Urban Travel Girl

Doing the Argentine ‘wine thing’ in lovely Mendoza

November 29, 2010

Driving up to the gorgeous Club Tapiz in the Mendoza province is a lovely experience in itself. And staying at this working vineyard is a treat beyond words.

Vineyards like these that supply Tapiz and Zolo wines (the latter are sold in the United States) re seemingly everywhere in the lovely province of Mendoza.

Ahhh... the good life, Mendoza style. The outdoor pool at Club Tapiz features a backdrop of lush vineyards. Who'd want to go home after this?

I’ve already declared my blind love for Buenos Aires, but there’s another fabulous part of Argentina that’s a must-see: the gorgeous wine-producing province of Mendoza. Located in the north-western part of this massive South American country, Mendoza’s most famous export is Malbec, a medium-to-full-bodied red wine that’s a perfect complement to Argentina’s legendary beef. And while the Malbec grape originated in southern France, it’s certainly got strong Argentine roots today.

While in Mendoza earlier this month, I was the guest of Club Tapiz, an incredibly gorgeous vineyard/winery/restaurant/hotel in the town of Maipú. With seven gorgeous rooms—many of which look out onto the property’s back garden and swimming pool—Club Tapiz is the perfect destination for oenophiles, or anyone else interested in the art of living and dining well. Its award-winning, 19^th century restored estate is surrounded by 22 acres of vineyards—making its Tapiz and Zolo wines taste that much better with artful cuisine from its Terruños Restaurant. Housed right on the property, this elegant dining space provided me with one of the most succulent steaks I’ve ever had. And with trees right on the property, the restaurant served Tapiz olive oil alongside it—TRUE nectar of the gods, an extra-virgin oil so deliciously fruity I almost wanted to pour it into a wine glass and drink it.

But while I was off galavanting in the Argentine wine country, I realized that I missed a November event that’s become a personal favorite of mine: the release of Beaujolais Nouveau, a wonderfully light and fruity red wine which comes from a region of France just north of gastronomically blessed Lyon. This isn’t an expensive wine (most bottles are under $20), or one that’s given much love by connoisseurs—but that doesn’t keep Beaujolais from being beloved by wine drinkers all over the world. Under mandate of French law, Beaujolais Nouveau cannot officially be released until the third Thursday of November. And if I’d been home in Chicago, I would have celebrated with the French-American Chamber of Commerce of Chicago at its annual “Passport to France” event celebrating Beaujolais Nouveau’s uncorking.

Since I’d love to check out as many wine-producing regions of the world as possible, perhaps next year I’ll plan to travel to the Beaujolais region myself. If I’m feeling particularly adventurous, perhaps I’ll check out car rentals in France. Otherwise, I’d better hook up with a wine tour that specializes in the region—or pre-arrange transportation from one vineyard to another, as I was fortunate enough to have provided by my hosts in Mendoza.

Two and a half days weren’t NEARLY enough to sample the joys of this gorgeous wine region. On my next trip to Buenos Aires—and we all know there WILL be a next one, and hopefully by next spring—you can believe I’ll be booking longer reservations in Mendoza. And if I’m lucky, I’ll time my trip perfectly enough to help with the harvest at Club Tapiz or another nearby vineyard. Now THAT’S work I won’t mind doing!

Filed under: Uncategorized

Tags: Argentina, Beaujolais Nouveau, Buenos Aires, Club Tapiz, French-American Chamber of Commerce of Chicago, Lyon, Maipu, Malbec, Mendoza, Passport to France, South American, Terrunos Restaurant, vineyards, wine, Zolo