Mendoza, Argentina: Wine Tour, Winery Dining

Stay at an estancia or bodega

I cannot recommend this experience enough. For a set price per person, anywhere from about $150 and up, you can stay at a working ranch or winery, get three fantastic meals per day, including wine parings from the bodegas, and enjoy activities set amid the gorgeous foothills of the Andes Mountain, such as horseback riding, jeep tours, treks or fishing. We stayed at the delightful and authentic El Puesto in Valle de Uco, a little more than an hour south of Mendoza, near Bodega Salentein (another highly recommended winery, but one for which we were not able to get reservations).

The owners Raúl and Raquel Labat are lovely hosts and made us feel right at home. El Puesto’s multitalented ranchhand, Cristobal, led us on a gorgeous horseback ride through the property, with stunning views of the Andes in the near distance, then returned to grill what was arguably the best meal of our entire vacation. (And because one of the Labat daughters works at Catena Zapata, we were able to enjoy its excellent wines with our lunch and dinner after all!) During the summer season, Raul also leads six-day horseback treks across the Andres and into Chile. I’m definitely putting that high on my list of activities for a return trip. Our stay was US$180 per person, plus $60 each for our hotel pick-up in Mendoza and drop-off the next day. Well worth it.

• At El Puesto, lunch is a meat feast, prepared outdoors in an Argentine grill.
• Donna M. Airoldi

Oh thank heaven for O. Fournier

On the opposite end of the spectrum compared to our initial wine-tasting experience, touring and dining at O. Fournier turned out to be bliss in the middle of nowhere. It took nearly an hour from El Puesto to reach its remote location in San Carlos. The ultra-modern buildings of O. Fournier, opened in late 2006, seem to rise out of the stark landscape like an alien spaceship, while most of the processing is done in state-of-the-art facilities underground, complete with stylized lighting and contemporary artwork hung throughout.

• At O. Fournier winery, the wine-pairing meals are indulgent, yet affordable.
• Donna M. Airoldi

The six-course lunch paired with its top-line wines (A$120/US$40) at the sleek Urban en O. Fournier—the bodega’s restaurant that sits over a man-made lake with floor-to-ceiling windows offering unblemished views of the Andes—was unparalleled: from potato croquettes paired with a 2006 Urban Uco sauvignon blanc, to a pea soup with tempura and ham paired with a good and dry B Cruz malbec and merlot blend, to the roast pork served with thinly sliced apples and a dollop of rich cream sauce with a hint of apricot paired with a 2004 Spiga from the owner’s vineyard in Spain. A simple but stunning dessert is vanilla ice cream covered in malbec served with a crisp sugar wafer.

The facilities include meeting and conference rooms, and limited lodging. Plans are in the works for a boutique hotel and spa. Sign me up now.