Life's a blast in Mendoza, Argentina's wine capital! Did you know that this sunny, mild climate produces three quarters of Argentina's wine?
If you're a wine and nature lover then head to the delightful region of Lujan de Cuyo, about 20km from Mendoza. With my helmet on and map to hand, I loved cycling through the vineyards around Mendoza, where I visited wine cellars and got to taste some great Argentinian vintages. Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah... It's not called the 'wine route' for nothing!
I can highly recommend the Melipal and Achaval Ferrer cellars. But don't go overboard! The idea is to taste the wine - you'll need to be sober enough to return to Mendoza in one piece.
The most popular way of touring the Wine Route in Argentina is by bike. Obviously the country has other wine producing regions, but the best known is the area around Mendoza. And you'll quickly understand why! Firstly, the wines produced here have a global reputation. Secondly, the countryside is incredible...vineyards stretch across the horizon against an Andean backdrop; clear blue sky meets snowy peaks.
I'd already toured the area by bike - a tipsy experience in the Uco Valley - so this time around I decided to go directly to a selection of wine cellars close to Mendoza. Being French, I couldn't help but compare the wines to my local Medoc vintages and I was very pleasantly surprised! Lujan de Cuyo has a wide range of wine cellars, from small vineyards to huge, ultra-modern producers. As for the visits, they were excellent. The wine experts and guides really took a pleasure in their jobs.