Famous for its Malbec wines and for being the cradle of the heroic deeds of Liberator General San Martín, father of Argentina, Mendoza is one of the most beautiful cities in the country.
Arrival to Mendoza City, airport assistance and transfer to the hotel .
Upon arrival at the airport, located 7 kilometers from the capital city of Mendoza, you’ll be greeted and assisted. We’ll then embark on a tour around Mendoza city, known for its beautiful architecture. Decorated with lush groves and scenic canals, the city holds four centuries of history. We’ll start the tour in the Old Town, where the city was founded in 1561. We’ll visit the alameda, the main square and cathedral, Independence Square, Barrio Cívico and the prominent Emilio Civit avenue. Finally, we’ll arrive at San Martin Park, where we’ll go up to mount La Gloria to appreciate the monument to General San Martin.
At the end of the afternoon we’ll leave Mendoza city behind and head towards the Cavas Wine Lodge, in Alto Agrelo, 25 minutes from the city. Surrounded by beautiful high Andean peaks and 14 hectares of vineyards, it was the first hotel in the country to be focused exclusively around the vineyards and grapes. The beautiful two-story construction is perfectly designed to be a part of the surrounding landscape – we’ll be welcomed by a beautiful pebbled courtyard that gives way to the main building. The heart of the hotel, of course, is located in the basements, waiting to be discovered by guests. In this Lodge you’ll have the opportunity to learn about all the different phases involved in winemaking, from pruning to cluster selection and harvesting of the grapes. An unmatched experience.
Mendoza City Tour – Duration – 4 h.
Overnight at Mendoza (Cavas Wine Lodge)
After breakfast at the hotel we’ll head to Bodega Lagarde for a visit of the facilities, a wine tasting and a delicious lunch.
Lagarde winery, with over 100 years of history in winemaking, is one of the establishments to arise from the explosion of viticulture at the beginning of the 19th century. It was founded by Jose Angel Pereira in 1897 and passed on to the Pescarmona family in the mid 70s. The Lagarde winery has traveled a long road since its beginnings to establish itself in the global wine market with high quality wines, while striving to maintain a balance between the spirit of artisanal production and technological advances in the industry.
Lagarde produces four families of wines, each one with its own identity: Henry, Guarda, Lagarde Reserve and Altas Cumbres.
Once the visit to the winery is over we’ll return to the Cavas Wine Lodge for a wine tasting and dinner.
Overnight at Mendoza (Cavas Wine Lodge)
We’ll enjoy a full day at Uco Valley. Our first visit will be to Bodegas Salentein, owners of three farms located in the Higher Uco Valley, ideal location for the development and production of wines: Finca El Portillo, Finca La Pampa and Finca San Pablo. The altitude (1,050 – 1,700 masl) and the location at the foothill of the Andes offers a generous temperature gradient between day and night, and the land is irrigated by pure glacial water from the Andes. Bodega Salentein designs and produces high quality wines incorporating the highest international standards, based on a respect for nature, people and communities they touch.
The construction housing the winery is one of its kind: it holds the shape of a cross, with each wing being a small cave with two sections. The first section, at ground level, houses stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels for fermentation and storage, while the second section is used for the aging of the wine in bordelesa oak barrels.
We’ll tour Bodegas Salentein and also get a chance to marvel at the art collection they house. After the visit we’ll enjoy of an amazing lunch at Killka, the restaurant located at the winery.
After lunch at Bodegas Salentein, we’ll head to our second destination in Uco Valley: O. Fournier Winery and Vineyards. O. Fournier is equipped with the latest technology and has the capacity of housig up to 2,800 oak barrels at a constant temperature and humidity. Given the commitment of the winery to continued improvement of their wines, they have installed an innovative laboratory where micro vinification can be conducted.
As a complementary optional activity while visiting O. Fournier, you can choose to take on a bike and tasting tour through the vineyards and winery. This activity combines sports, wines and incredible views of the vines and the backdrop of the Andes Mountains. While riding your bike you’ll be able to learn all about the different grape varieties used and, at each stage of the tour you’ll taste wines under the very vines that produced them. At the end, you’ll enjoy a delicious selection of cheeses and cold cuts.
At the end of the afternoon and visit of Uco Valley we’ll return to the Cavas Wine Lodge, where we’ll have dinner.
Overnight at Mendoza (Cavas Wine Lodge)
You’ll get the morning free to enjoy the Cavas Wine Lodge at your leisure. After lunch at the lodge we’ll go visit Catena Zapata Winery, a prestigious winery equipped with customized, one of a kind winemaking technology. It was designed to provide the gentlest possible handling of the grapes in order to preserve the full spectrum of their natural flavors and aromas. The winery is housed in a Mayan-inspired pyramid building, symbolizing the Zapata family’s pride in its roots and their keen desire to show the world the uniqueness of Mendoza as a wine-producing region.
You’ll get to taste the three different grape varieties that the Catena and Catena Alta lines offer: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec.
Once the visit to Catena Zapata is finished, we’ll enjoy an exceptional dinner at 1884, by world renowned chef Francis Mallman, or La Bourgogne by Bodega Vistalba.
Overnight at Mendoza (Cavas Wine Lodge)
After breakfast you’ll be transferred back to the city and to Mendoza Airport.
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REMARKS:
* Accommodation in SGL/DBL.
NOT INCLUDED:
* Lunch or dinners not included in the program.
