Wine tours in Argentina
Tailor-Made Wine Tours to Mendoza & Salta
Argentina is an essential destination for any wine lover. One of South America’s giants, this vast country boasts a staggering array of landscapes, incredible food and wine, a rich cultural heritage, and a fiery passion.
Tailormade Argentina wine tours with SmoothRed will take you from the famous vineyards of Mendoza to the high-altitude wineries of Salta and the Cafayate Valley. You’ll enjoy curated wine tours in Mendoza, visiting boutique wineries nestled in the foothills of the Andes and indulging in tutored tastings led by expert sommeliers. Stay in some of the country’s finest lodges and hotels, dine on gourmet cuisine and traditional asados, and experience the sultry magic of tango while gazing in awe at epic landscapes.
Popular Argentina Wine Country Experiences
These are simply handpicked suggestions for the kind of Argentina wine trip you might have. Yours will be tailored and refined until it matches you completely.
Featured Argentina itinerary
Why choose SmoothRed for your Argentina wine tour
We don’t do ‘off the shelf’ here at SmoothRed, so all our Argentina and Mendoza wine tours are created to suit your needs and budget, though our featured tours offer inspiration and guidance. Our South American travel specialists will listen carefully to what you want from your luxury wine tour in Argentina, and craft an itinerary to suit your level and taste.
You’ll learn how Argentina’s diverse terrain produces an array of world-class wines, from bold Malbec to Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and aromatic white Torrontés. With firsthand experience visiting hotels and wineries, we’ll arrange for private wine tours and exclusive tastings accompanied by expert sommeliers, while your knowledgeable guide will offer fascinating stories and valuable insight to Argentine wines and your surroundings.
More about Argentina
Of course, there’s more to Argentina than grapes alone. Vibrant cities, natural wonders, incredible wildlife, gaucho culture, streetside tango, and grills wafting the aroma of flame-grilled steak come together to form a truly unforgettable cultural journey – and memories to last a lifetime.
Keep reading for a few of our South American travel specialists’ highlights or check out our Argentina Travel and Wine Guide for a more in-depth look at the country’s wine and gastronomy.
Mendoza Wine Tours
Mendoza is the pinnacle of Argentina’s wine production, responsible for nearly 70% of the country’s wine output and home to some of the most acclaimed vineyards in South America.
Its high-altitude, abundant sunshine, and Andean glacial waters are ideal for producing bold, expressive wines. Most famous are, of course, Malbecs, alongside elegant Cabernet Francs and aromatic Torrontés.
A Mendoza wine tour will take you to both historic estates and boutique wineries, set against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains and vine-clad valleys. For the actively incline, cycling Mendoza’s vineyards offers a great new perspective.
Salta Wine Tours
It’s an unexpected juxtaposition to see cacti in the midst of a vineyard! In Salta, nestled in the Calchaquí Valley in Argentina’s remote Northwest corner, you’ll experience just that while exploring rust-red valleys and cardón-studded vineyards.
What’s more, Salta and Cafayate are home to the world’s highest commercial vineyards, reaching over 3,000 metres above sea level. Diverse terroir, low humidity and cool Andes winds combine to create an ideal climate for sustainable and distinctive winemaking. The high altitude vineyards and large amounts of sunlight give grapes grown here particularly intense flavours and complexity.
This natural diversity of the landscape and its effect on the region’s wine make a striking contrast to the vineyards and wines of Mendoza. For this reason, we always recommend combining the two regions for a truly nuanced wine tour of Argentina!
Argentina's Natural Wonders
Extending over 3,694 km from north to south, no wonder Argentina boasts plenty of natural wonders. Three of them are listed as UNESCO Word Heritage Sites.
The Iguazu National Park is renowned for the spectacular beauty and power of the Iguazu Falls. Surrounded by lush tropical forests, they are home to a diverse range of wildlife.
Quebrada de Humahuaca follows the line of a major cultural route, the Camino Inca in the north of the country. The vibrant cultural festivals in the homonymous city match with the Hill of Seven Colours located in the western branch of the Quebrada.
The Glaciers National Park is an area of exceptional natural beauty, with rugged, towering mountains and numerous glacial lakes. By visiting the renowned Glaciar Perito Moreno, you have the chance to walk over the glacier, sip some whisky with glacial ice and, if you’re lucky enough, witness ice chunks breaking off!
Experience gaucho culture
Besides the vibrant cities, Argentine countryside finds green plains where to experience the gaucho culture.
Stay in estancias and relax with the peaceful backdrop of chirping birds, sunny days, stables and colonial style farmhouses. Indulge in a typical asado and learn the culture around mate. This herbal drink prepared in a mate gourd is the protagonist in gatherings, the ice breaker for long pleasant conversations.
Enjoy folk dances and guitar songs by a firepit, horseback riding or carriage rides, and cheer for your favourite team while watching national equestrian sports such as the pato.
We craft each itinerary just for you. Contact our Travel Designers to plan an unforgettable journey.
Start planningExpert answers to common questions about Argentina
What is the best time of year to visit Mendoza?
While Argentina is a great year-round destination, the best times of year to visit Mendoza on a wine tour tends to be in either South America’s Spring (September to November) and Autumn (March to May). Spring is a great time to see the landscape come to life and vineyards into bud, while Autumn brings richly coloured foliage and the grape harvest. In Summer, expect balmy temperatures around 32° Celsius — a perfect respite from the northern hemisphere’s winter!
Can you stay at a vineyard in Mendoza?
You can absolutely stay at a vineyard in Mendoza and other wine regions in Argentina! Our Where to Stay in Argentina page lists a few of our favourite boutique vineyard hotels, such as Cavas Wine Lodge and Entre Cielos.
Which Argentinian wine region is the best?
Argentina’s main wine regions are Mendoza and Salta and which is best is entirely subjective and down to personal preference! Mendoza is world-renowned as being the world capital of Malbec wine, as well as opportunities for adventurous outdoor activities, all against the scenic backdrop of the Andes. Further North, Salta is better known for aromatic Torrontés white wines and semi-arid, red-rock landscapes. We recommend combining both for a nuanced and comprehensive wine tour through Argentina.
Is Malbec better from Chile or Argentina?
There is no single answer to whether Malbec is better from Chile or Argentina, rather it depends on personal taste. With a warmer, inland climate Argentinian Malbec tends to be fuller-bodied, tannic and with richer, more complex black fruit notes. Meanwhile, with it’s Pacific coastal climate, Chilean Malbec tends to be a bit lighter with brighter acidity and red fruit notes. If you’d like to try both firsthand, check out our Ultimate South American Wine Tour: Chile and Argentina!
What wine is Salta known for?
Salta is known for Torrontés wine — Argentina’s flagship white made from the Torrontés Riojano grape. This is an early-ripening grape, which grows particularly well in Salta’s cooler, high-altitude vineyards. It produces a fresh and aromatic white wine, moderately acidic, floral on the nose and balanced with stone fruit flavours like peach and apricot.
Is Salta in Argentina worth visiting?
Salta in Northwest Argentina is absolutely worth visiting — particularly for wine lovers. This region boasts the world’s highest altitude vineyards and a unique climate and environment that produce phenomenal wines. The semi-arid landscapes of the Calchaquí Valley (home to Salta and Cafayate) are unlike many other wine regions and entirely unforgettable.
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