The Great SmoothRed South American Wine Adventure

Chile & Carmenere

Flying into Chile was our first treat. An hour away before landing, the pilot woke the whole plane up (even Adam in business class) and instructed everyone to raise their eye masks and look out the window at the Andes. The early morning sunlight glistened off the snow-capped mountains as the aircraft descended, which, even at 06:00 AM after a 12-hour flight, was jaw-dropping.

From Chile’s capital of Santiago, the Colchagua, Casablanca & Aconcagua Valleys are within easy reach, as well as the region of Maipo. Chile has its unique grape variety, Carmenere, which used to be one of the 6 original grape varieties of Bordeaux. In the mid-19th century, Carmenere cuttings were brought to Chile, where the region’s minimal rainfall prevented the widespread destruction caused by phylloxera elsewhere. As a result, the grape survived in Chile even as it nearly disappeared from its native France. However, its true identity wasn’t discovered until the late 20th century — before then, it was mistakenly labelled as “Chilean Merlot” or “Merlot Peumal”.

Today, the Chilean wine tourism industry is booming, with high-end retreats such as VIK Chile, Santa Rita and Matetic all offering luxury and comfort, as well as their own superb wines. Some wineries we recommend visiting for Chilean wine tours: Montes, Errazuriz & Kingston Winery — all offering exceptional tastings.

Mendoza & Malbec

A 30-minute flight over the beautiful Andes, and suddenly we found ourselves in Mendoza, home to over 75% of Argentina’s total vineyards. The region has such low rainfall that it is considered a “semi-arid desert”. As many will know, the most famous grape of the region is Malbec, characterised by its juicy black fruit flavour and a reputation for pairing exceptionally well with steak. Throughout our trip, we put this particular pairing to the test at some exceptional restaurants, including Zonda’s 9-course tasting menu and one of Francis Mallmann’s restaurants, Siete Fuegos.

Whilst Malbec is certainly the best-known grape variety from Mendoza wine country, the region’s freedom from European-style restrictive DOCs means that you could quite easily not touch a drop of it. Almost all estates have superb Cabernet Sauvignons & Cabernet Francs to try. A Canadian-owned boutique winery, Solo Contigo, offers some beautiful expressions of Grenache/Syrah/Mourvèdre & Monastrell, whilst Alfa Crux produces some delicious Tempranillo and even an orange Gewurztraminer.

There are of course, white grapes too, including Chardonnay and an Argentine grape, Torrontes! Whilst clearly food and wine is one of the region’s main attractions, all visitors to the region cannot escape the beauty of the Andes mountains that are a constant. If you’re interested in a room with a view during your Argentine wine vacation, our two highlights of the trip have to be getting up early and seeing the moon disappear behind the mountains at sunrise at the 5-star Entre Cielos and watching the sunset, sipping a glass of wine in front of an open fire at Cavas Wine Lodge.

Adventuring through Salta & The Northwest

A 2-hour direct flight from Mendoza saw us arrive at Argentina’s true hidden gem, Salta. Argentina is often stereotyped as being European, with a significant Italian, German and even Welsh diaspora (there are still 3 bilingual Welsh schools in the Chubut province of Argentina). However, the Salta wine region should be thought of as closer to South American indigenous culture with a vibrant mix of Diaguita, Calchaqui, Inca and Quechua influences mixed with Spanish colonial traditions, much like Bolivia, Peru & the north of Chile. The feel is very different.

None of us were particularly enthused about the prospect of a 3-hour drive south to the high-altitude wine region of Cafayate. However, the scenery as we drove through the Quebrada de la Conchas was unlike anything any of us had seen before and more than worth the drive. The giant cactuses set against the deep red of the mountains as we travelled through the gorge were other-worldly, dramatic and truly beautiful. Cafayate itself is a lovely relaxed colonial town full of charm and smiling locals.

Although not a particularly well-known wine-growing region internationally, Cafayate is famous for the local grape, Torrontes, which is particularly well-suited to the high altitude of the region. The flavour profile of Torrontes is highly aromatic and is therefore often compared to Gewurztraminer or Muscat, though Torrontes is mostly dry. Like the rest of Argentina, you’ll also find other international grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

We recommend visiting Yacochuya, a beautiful winery set at 2000 metres above sea level; Piatelli, for their modern, luxurious style and Porvenir, who have beautiful wines and also a secluded finca with exceptional views of the valley where we can arrange for a private chef to cook a unique Argentinean asado for you. Other regions of the northwest worth visiting for South American wine travel, through some more incredible scenery are Colomé, on Argentina’s Ruta 40, and Cachi, where you can visit a lovely local Bodega called Isasmendi. Relax after a quick tour of the winery and watch the sunset behind the Andes as you’re brought a sharing platter of local cheese & charcuterie, followed by some delicious empanadas!

Buenos Aires and Beyond

A two-hour flight from Salta took us to our final stop, Argentina’s incredible capital, Buenos Aires. We jumped straight into a fascinating city tour, taking in all of Argentina’s famous sites from the fashionable Recoleta, where you can visit Evita’s final resting place, San Telmo and its amazing market (best visited on a Sunday) though always serving some superb choripans (a bit like a hot-dog, but better), and the famous football-dominated neighbourhood of La Boca, as well as the colourful street of Caminito.

The city comes to life in the evening and if the idiosyncrasies of Argentina attract you, then look no further than a 9-course tasting menu at Fogon Asado, voted one of the best restaurants in the capital. Alternatively, we can get you a reservation at the Michelin-starred steakhouse, Don Julio. After dinner, there are one or two great bars we can recommend to finish your South American wine journey in style!

For those who have already been to Buenos Aires, we highly recommend spending some time in the Pampas region, about 100 km outside the capital where you can stay at a beautiful colonial-style estancia (an Argentinean ranch). Enjoy horse-drawn carriage rides, polo, biking and Gaucho shows, along with a traditional Argentine asado.