Wine Country

Mendoza receives only about five days of rain a year, but an extensive series of canals dating to Inca times has made possible its emergence as Argentina’s thriving wine capital. Many people now refer to the city as “Napa south,” and as in its California counterpart, it is easy to arrange tours to visit the numerous vineyards. With a population of around 110,000, the city of Mendoza is a charming place with elegant squares and pedestrian shopping streets. Eight hundred miles to the north, Salta is both the country’s finest colonial city and the name of the surrounding province. Commonly known as “Salta la Linda” (“Salta the Beautiful”), it is located in northwest Argentina close to the borders of Bolivia and Chile. Noted for its fine Spanish architecture, the city’s animated central plaza is ringed by arcaded buildings, many of which contain delightful small cafés. The high-altitude vineyards here are so dry, cacti can grow alongside grapes.

Editor Tips

World-Class Wineries

American grocery stores are awash in cheap South American wine, but Argentina also makes refined bottlings worthy of a connoisseur’s attention. Argentina’s most famous grape is Malbec, a red that results in wine that is often dark, lush and fruity, but whites like Torrontés and Chardonnay can also be world-class. Many wineries welcome visitors, but reservations are necessary. 

Mendoza’s Achaval Ferrer is a boutique operation that makes beautifully crafted, terroir-focused wines. In the Uco Valley 45 minutes to the south, Bodegas Salentein houses an ultramodern winery, a restaurant, an art museum and an exclusive guest ranch with 16 rooms and a swimming pool. I also recommend visiting DiamAndes in the Clos de los Siete, a set of four imposing wineries amid vast vineyards at the foot of the Andes mountain range. Most Salta wineries are actually in Cafayate, where one of the best is family-owned El Porvenir.

Dramatic Ruins

Though renowned for its wine, this region also has a wealth of archaeological sites, notably the dramatic ruins of Quilmes. An hour south of Cafayate, this ancient town, founded in the ninth or 10th century, once housed between 3,000 and 5,000 people at its height in an area covering about 75 acres, making it the largest pre-Colombian city in Argentina. The Incas never quite conquered Quilmes, but the Spaniards did. After they forcibly removed the remaining inhabitants, the city sank into obscurity. 

In 1977, the government decided to reconstruct the ruins, but unfortunately, the efforts undertaken sacrificed the archaeological integrity of much of the site. Despite the bungled restoration, Quilmes remains a thoroughly atmospheric place. I recommend ascending the trails flanking either side of the city center for sweeping panoramic views, including vast swaths of unexcavated neighborhoods.

Winery Lunches

I had fine lunches at Ruca Malen near Cavas Wine Lodge and the superlative Viña Cobos winery, and at Piattelli Vineyards overlooking the Calchaquí Valley close to Grace Cafayate. Just a five-minute drive from The Vines Resort & Spa, Gimenez Riili serves an excellent multicourse lunch and dinner menu that changes with the seasons.