Mendoza

---

It's grape harvest time in Mendoza, where most of Argentina's wine (which is a lot) is produced.The city of Mendoza is attractive: wide, leafy boulevards and no less than five plazas. This sunny region at the foot of the Andes has thousands of acres of vines, interspersed with grey-green olive trees (the region produces over 60% of Argentina's olive oil as well). By a happy coincidence we arrived at the start of the annual wine festival. We tried last year's Malbec with yet another huge slab of grilled Argentinian beef before strolling back towards our hotel. When we reached the Plaza Independicia there was a huge stage set up, with lights and TV screens. We joined the thousand or so people in the plaza to listen to a full orchestra playing a selection of favourite classics, and from time to time a soprano sang arias from Italian operas. It was 10.00 p.m., and all around us there were families sitting or standing in little groups, listening to the music: grandmothers, young parents, babies and children of all ages. It was all very easy and good-natured, ending after 11.00 with a spectacular firework display. Wine is big here, and it might not be such fun for teetotalers, but happily we're not. Tomorrow we cross the Andes into Chile by bus, so more later.

---

Photos

French/American oak barrels
At least 6 months in these for all wines, and up to 2 years for reservas.

At Vistandes winery
If you look hard, you can see the Andes in the background

Comments

[dianne Bret Harte]

adelante!
I hope you saw a statue and heard the song of the Virgen de la Carrodilla, patroness of the vineyard. She is surrounded by bunches of grapes, a press, bottles, etc., and thus her song is quite lyrical! I see you experienced torrontes and hope you also tried bonarda, said to be the new malbec. Keep all this good stuff coming: Argentina and Chile being the homeland of my forebears, I love every posting!