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.

"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?

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.

Mendoza to Santiago by bus
 

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.

Food and hotels in Mendoza
 

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
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
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.

Airport
 

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

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

And rafting on the Rio Mendoza was fun too:

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

John

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.

(bump)

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.

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.

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

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.

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