Welcome to the wine capital of Argentina, Mendoza! Our next segment of our 'Argentina Chapter' adventure with Exploration Journeys.
Argentina is the 5th largest wine producer globally, and Mendoza is home to over 1200 bodegas (wineries). Of course, Mendoza is the home of the world's finest Malbec.
A fun fact we love about Mendoza is that the city has one tree per person; you feel this as you explore the city centre, as the greenery surrounds you.
Day 13 - Mendoza, Argentina
Our first day starts with an early morning pickup for Uco Valley, about 60 minutes from Mendoza. Uco Valley is relatively new for a wine district, about 25 years old.
Uco Valley is at the foothill of the Andes, a relatively new wine region; due to its infancy, it has investments from the world's best and is leading with state-of-the-art equipment and intelligent and innovative approaches to winemaking.
Our first was a visit to Bodega Enzo Bianchi, one of the first wineries in Mendoza from 1928; they have expanded to Uco Valley.
We started with a tour with the knowledgeable Deborah, learning about the climates, elevations and winemaking process before we settled in with a tasting.
They are rich in their innovative winemaking ways, including their approach to sustainable barrels. We loved learning about the eco-friendly process they are adopting, such as the ceramic eggs, which are much more environmentally friendly than the oak wooden barrels, as they can only be used four times.
It was a private tour with another couple from Brazil, with whom we quickly became friends over the tasting. Here in Argentina, a tasting is basically a full glass, so you really enjoy the wines, and at 15% alcohol, you can feel it, too.
