Actually... I think in the case of Mendoza... the same US principle may apply. In my experience, La Bourgogne is less expensive in Mendoza when compared to EZE. Having said this.... Im not a fan of LB in general... but if I had to pick where to eat, I will pick LB in Mendoza any day over LB in Baires.

We were there in April '07. Arranged for a visit to three wineries through a travel agent. We were picked up at our hotel in a mini van and the whole day tour included lunch at Familia Zuccardi. Total price was $35 per person. Surely prices must have changed but nevertheless it might still be worth considering doing it this way.

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Were wines included in the $35 you are quoting?

Indeed they were - see message #94 in this string.

Wow -- it's odd that "just showing up" would be so much more expensive.

My husband and I are planning a trip to BA and Mendoza at the end of Jan
We are staying at Finca Adalgisa and based on :) reviews will visit
Achaval Ferrer, Salentein. We are in Mendoza for 4 days and are still looking for more bodegas to enjoy.
Any comments on Finca Adalgisa or Almacen del Sur?

(New to FT but love all the info, thanks Alex!)

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I would suggest visiting:

Benegas
La Azul
O. Fournier
Las Perdices

Almacen del Sur is a great place for lunch.

Thanks for the recommendations
I'll definitely look into these and send my reviews later

Having received so much helpful advice here, it's time to reciprocate with my "first time in Mendoza" review.

First, I will note that Mendoza is a very worthwhile destination. Unless you are a "wine nut," it should probably not be your first Argentina destination outside of BA, however. I like Patagonia better (scenery more breathtaking and much better wildlife), and I think I'd do Iguazu before Mendoza as well (still waiting to visit Salta!).

I decided to rent a car. I actually found a guy who has an automatic transmission vehicle, if that is important to you (PM me for details). It depends on your interests, but renting a car was right for me. Signage is indeed poor (as are some of the maps!) so there will be occasional frustrations, but the freedom to go where and when you want to is priceless. Just limit your drinking at the wineries and keep your stomach full. :)

As far as the wineries go: the experience is good, but perhaps not fabulous. As anyone who has ever visited wineries knows, the experience can be a bit repetitive after awhile (this is our crusher, these are the tanks, here are the oak barrels, etc.). And the distances between the wineries probably makes 3 a day enough. The biggest negatives are that it's usually wise to call ahead, but it's difficult to know when you will actually be showing up (hard to estimate visit times and driving times). And, perhaps more importantly, the wineries aren't usually great places to sample the wines. Sometimes the tours and tastings are free, but that usually means you'll get only a couple of tastes of their swilliest wines. And when there's a charge, it's usually overpriced and gringo-oriented. At Andeluna, for example, it's US $12 for a tour and a small sample of four of their cheapest wines.

Indeed, I found lunch at the wineries to be more fun (and perhaps a better value) than the wine tours. Salentein surprised me by having a good yet affordable restaurant. Lunch at La Bourgogne is about 125 pesos a person plus wine (affordable, some selections less than 50 pesos) and represents a memorable high end dining experience.

I do think most tourists would do well to combine winery tours with other activities in the area. The Andes are just an hour from Mendoza and very appealing. I stayed at an excellent b&b near Potreillos and did some memorable hiking. I would also recommend a soak at the Cacheuta hot springs (at the hotel, not the nearby "water park").

I also travelled down to San Rafael, which is where the Argentine wine industry gets more "real" and less trendy. I'd recommend a couple nights there to anyone who wants to get "off the beaten track." Prices are much lower than in the tourist world of Mendoza. For instance, an hour of whitewater rafting cost about US$12 per person, and nobody charged me for winetasting. I had dinner at L'Orbador, a country restaurant that is really just the chef's house. Sixty pesos a person for some great authentic Argentine cooking -- my wife and I agreed that we liked it better than La Bourgogne!

We stayed a night at the new Sheraton in Mendoza. It is a very nice hotel: the quality of, say, a J.W. Marriott. But, as others have said, it's probably a waste of time to spend much time in Mendoza city. If you want an Argentine city experience, stay in Buenos Aires. Mendoza is about the countryside, and that's where you'll want to be.

Thanks for sharing your report!! ^

What's your opinion on Finca Flichman? We found it to be the most scenic and interesting of the tours we happened upon...

Im kind of on the fence with Flichman... they are indeed good hosts, but Im not too crazy about their wines, perhaps with the exception of their Flagship Dedicado blend. Not that the wines are bad or objectionable, perhaps its more of a case of wines that are lacking a 'soul'.... if you know what I mean.

We were very happy with a certain vintage, which I cannot recall at the moment, 2003 maybe, which had just been put out.

The estate was most scenic by far, they were nice hosts to us.

2003 sounds way too old, unless you were days a couple of years ago.

Oh yes, for sure this was a couple of years ago.

Finca Flichman is available in the NYC metro area and I've seen it several places and actually bought more here and was satisfied. The price point is definately nice. I do not know if the Dedicado blend is brought in however; I'll have to keep my eye open for it.

You mention that prices here in the US do not seem to have a floor. At the retail level, especially over the summer, I noticed marked increases in the prices of import wine and then, by connection, domestic varietals. Perhaps due to higher transportation costs? So far this fall I haven't seen prices moderate much, but I really only scan the reds...