Upon your arrival your English speaking host will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the Park Hyatt Hotel, where after check-in he/she will discuss your itinerary with you and provide you with information on evening Wine Harvest events. Following this, we travel to the wine growing region of Lujan de Cuyo and visit ALTA VSITA, a 110 year old winery, recently refurbished by the current French owners. A tour and tasting will include their Grand Reserve, a fine wine made by blending their best Malbec grapes grown in their four vineyards, each with a unique terroir.   Next we visit CARLOS PULENTA a modern winery, one of three owned by five brothers from a well known wine family. After a tour we will have lunch in the famous LA BOURGOGNE restaurant located within the winery. This restaurant has deservedly been voted “the best winery restaurant in the world”.   On return to your hotel the evening is free for you to soak up the Festival atmosphere and attend one of the many evening tasting events.

Hotel : Park Hyatt

Meals : Lunch

Friday 6th March

Today you will visit three wineries in the exclusive high-altitude wine growing area of Valle de Uco (1 1/2 hours drive from Mendoza City). This is the new frontier in Argentine winemaking and contains some of the most dramatic vineyard scenery in the world. People are astounded by the architecture, technology and fine wines being created here.   Your first visit will be to  O.FOURNIER en La Consulta, a winery making award winning Tempranillos. A tour of this gravity-driven winery concludes with a tasting session of all their range, including their A and B Crux.   Next you visit  ANDELUNA a joint venture, modern winery owned by the Ricardo Reina Rutini family (ex Rutini winery)   and Herman Ward Lay of snack food fame. As well as being an architecturally pleasing building, it has one of the most harmonious and congenial visitor centres in the country, with beautiful views over the vines, and the Andes as a back-drop. Great photograph opportunity here, particularly when the vines are “fully dressed”. After a tour of the winery we all “sit at the bar” (we show the ladies how to do it!) and taste four wines, including two from the reserve line. This fine winery just won the Decanter Magazine unique Grand Trophy award for their Cabernet Franc Limited Edition 2003, in addition to a Gold Medal for their superb Pasionado Grand Reserve 2003, a great and well deserved brace of wins. Here the tasting will include their Wine Makers Selection, Andeluna Reserva and Apasionado.   From here we have a fifteen minute drive to Boutique winery  ALTUS, a small, very rural winery that hosts a top quality restaurant Bistro LA TUPIÑA, set in a very cleverly converted vineyard workers cottage. One of Mendoza´s most talented young chefs will give us a lunch to remember, keeping the glasses well and truly topped-up. A ninety minute drive will have you back into the city and your hotel by   6pm for a rest sampling Mendoza´s vibrant (and somewhat liquid) night life. In the evening we will   watch “ La Via Blanca” from the terrace of your hotel. It is an exceptionally colourful parade of all the floats, one from each community and each parading their own elected Harvest Queen. As you might expect the competition to have the most imaginative and original float, graced by the most beautiful Queen is patriotically intense, with an appropriate volume of vocal support    Lots of music, fresh fruits, ingenious decor and tremendous partisan enthusiasm for ones favourite beauty. Your host will be on-hand to explain/translate. After this you will have time for dinner. There are many fine restaurants within easy walking distance of your hotel, but “Bistro M” inside the hotel is first rate, with a superb and truly varied and epresentative wine list.

Hotel : Park Hyatt

Meals : Breakfast & Lunch

Saturday 7th March

Your host meets you in the hotel after breakfast and from the Hyatt terrace we will watch “ The Carousel”, where a procession of very decorative horse drawn carriages, regional bands playing very traditional music, dancers and the famous “Gauchos” (cowboys) pass by within easy reach. The hotel serves copious quantities of delicious food and wine to prepare the soul for a day of colourful pageantry and gaiety. Following this and at your convenience, we will take a short ride to 1884 the superb restaurant owned by one of Argentina´s most famous chefs, Francis Mallman from the region of Patagonia. After lunch you return to your hotel for the Mendoza siesta (believe us you will need it), as your host will pick you up again at 8.30pm for the short ride up into the park and the 25,000 seat Greek style amphitheatre, where (in premium seats) we will watch the spectacular “ Central Act”, an extravaganza of dance, music, folklore, awesome choreography, clever visual effects and the crowning of “The Queen”. The show is enhanced by laser lights bouncing off the surrounding hills, great special effects and fireworks in abundance. Your host will bring light snacks, wine and water. We will get you back to the Hyatt by 3.00am, tired, but fulfilled. (Don´t miss that afternoon siesta)!

Hotel : Park Hyatt

Meals : Breakfast & Lunch

Sunday 8th March

The morning is free. Your host will pick you up at noon to lunch amongst the vineyards at DOÑA PAULA.    After lunch we return to the Hyatt with your evening free to relax or enjoy one of the many evening city events.

Hotel : Park Hyatt

Meals : Breakfast & Lunch

Monday 9th March

After checking out of the Hyatt your host will transfer you to the airport and see you through to the departure gate.   End of tour.

Hotel : N/A

Mendoza Wine Country Welcome Pack