose to do that. Other than that there really is no big difference. It really is a top and bottom arrangement, not just front and back.
Food was plentiful - you can choose your entree when you make your booking (chicken, beef or vegetarian). How does it compare with airline food - perhaps a bit better than average coach on an international flight, depends on the airline. I did not regret not taking any extra snacks.
Another poster recommended caution at the bus terminals and I agree that you must be watchful at both ends. Do not lose sight of your stuff until you deliver it to the bus people and you get a bag tag. Finally make sure you get on the right bus because there are two or three leaving within 30 minutes of each other - and this is Andesmar alone to Mendoza! Retiro is a VERY busy terminal as you will see but quite manageable if you allow enough time.

I do urge you to consider staying more than just one night. In addition to a tour of the wineries you might want to go on a 'regular' tour to the Andes (paseo Cordillera) and even spend another day just walking around the city. Parque General San Martin as well as the Municipal Market in the middle of the city are worth while checking. A shame to go that far and not spending a little more time.

Panam Clipper

Jul 17, 07, 12:20 pm

Panam Clipper:

Thanks! I guess that I can arrange everything when I am at MDZ. I'll keep Liliana's phone numbers.
Thanks again.

Full (?) disclosure. As I recall she was not fluent in English, I did the translating during the tour for the other tourists.
I suspect that you will end up paying more if the arrangements are made through the concierge at the hotel than if you do it directly with a travel agent. I still don't remember the name of the one we used but it was on Rivadavia street between España and 9 de Julio.

Gaucho100K

Jul 17, 07, 5:15 pm

1) We're staying at the Hyatt -- I've just contacted the concierge, who has asked me which wineries we want to go to -- suggestions? I also asked about the "transfer" to Santiago.

If you are staying at the Hyatt, I dont see you paying more than if you book yourself, perhaps with the exception on the transportation. If you are charged for a winery visit, the price will not vary if you have the concierge book it for you.

I dont know what your interests in terms of wines are (styles, etc.), but IMHO some names that you need to consider visiting are:

a) Bodega Benegas
b) Banfi - Cinco Tierras
c) Achaval Ferrer
d) Bodega La Azul
e) Clos de los Siete
f) Andeluna Cellars
g) Rutini La Rural

KathyWdrf

Jul 18, 07, 4:33 am

....I do urge you to consider staying more than just one night. In addition to a tour of the wineries you might want to go on a 'regular' tour to the Andes (paseo Cordillera) and even spend another day just walking around the city. Parque General San Martin as well as the Municipal Market in the middle of the city are worth while checking. A shame to go that far and not spending a little more time.
Thanks for your prompt and detailed response.

I'm just going to have two days and one night in Mendoza (time constraints on my overall trip). The first day I'm joining some others on a winery tour with lunch included, then dinner with the same people. The second day I'll probably walk around the town or something like that.

This will be my third trip to Argentina. Each time I've spent time in BsAs and have also done some side trips and/or day trips outside the city. First year I spent two days and nights at Iguazu at the end of my trip. Second year I did day trips to Tigre, an estancia, and Colonia, Uruguay (on three different days, of course). I liked them all, especially Iguazu. If I like Mendoza, I'll go back again some time in the future.

By the way, what do they serve for breakfast on the bus? ;) (I'm still talking about the first-class bus, of course!)

Panam Clipper

Jul 18, 07, 4:27 pm

Breakfast was nothing fancy: coffee or tea and some biscuits with jelly. Oh, and a fresh newspaper.
Now I have a question for you: I have often considered taking a day tour to one of the estancias or even spending a night. So which one did you go to and were you pleased with the experience?

amandaleigh

Jul 20, 07, 8:13 am

Hello!
Does anyone know where I can buy Alma 4 Bondarda in the states? Is there a website from which I can order it?
Thanks!

Panam Clipper

Jul 20, 07, 11:23 am

There is:
http://corkd.com/wine/view/26570-Alma_4_Bonarda_Sparling_Wine

Salud!

Panam Clipper

Jul 21, 07, 7:36 am

Panam Clipper:

Thanks for your report!^ How did you arrange this tour? Do you have a link, phone number etc.?
I am planning 3 days/2 nights in Mendoza ... after reading Gaucho's comments, I probably staying away from renting a car and making/joining a tour.
Also thanks to Gaucho running this thread^

My wife found the card we were looking for. The young lady who helped us so much is Veronica Oliver from Orbe Travel. The address of the agency is Rivadavia 151 Tel 0261 429 2882 and 429 6930. e-mail receptivo@orbetravel.com.ar
Veronica is a delightful person and we would definitely look her up if we went back to Mendoza.

Gaucho100K

Jul 21, 07, 9:20 am

There is:
http://corkd.com/wine/view/26570-Alma_4_Bonarda_Sparling_Wine

Salud!

Please note the above link will ultimatetly lead you to a wine search engine, and unless Im using it incorrectly, it seems like someone has listed this wine to rate it, but I cant seem to locate US based merchants that are offering it.

In my talks with the Zuccardi Family, they have explained that they are looking to start exporting this wine to the States, but I still dont have all the details. I will post any updates as I receive them.

Gaucho100K

Jul 21, 07, 9:23 am

Further in depth searches for Alma 4 using both Wine Zap and Wine Searcher have all drawn blanks.

prh

Jul 21, 07, 4:18 pm

Has anyone used a wine tour company known as The Grapevine? If so, I'd appreciate a review.

Gaucho100K

Jul 22, 07, 3:29 pm

Wirelessly posted (Palm TX: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; PalmSource/Palm-D050; Blazer/4.3) 16;320x320)

Ive heard good reviews about them. It may be a good idea to tell them what sort of visits you are expecting.

Panam Clipper

Jul 22, 07, 9:34 pm

Please note the above link will ultimatetly lead you to a wine search engine, and unless Im using it incorrectly, it seems like someone has listed this wine to rate it, but I cant seem to locate US based merchants that are offering it.

In my talks with the Zuccardi Family, they have explained that they are looking to start exporting this wine to the States, but I still dont have all the details. I will post any updates as I receive them.

Yuu are right, of course. I saw the link and offered it as a resourse without first checking it. Sorry.:(

opushomes

Jul 24, 07, 12:21 pm

http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/

They are located approximately 1.5 blocks from the Park Hyatt. In May, they put together a four property tour for us. Cost of the car (remis) and driver was approximately $US60. This is comparable to renting and self-getting lost. Some properties had tasting fee and there was a charge for the outstanding five course lunch served with 5 flights (actually more, since the staff got into adding to our glasses).

They are really great to deal with and they do not charge for the service. The conceirge at Park Hyatt can put together something similar, but, frankly, the people at Vines are so pleasant and efficient that I will unequivalently use them in the future.

For English speakers, fluent English is spoken by the staff. Not true of our driver, but he was great anyway and he and I chatted the entire day. A detailed intinerary was provided. They do need approximately 24 hours to book a tour.

Our visits:

http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/travel_guide/tasting_ldc_achaval.php
http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/travel_guide/tasting_ldc_catena.php
http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/travel_guide/tasting_ldc_luigi.php
http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/travel_guide/tasting_ldc_ruca.php

This tour took us from 0900-1830. It is in an area about 45 minutes from of Mendoza. (Lujan de Cuyo)

An additional restaurant note: We really like Francesco, 1 block from the Hyatt. It is owned by Family Zuccardi.

Gaucho100K

Jul 24, 07, 5:21 pm

OpusHomes-- Did you get a chance to select what wines you were going to be served at these visits or was it a standard program decided by the tour operator and winery? Did you get a list of what you were going to taste at each bodega as part of your itinerary materials? Thanks.

opushomes

Jul 26, 07, 1:14 pm

Gaucho

Our itinerary did not, as I recall, list what we would be tasting. When we booked, I specifically asked for a tasting only series of visits. Our rationale was that we have toured in Caves or wineries in France, Napa/Sonoma, locally as well as other obscure places many times. Time seemed to be constrained and we wanted to maximize the tasting experience. In the end, we actually toured one of the properties and saw portions of the others. Some of the tasting was set by the wineries and others were much more free form. Only the last winery had a required flight (actually a choice of a number of programs at varying prices). Other than lunch this was the only one that charged for the tastings. At three of the wineries, they dragged out a number of high end products seemingly not normally sampled.

Other than the required pre-booking, the day reminded us of a normal day in the Willamette/Yamhill Valleys here in Oregon. Low key, sample things off the "list", relaxed and friendly. Reminiscent of Napa of 30 years ago. Perhaps, in one instance, it helped to have met the owner of one of the properties at a wine tasting hosted by The Vines the evening prior. The properties themselves seemed well-tended, but not commercial with the exception of the impressive (for the most part) main house, winery-itself building.

BTW: We tasted mostly Malbecs with some Syrahs and a few blends. Some lesser whites were also sampled. We have become great fans of Argentinian Malbecs. Argentina IMHO is better than Chile in general in terms of wine quality and craft. Perhaps, it is because the wines we sampled tended to be more crafted that the more mass-produced Chileans.

Gaucho100K

Jul 26, 07, 1:28 pm

Opushomes-- many thanks for taking time to write the detailed reply. I asked this because one of the drawbacks of some of these booking agencies is that one normally doesnt get the chance to select/pick what you will taste at each bodega... which may be an issue for the more serious wine aficionado. Of course, to know what you want to taste means you need to either know the wineries & the region you are touring, or else you must have done your homework on the producers and what they have in their portfolio, etc. This is something that 95% of all folks dont bother with, and from your report it seems that things worked out well for you. Glad to hear this.

Im of course partial on the right side vs. the wrong side :p of the Andes debate.... but Im glad you enjoy the wines of Argentina... ^ ^

Gaucho100K

Jul 26, 07, 1:52 pm

One other thing.... Argentina is not only Malbec. You need to look at tasting blends (Malbec, Cabernet, Merlot) and also some less traditional varieties like Sangiovese or Bonarda.

Also, if you are a fan of Sparkling wines... you need to look into the higher-end methode champenoise wines made in Mendoza.

dixonge

Jul 27, 07, 6:15 am

Gaucho100K

Jul 27, 07, 8:25 am

Oh.... and I forgot to mention dessert wines.... :D ^

USAFAN

Jul 27, 07, 4:53 pm

.....In my talks with the Zuccardi Family, they have explained that they are looking to start exporting this wine to the States, but I still dont have all the details. I will post any updates as I receive them.

Gaucho100K:

I am just back from Canada and I have seen Zuccardi Family wine in Toronto (in a wine shop next to this famous market place on Front/Market)

BTW, FMH1964 is a wine dealer in Toronto

Look here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=696776

Again, thanks for running this thread ..^

Gaucho100K

Jul 31, 07, 6:51 am

USAFAN-- thanks for the link... but Im still not finding the Alma 4. The Santa Julia line of wines is generally available, but some of the higher end wines line Zeta and Alma 4 are much harder to find.

USAFAN

Aug 2, 07, 10:25 am

My wife found the card we were looking for. The young lady who helped us so much is Veronica Oliver from Orbe Travel. The address of the agency is Rivadavia 151 Tel 0261 429 2882 and 429 6930. e-mail receptivo@orbetravel.com.ar
Veronica is a delightful person and we would definitely look her up if we went back to Mendoza.

Panam Clipper:
Thanks a lot ... great, I'll check it out

And thanks to Gaucho100K ... this is such a great thread!

Gaucho100K

Aug 2, 07, 5:27 pm

And thanks to Gaucho100K ... this is such a great thread!

My pleasure... ^

fredmartens

Aug 3, 07, 10:06 am

First visit here, and I'm ashamed to say I didn't even know a separate Mendoza forum has existed for over a year. Oh well, that's what running a business and going to law school will do to a person.

Mendoza is definitely "on my list". Being a bit of a wine nut, the only thing I can add here is personal recommendations on some of the wines that, for the most part, Alex has recommended (and I have purchased blind, later being absolutely astounded by their quality). IMO, the Mendoza region is producing some absolutely top shelf world class wines.

First off, I'm going to assume that the "cult" Malbec that was discussed a few pages back is "Cobos", a wine that is probably the best Malbec I've ever had. Once a "bargain" at $60 for the 2002 vintage, the Marchiori Vineyard is now in the neighborhood of $150 USD, as Alex mentioned. If compared to a Chateau Margaux or Haut Brion, it's still a bargain pricewise, but it has gone beyond my $100 per bottle price limit. If you're so inclined, do invest in a bottle of this...it is a truly memorable expression of the Malbec varietal.

At the mid-higher end of the market, the Familia Zuccardi Zeta is also outstanding, a Bonarda-Tempranillo blend. Opening a 2002 vintage bottle a few months back, I realized that this wine is still not yet ready to drink without some serious decanting tme, taking probably 2+ hours to open up. It is truly "l'enfant terrible" once it opens up, though...a real fruit explosion. I haven't seen much other than Zuccardi's "Q" Tempranillo in the states, but I can definitely recommend Alex as a source for some of these wines that are difficult, if not impossible to get in the U.S. I have not yet had anything from Catena Zapata, a situation I intend to remedy in a few weeks while visiting with Alex in EZE with the rest of the Cow Do III bunch.

I also enjoy Alta Vista Alto, Cheval Des Andes, Carlos Pulenta's Vistalba Corte A, Corte B and almost anything from Benegas Lynch; these are long lived, serious blended as well as single vineyard/varietal wines. I'm finding that a lot of the top end Mendoza Malbecs and blends are so well structured that opening them before they hit the age of 5 or 6 is almost a waste unless one has the proper time to decant in order to open the wine up.

Speaking of the "mid-range", I've been a big fan of Susana Balbo (I'd avoid her "Crianza" line of wines, however), and to a lesser extent, Luigi Bosca (around $25-28 USD). Achaval Ferrer's Quimera is a great 5 varietal blend that is more in the $35-$40 USD range. The Wine Club (L.A., Bay Area, online) has the "new" 2005 Terrazas Reserve Malbec at $13.99 a bottle, a definite value. Another really nice bottle is Mora Negra, a Bonarda-Malbec blend that several FTers enjoyed en masse at last year's Cow Do II...I think we ran La Brigada in EZE out of it. Haven't seen it in the States, but keep in mind that Alex is a great source for many hard to find Argentinian wines. There are some terrific "checkable" wine carriers obtainable from Alex's shop for those who intend to return to the U.S. with their bounty, and shipping is also an option (although somewhat spendy).

Andeluna also has a limited bottling of really nice Cabernet Franc floating around in the states; like Benegas Lynch, the spread ever so thin Michel Rolland is their consulting winemaker. Love or hate his "new world" style and French oak, I've yet to have a bad bottle where he's involved. For sparkling, I really like the Baron B that you can get through Alex; of the three styles available, the Brut Rose is a personal favorite, with 5% Mallbec added to give it a beautiful peach-like color and some chutzpah. Also a geat value.

For websites, also try wineanthology.com (New Jersey) and SouthernHemisphere Wines (google for the URL) for some decent selections of middle range AR Malbecs and blends available in the U.S. Most wine shops around SEA are really sparse when it comes to a decent selection of Mendoza wines, so I rely on Alex and a few nationwide sites to filll slots in the cellar.

Sigh....Mendoza...yes. Someday, when there's proper time to savor it. Until then, to the rest of you who have been, I'm supremely jealous. I hope some of you find these wine recommendation helpful, keeping in mind that, of course, Alex is the Mendoza wine guide to defer to.

Gaucho100K

Aug 3, 07, 12:09 pm

Fred-- First of all, congratulations on summing up a couple of very important points on Mendoza and its wines, I could not have done so any better than you just did... ^

Secondly, I thank you kindly for your positive remarks about my wine related talents, but Im afraid you're overly generous. You know your stuff about wine, and this makes it very easy for me to help you in recommending various options for your cellar. I guess that I have also been lucky in being able to interpret your tastes based on our many conversations about wine, and to some extent we have been successful in "calibrating" our tastes. This is the single most important thing that a wine aficionado needs to do with any merchant that he/she regularly buys from. The same applies to any wine critic that one would like to follow... if you dont calibrate the scorings to your palate, any rating is meaningless.

Just to add to your great list of names of labels & producers, I would add the following for FTers to consider:

- Bodega Escorihuela Gascon
Most of their low end stuff gets to the States, but their gems are domestic market only. Apart from some great reds in various price points, they also make a great Sauvignon Blanc and a Viognier. In the medium & up price categories, watch out for the Pequenias Producciones line, and also the flagship Miguel Escorihuela Gascon Malbec (in the high end segment).

- Bodega Riglos
A Banking/Insurance related family has now gone into making wines, purchasing some excellent vineyards and hiring Paul Hobbs as their consultant. Results are, no surprise here, outstanding... their Riglos Malbec and Riglos Gran Corte are two limited edition monsters that need a little time in the cellar but will be absolute gems once they are at their prime. The Malbec is more in the QPR range, and while the Gran Corte is in the premium price segment, it will give many higher end Cali cabs quite a run (and a scare?) for their $$$.

- Rutini La Rural
Their portfolio suffers from something similar to what goes on for Escorihuela... their best known wines in the USA are very much every day. The Trumpeter line is probably the best known (and have been served in the cabins of AA and UA before - maybe still?). For Rutini, look out for the limited edition Antologia line of blends, these are the components that go into the icon Felipe Rutini (the flagship wine of this house). Also, their Rutini Coleccion line offers an ample range of varieties from the traditional Malbec to a nice Syrah, a meaty Cabernet and a few whites including a Gewurztraminer.

- Bodega Noemia
Wines from Patagonia... yes, from the land of fly fishing, big game hunting, mountains & glaciers come these outstanding wines. Check out the second labels J. Alberto and A. Lisa, and if you are up for a second mortgage then go for the cult Noemia. Noemia is owned by the Marone Cinzano family (Italian Royalty, owners of Argiano in Tuscany), and the wines are made by the young winemaker Hans Vinding Diers. These Patagonian style wines will be a real eye opener for those that know their Mendoza Malbecs well.

- Bodega Chacra
Another Patagonia winery, but not for the faint hearted as their wines are rare and pricey. With the exception of the young and recently launched Chacra Barda, their Chacra 55 and Chacra 32 are old-vine Pinot Noirs with a hefty price tag and the pedigree & wine-making expertise to match. Chacra wines are also made by Hans Vinding, and is also a producer in Italian Ownership - the Incisa della Rocceta family that brings you the famous Sassicaia.

radical1977

Aug 12, 07, 7:19 pm

Just got back from Mendoza a week ago and it was the highlight of our Peru and Argentina trip. A few recommendations that I wanted to share.
1) Stay at Club Tapiz and/or Park Hyatt. We stayed at the Park Hyatt, which was very nice. We sent a fax to the Mr. Carl Emberson, GM of Hyatt requesting an upgrade and not only did he upgrade us, but he came personally to say hello when we checked in. He also sent us a bottle of champagne to our room. What a way to start our trip! He is really nice and down to earth. We stayed at Club Tapiz, which took a totally different feel. There are only 7 rooms here and it is very personable. Every night they had tasting events and we got to pick the wines we wanted to taste, plus it we went through 2~3 glasses each, so definitely more then a tasting. The restaurant is superb as well. BTW: It was $150 US a night at Club Tapiz.

2) Go with Vines of Mendoza to reserve your wine tastings. Not only, is their service complimentary, but they got out of their way to create an experience for you. Ask for Carolina Escudero - She is great and plus her team speaks English. Also, to reserve the car for the day it was about $200 ARG.

3) Places I loved
a) Have lunch at Zuccardi, though I would skip the wine tour
b) ANDELUNA - We were scheduled for an hour, but ended up staying for 2. I forget the young lady's name, but she was great and served us several Reserves that were not part of the flight.
c) Lunch and wine tour at SALENTEIN
d) PULENTA ESTATE

Gaucho100K

Aug 13, 07, 8:24 am

Great reviews, Radical, thanks for sharing the information.

Zuccardi is indeed a great place for Lunch. For a better experience with the wine tasting/tour, you need to book a premium tasting in advance, and specify you wish to taste the high end wines made by the Bodega. This will cost extra, but may be worth it for those that are serious wine aficionados.

Gaucho100K

Aug 13, 07, 8:26 am

Forgot to add... some other lodging options similar to Club Tapiz are:

- Lares de Chacras
- Postales del Plata
- Finca Adalgisa

KathyWdrf

Aug 15, 07, 7:21 pm

Panam Clipper

Aug 15, 07, 9:16 pm

KathyWdrf

Aug 15, 07, 9:35 pm

It didn't matter too much to me; I chose the beef and did not regret it. Let us know how it goes for you. You can have the chicken or vegetarian on the way back... Also, which estancia did you go to for your day trip and would you recommend it?
Sorry, I forgot to answer this before. It's kind of off-topic for a Mendoza thread, but the name of the estancia is Los Dos Hermanos. Here is their website:

http://www.estancialosdoshermanos.com/index2.html

tazi

Aug 20, 07, 11:38 am

Sorry, I forgot to answer this before. It's kind of off-topic for a Mendoza thread, but the name of the estancia is Los Dos Hermanos. Here is their website:

http://www.estancialosdoshermanos.com/index2.html

This estancia was highly praised by last years' Cow DO attendees. If you want more info, pm Skye1

PHLbuddy

Sep 16, 07, 4:26 pm

Hi All,

A quick trip to MDZ amidst a larger trip. Would appreciate advise on feasibility. There appear to be few maps of the region with clear distances. I'd like to nail this down to let the PH Concierge make appropriate arrangements and hire a car:

I used this map (http://www.ladatco.com/AR-MDZ%20wineries.htm) to approximate some distances.

My focus is on malbecs (particularly hard-to-find in the US) and food.

Day 1:
Arrive from SCL at 10:35am
Spa Treatment at Park Hyatt, check in.
La Rural (Rutini) for Lunch, Tasting, and Tour
1 of the following: Bodegas Lopez/Terrazas de Los Andes/Archaval Ferrer
Escorihuela

Dinner: La Bourgogne (Note: Gaucho100k's objections noted; this seems to be one of the better high-end dining options in the area. Hopefully the service lapses he experienced have improved).

Day 2:
Chandon Argentina
Catena Zapata (Agrelo?)
Familia Ziccardi - Lunch and Tasting (particularly sparking, Zeta, and Alma 4)
Luigi Bosca
Perhaps one of the alternate choices from Day 1, time permitting.

Dinner: 1884 Francis Mallman

Day 3: Early departure & Hepatic detoxification. :)

Thanks in advance

Gaucho100K

Sep 16, 07, 5:36 pm

Hi. Are you sure Rutini serves lunch...?

IMO, you are shooting to visit too many places per day. Not that its not doable, but you will be rushed. I would be interested to hear what the PH concierge will say... but, if you arrive to MDZ at 1030, you will be checking in at the Hyatt at 1115, so you probably wont make it to the Spa's reception area until 1140... so your treatment will start at around noon. Say its 1 hour.... its already 1pm. I dont think its realistic to say you will be having lunch at a winery that day. I would suggest you did lunch at the Hyatt and then head out for one visit or maybe two if you push it.

In Mendoza, the last visit in the afternoon usually begins at 4pm so if you will have an elaborate lunch its going to be tight. Seems to me that the only way to make a lunch appointment at a Bodega and ensure you will have two visits that first day is to kill the Spa program.

Since my last (horrible) La Bourgogne experience, Ive been getting better feedback, so I think its worth it to give it the benefit of the doubt. Please be so kind as report back on your experience.

Your day two looks more feasible, I would try to get an early start and do Chandon first thing in the morning, then I would do Catena Zapata, and I would book a late lunch at Zuccardi followed by visit and tasting. This will mean that with a late lunch booking you have more time to do Chandon & Catena properly, and then relax at Zuccardi over a somewhat longer lunch and then stumble into the tasting. Dinner at Mallmann is an excellent choice.

One final note.... while the PH is a good place to stay, I dont recommend it as my first choice because its simply another Park Hyatt. IMO, when visiting Mendoza its best to stay at a less traditional and non-urban setting.... but, maybe you guys can try that the next time around...

Have a great trip!! :D