Discover Argentina's Wine Route Treasure
Argentina's reputation as a world-class wine producer continues to grow as new wines and production regions emerge, and as state of the art wineries set in outstanding facilities complement traditional colonial mansions. Thousands of visitors are attracted each year to experience the Wine Route circuit where they visit wineries and learn from experts the secrets of wine production, which some sources date back to the 1500s.
And indeed the range of experiences and the quality of wines to be enjoyed on this route – which covers 2,000 kilometers and traverses 9 Argentine provinces – is unique in the world. Even as the visitor follows the process involved in producing some of the greatest wines of our time, he or she can also enjoy the beauty of the land where the grapes are grown and the cultures that have inhabited this region for centuries.
“From north to south, the Argentine Wine Route offers a unique experience amid a backdrop of varied geography and spectacular scenery, further enhanced by the extraordinary warmth and efficiency of the people who attend to the travelers,” said Carina Valicati, the Argentine Tourism Secretariat’s wine tourism coordinator.
One of the first stops is the Calchaquies Valleys, an area of reddish landscapes where the pre-Columbian influence can still be felt; is where the world’s highest vineyards can be found. You may continue on to Salta, where the exceptional Torrontes wine is produced, a grape that runs second among favorite Argentine varieties and to Neuquen, a new wine frontier driven by the Patagonian winds whose productive power is being unlocked thanks to the latest technology. The route will make a stop in the classic winegrowing region of Mendoza where 70% of Argentinean wine is produced, cradle of some of the best examples of the famous Argentine Malbec the emblematic grape par excellence of Argentina.
“In 2007, we’ve seen an increase in the number of passengers who are going to Argentina not only from November to March, the biggest months, but throughout the entire year, attracted by the possibility of trying some of the world’s best wines,” Domenico Matinata, American Airlines’ regional director for South America, said.
In addition to learning about the art of wine visitors can get hands on experience by having harvesting and pruning the grapevines with their own hands, take Argentine cooking classes and tour the vineyards on foot, on horseback, by sulky or bicycle. Future visitors also will be able to ride through Mendoza province on the Wine Train.
Those who prefer peace and quiet will find amazing “wine spas,” with wine therapy treatments that include cleansing and hydration of the skin with creams derived from grapes, immersion baths (in tanks of wine!) and massage sessions with products that capitalize on the anti-oxidant properties of grapes. the possibility of making a quick getaway for a day of fishing, gold or rafting. The Argentine Wine Route truly offers a taste of the good life.
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