1-DAY MALBEC WINE TOURS
Our
One-Day Malbec Wine Tours are designed to give you an introduction to Argentine wines and wineries with a “fun approach”. Your English speaking host will escort you through Mendoza wine country, ensuring that by the end of the day you will be an accomplished taster, will feel comfortable with knowing how to appreciate good wine and most importantly you will be able to buy Argentinian wine with more confidence, once you are back home. More information on the Wine Regions.
Our Malbec tours are available through each of the wine regions below, they have a maximum group size of eight and are available daily. (Private group tours also available at discount prices).
If you are looking for something a little more private or are interested in a multi-day itinerary CLICK HERE for a quotation for a
CUSTOM BUILT MALBEC tour itinerary.
Lújan de Cuyo "CLASSIC"
Your host will pick you up from your hotel at 8.30am to visit four wineries within this region, which is the very heart of the famous Malbec country, with the snow-capped Andes mountains always in the background. Many of Argentina’s most prestigious wineries are located in this area and it is a thirty minute drive from the city centre. Our first visit is to
ALTA VISTA, a one hundred year old winery started by Spaniards, but now owned by a very progressive French family. They specialize in “Terroir Expressión” whereby they produce several single vineyard Malbecs, all scoring very high points. Here we will taste three wines, starting with their Torrontés and finishing with their Grand Reserve, both Gold Medal winning wines. From here we travel a short distance to
HACIENDA DEL PLATA which continues to play an important role in Mendoza´s wine history. Founded in the 18th Century the then estancia was known as La Estancia San Ignacio de la Familia González. It has taken generations of hard and intensive labor on the barren desert land that surrounds the estancia to cultivate it and produce outstanding Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a pleasure to visit this winery, situated in Mayor Drummond, Lújan de Cuyo. The visit includes a fabulous tasting from barrels and bottles, and a very informative stroll through the vineyard. Pablo the fourth generation owner (if available) may host your visit personally. We then visit
CAVA DE CANO for a gourmet buffet in their underground cava. Cava de Cano was previously home to the Governor of Mendoza - the man renowned for inventing the Wine Harvest Festival (La Vendimia). The gourmet buffett includes a range of locally produced cheeses and hams - an unforgettable experience. Our final visit, after a short ride we arrive at
FABRE MONTMAYOU. They never produce more than 15,000 bottles and it is only made during the best years. One of their wines recently won the Malbec Trophy at the 2007 Argentinean wine awards for their Malbec Gran Reserva 2005Owned by a French couple (Diane ad Herve Joyaux) now living here in Mendoza. Herve was born in Bordeaux , France and his family has traditionally been involved in wine. The winery was built in 1992 around the idea of a Boudreaux chateau. From here, back to your hotel by 6pm, in time for a “Mendoza Siesta”... you’ll need it after 15 wines, take our word for it!
Price per person USD $150
Valle de Uco (Uco Valley)
Your host picks you up from you hotel at 8.30am for the ninety minute drive to this relatively new and very exciting wine, nut and fruit producing valley. The views, along with the architectural splendour of some of the wineries makes the extra travel time well worth the effort. Our first visit will be to
FINCA LA CELIA, a 117 year old winery recently purchased by one of Chile’s most important wineries, which invested $30 million to up-grade and re-model the facility. The winery is actually located in the village of Eugenio Bustos, so named alter the founder of the winery. Amongst the many fine wines they make there is also a Kosher production line...it’s a very different process. After a tour of the winery we will taste three wines from their La Celia range. The winery also owns a small, but charming lodge, with just four double bedrooms. Next we travel just three miles further on and arrive at
O.FOURNIER, a brand new Spanish owned winery, with sister operations in both Spain and Chile. From a distance this incredible building has been described as looking like a “NASA facility”, whilst inside it could be mistaken for a space-age movie set. A huge barrel cellar, unique conical fermentation tanks, a roof that looks like a launch pad, high point scoring Tempranillo blends and a true gravity operation make this a visit not to be missed. Here we will have a five course Spanish theme lunch, accompanied by their wines including the B Cruz. After a ten mile journey we will arrive at our last destination
PULENTA ESTATE, located on the fringe of the Uco valley, the “El Chiche” vineyard and winery was established by two of the Pulenta brothers, Eduardo (junior) and Hugo. Originally the building was a warehouse, but has been skillfully transformed, with additional wings added. Gravity is a main feature of this winery, which benefits from the experience and wisdom of Eduardo (senior), who manages the daily operations. Two of their 2002 bottlings were rated in the top seventy wines coming from the South American continent...a sure sign of greatness in the making. Arrive back by 7pm.
Price per person USD $170
Maipú
Your host picks you up from your hotel at 8.30am and after a thirty minute drive we reach the zone where most of the immigrants settled upon their arrival in the late nineteenth century. As many olive groves as there are vineyards testify to the huge and welcome Italian influence. Perhaps it is their love and skill with the vine that gives Mendoza Malbec its´ passion. First we visit
BENEGAS. Owner Federico Benegas Lynch has lovingly restored this 106 year old winery using hard-to-find “adobe” craftsmen, so that the building looks as it was, when built a century ago. Nothing old in his wine making skills though, except his vines all ranging from 30 to 80 years, the latter planted in the dry Mendoza riverbed. Has some very old Cabernet Franc descending from pre-phylloxera Bordeaux. Michel Rolland has a hand in this operation, probably more because it’s a chance for two “wine passionate” men to share the odd bottle. Federico ages his best wine for 28 months in new wood., an attractive and modern winery, but owned and operated by a well known family who have been in the wine business for a very long time. Indeed one of their vineyards was planted by their grandfather. This winery puts a great deal of effort into their in-vitro laboratory where micropropagation of different Malbec clones has resulted in identifying which clones are best suited to each of their three vineyards, one in each region. A perfect example of marrying the “Terroir” to the variety and clone. From here we visit
CARINAE winery, once abandoned, but oh so lovingly restored by an absolutely charming French couple. That the owner is an avid star-gazer, with all his wines revolving around the constellation adds to the quality commitment these people amply display, re-enforced by the consultancy services provided by the one and only Michel Rolland. After a tour of the vineyard and winery we will taste two of their wines. Following a fifteen minute drive we will arrive at
After seeing the vineyard and the winery we will taste two wines and then move on with a thirty minute drive to
FAMILIA ZUCCARDI, a pioneering winery in every sense of the word. Here great emphasis is placed on locating grape varieties that have almost been consigned to oblivion, planting them in small quantities and upon the first grape production making small quantities of the wine in their superbly equipped and dedicated microvinification hall. It continues to surprise both them and us how many of these almost lost grapes “find” a new life by blending with other varieties, or occasionally standing alone as a varital. A very professionally conducted tour of this progressive winery is followed by a tasting of their wines and then a truly Argentine experience “The Asado” (Bar-B-Que) in their picturesque restaurant set amongst the vines...make sure you are hungry! Then a forty five minute ride back to your hotel, arriving at 6pm, in time for a little shut-eye before sampling Mendoza nightlife!!
Tours include
Transport from and to your hotel in first class chauffeur-driven vehicle.
Professional, bilingual wine host.
Lunch with wine.
Winery entrance fees & tastings
Bottled mineral water for the journey
NB: In the unusual event that wineries stated in the itineraries above are unavailable they will be replaced with wineries and tasting of the same standard.
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