Ready to find out why I keep coming back to Mendoza? Hint: It’s not just wine country. Mendoza, Argentina, is a beautiful city just east of the Andes mountains. Besides all of the breathtaking sites and activities you’ll read about below, Mendoza is full of kind, friendly people. It’s the perfect place to go when you need to slow down and experience some of the best that Argentina has to offer.
Wine Tastings & Vineyard Surprises
I’m sitting at a table in a quaint vineyard called Casa Bermellon. The waiter graciously describes details about the history of a bottle of malbec, which go in one ear and out the other as I watch him open it. I know I’m in for a treat. In all my time spent in Mendoza, I never tasted bad wine. It’s known as wine country, and for good reason! I was told there are over a thousand vineyards in Mendoza province.
On a girls’ weekend in Mendoza, we couldn’t help but do a day trip to another vineyard called Viamonte. To our surprise, we stumbled upon a wedding reception in progress there. The live music and festive energy made our time in the winery even more memorable. Tasting wines from Cabernet Sauvignon to Cabernet Franc, and the classic Mendoza choice of Malbec, paired with fresh cheese or a light dessert, was a treat to say the least.
Food, Alfajores, and Nights on Arístides
Unfortunately for my health, I simply can’t get enough of alfajores: the magical Argentinian treat that is, in my humble opinion, the best dessert/snack/breakfast/comfort food in the world. Going to Mendoza, for me, is synonymous with eating alfajores, buying alfajores, and hoarding as many I can into my suitcase and with me wherever my next destination is.
The other thing about Mendoza? The food. Milanesas (breaded meat cutlets), asados (meat slow-cooked over a wood fire), empanadas mendocinas, and Italian food like they serve it in Italy. Don’t get me started on the other desserts. I tried dulce de leche on just about everything, and sampled helado (ice cream) in countless artesanal ice cream shops.
Whenever I wanted a night out, it was far too easy to have a good time on Aristides Villanueva. Walking down this lively street, you’ll find outdoor seating at bars and restaurants filled to the brim with good-humored locals and tourists alike. In every season, I found Aristides to be busy as ever on any given night, but especially weekends.
Hiking the Foothills of the Andes
I can’t say enough about the beauty you can behold in the Andes mountains. You can reach them in about an hour and a half’s drive from Mendoza city. And they’re always in the distant backdrop, which for me is tantalizing. I’ve been on several mountain hikes around Potrerillos Reservoir, all with some unique twists and turns in the trails.
What’s there to see on these hikes? Well, besides stunning views of the surrounding mountaintops, I was lucky to catch glimpses of tiny lizards and field mice scurrying on the ground, plus giant condors soaring overhead. I always wear long pants and long sleeves; the terrain is sharp and desert-like, full of cactuses and other spikey plants, and the sun normally beats down relentlessly.
High-Altitude Scuba Diving
Would you be up for scube dive in 10 degree C / 50 degree F water? I was! I jumped at the opportunity to do my first high-altitude scuba dive in the peaceful waters of Portrerillos Reservoir. It was a full Saturday; the day started around 9:00 am with a strong coffee, and our diving group carpooled over to Portrerillos. We armored up against the frigid water with semi-dry suits, 5mm gloves, and socks plus booties.
Dropping below the surface, I saw… not much, honestly! Clear, obscure turquoise-brown waters with a soft blanket of dirt on the bottom, layered with algae and speckled with dead tree branches. But the sensation of being submerged with fellow passionate divers was satisfying enough. And we bumped into an unexpected sighting: there’s a small statue of the Virgin Mary down there, and apparently, it’s quite rare for divers to find her. So rare, in fact, that our dive made the local Mendoza news, showing one diver’s GoPro footage of the dark waters with the statue lit up by our torches.
The Art & Ritual of the Asado
Asados aren’t just meals in Argentina; they’re rituals, an integral part of social gatherings. An excuse to savor the time spent overwatching the asado just as much as you savor the tender meat that results from it.
I’m incredibly grateful to have had the experience of watching and learning the methodology behind creating the perfect asado. The process involves creating wooden charcoals by burning logs and carefully spreading them out underneath the grill rack. Salt the cut of meat front and back, throw it on the grill, and wait. And wait. Flip it, wait some more. Time expands, conversations flow, and believe me, the wait is worth it.
Mendoza: Delicious Bites, Unbeatable Nature, & Tasty Wine
Mendoza might be famous for its wine, but the experiences I had in Mendoza province extend far beyond the colorful, expansive vineyards. They run deep below the surface of Portrerillos Dam, high above the cloudline in Vallecitos Valley. They circulate the unique cafes and dessert shops and steakhouses of the city streets. Perhaps most importantly, my Mendoza experiences remain alive in the generous people I got to know there and relationships that will extend across borders, always ready to be rekindled over the flames of a long-awaited asado.
