Updated March 2021
Wine tasting guide to Mendoza in Argentina
There’s a lot to love about Mendoza: the food, the culture, the people and of course, the wine. Use our Mendoza wine driving route guide as the ultimate resource.
Non-Spanish speakers do not need to fear, as many wineries are able to converse in English. However, if you’re looking to pick up some Español, we made a guide on how to learn any language in one month.
The Mendoza Wine Tasting Route
1. Maipú (2-3 days)
Maipú is where it all began for the Argentinian wine scene and thus, a good place to start your trip. It’s also the closest region to downtown Mendoza, which we recommend visiting for at least one dinner. See our full guide to Maipú.
2. Luján de Cuyo (1-2 days)
A smaller, more compact wine region than Maipu, so you can get away with just a day or two. However, there’s enough boutique winemakers and restaurants in this area to enjoy a longer stay.
If crunched for time, we recommend using Luján as a hub, exploring the other regions via day trips. Our tasting guide to the Luján de Cuyo region.
3. Uco Valley (2-3 days)
Beautiful winery hotels, high-elevation Malbecs and Cab Francs and a grip of fun outdoor activities; there’s a lot to like in Mendoza’s hip new(ish) wine region.
While the first two regions can be accessed via biking and public transit from the airport, you’ll need your own rental car (or a driver) to visit the Uco. Driving in this area is pretty straightforward with quality roads and sparse traffic (outside of the city center). See our full guide to Uco Valley here.
While you’re here
For many people, Argentina is a long, long flight. So here are some other trip ideas while you’re in the area:
- Buenos Aires / Santiago: You’ll likely fly into either one of these larger airports, so don’t miss a chance to spend some time enjoying them. Of the two, we’d recommend Buenos Aires. Nothing against Santiago, but there is much more to see and do in BA.
- Andes Mountains: Breathtaking drive or bus over this mountain range is the recommended route if headed to Chile. Flying is faster and bypasses the slow border immigration, but is obviously not as scenic.
- Valparaiso: If you do make it to Chile, take a bus or drive 1.5 hours west to this coastal town. Valparaiso is a chilly, hilly, artsy city with tons of great restaurants and bars featuring live music. Things get wild here for New Years — fireworks and parties galore. Viña del Mar is a neighboring beach town if you’re looking for something more relaxing.
- Cassablanca Wine Region: Located ~45 minutes inland from Valparaiso, this up and coming region sports some great value wines and solid tasting experiences. Our favorite is Kingston Family Vineyards.
- The W Trek: Much further south in Patagonia is an epic multi-day hike known as the “W Trek”. The “W” is for the shape of the route (those with more time can also do the “O”) and also because you’ll feel like a winner when conquering it. Make sure to book your housing (refugios) early, as they tend to fill up months in advance.
- Antarctica: If wildlife is your thing or just epic trips in general, why not check out the last continent? We did and it remains one of our favorite travel experiences. We booked through One Ocean Expedition and in addition to the many things they did well, they had a great wine list!
