Mendoza - Wine Capital
Mendoza lies picturesquely at the foot of the Andes, the ubiquitous silhouette accompanying each visitor. On a clear day it is possible to see the Cerro Aconcagua, with 6.960 metres the highest peak in South America. The city itself is quite small and has about 100.000 inhabitants. The agglomeration in contrast counts more than one million people, mainly because of the viniculture, which is omnipresent in the city and its surrounding areas. No wonder Mendoza is especially famous for its wines. Besides that the city hasn't much to offer, the locals will tell you the same, but who needs more if you got wine? So off I went to three days of wining and dining.
What better way to explore the fine wines of Mendoza and enjoy the view of the Andes, than to join a Bike & Wine tour? Whoever thought it would be a good idea to mix alcohol and maneuvering a bicycle in traffic, but let's leave that discussion for another time! The first Bodega the tour visited was Dante Robino, part of the visit was an extensive walkabout through the wine production. Next stop was Norton, and I've been told that this one is by far the biggest Bodega in Argentina, exporting wine to almost everywhere in the world. Several wines were tasted and the group enjoyed a nice lunch. The last stop was a small family-run Bodega called Adrover. To conclude the day almost the whole group went out to experience the Mendoza night life.
The remaining time of my visit I intensified the wine-tasting and did some of the following activities, in no particular order and probably incomplete, ...
- visited the Parque General San Martín, a huge park with lots of possibilities to do sports and outside activities
- climbed the Cerro de la Gloria, from which you can enjoy a fantastic view over the city and the Andes
- had lunch in the Azafran Restaurant, which has its own wine cellar for selecting the ideal wine to your food
- had dinner in the El Palenque, an original pulperia in the heart of Mendoza
- got up to the viewing platform of the Municipalidad de Mendoza, from where you have a stunning view of the city
...and much more!