Ask anybody about wine and tourism in Argentina and they will likely name Mendoza. But the province of Salta is going head to head with its southern sister, and its excellent wines and growing tourism infrastructure are putting it on ever more equal footing.

Things are still more rustic than in Mendoza, something that arguably adds to the desert provinces’ charms – there is much less of a circus feel to the tourism. However, this also makes it a little harder to figure out – things are not as well signposted, roads are generally not paved… but if you’re looking for a bit of a red-rock adventure, combining stunning scenery with fine wines, it could be worth putting a week aside and heading north west.

Photo by Jorge Gobbi

9 de Julio Plaza in downtown Salta

Salta capital

Stunning colonial architecture and cobblestone streets add to the charm of this provincial capital and make it worth hanging around for a day or two. Wander the central square, Plaza 9 de Julio, and take in the cathedral where you will likely be shocked at the amount of gold on display in the poor province. Check out the Virgin de Milagro, the centrepiece of the biggest religious procession in the country outside of Luján, where thousands convene on the capital to participate in the walk every September.

But if there is only time for one stop off, the Museo de Arqueología de Alta Montaña, also on Plaza 9 de Julio, is a must-see. The museum is host to three child mummies found in the alitplano just a few years ago. The eerie atmosphere goes some way to preparing you for the sight of the mummies at the end of a walk through the history of the province and Incan traditions, but only just – the mummies are so well preserved you really do find yourself face to face with a dead child of yesteryear, a fascinating – if somewhat stomach-turning – sight.

When time comes to leave, the main tourist information drag is on calle Buenos Aires, running a couple of blocks from the plaza. It is possible to book all manner of tours in the numerous agencies there, and also hire cars, the most recommended way to see the province and get off the beaten track. And if there are two of you or more, hiring a car proves to be a budget option in comparison to the whistle-stop day trips, as well as giving you the freedom to explore. Expect to pay from $150 per day.

The province is the shape of a crescent moon, and the low-lying east and north is traditionally more tropical, although most of the province is no longer virgin forest, but has been torn up for agriculture, namely soya plantations. The main tourism – and wine – circuit runs in a loop south and west of the capital, taking in colonial villages, the traveller’s hub of Cafayate and the famous Ruta 40.

Photo by Kristie Robinson

Cacti in Cachi

Cachi

Lying around three hours south-west of Salta up in the pre-cordillera is Cachi, a white-washed, cobblestoned colonial village. The drive there is a trip in itself, as after an hour or so, the landscape changes from the plateau south of Salta, becoming more rugged and hilly. Then it is time to traverse the quebrada with its hairpin bends and deep ravines, combined with striking views of the river weaving along the bottom of the valley down below, surrounded by cacti as you touch on Parque Nacional los Cardones.

After three hours of mostly dirt roads, a beer may be called for upon arrival in Cachi, which would be the perfect way to relax into the slower pace the village requires. Serene and calm (until the day-trippers arrive) with buckets of charm, there is little to do but eat and drink whilst browsing the local wares. If doing nothing is not your thing, there are a few sights to be seen, from the ruins that are a short walk out of the town, to driving the Cachi Adentro circuit, a route of around 15km that takes you higher up to give a stunning panorama of the valley below.

When the time comes to move on, head south onto the famed Ruta 40 (Argentina’s Route 66, running the length of the country) and don’t be surprised that it is not much more than a dirt track. Parts of the road are paved, parts are not, and many see this as adding to the adventure. In Salta the majority falls into the latter category, so prepare for a bumpy ride.

Photo by Rafa Lopez Binaghi

Oldest vines in Argentina

Photo courtesy of Estancia Colomé

Poolside at the Estancia

Wine country

If only one bodega makes it onto your list, the must-see is Colomé. It’s not exactly on the beaten track, but that’s why you’re in Salta and not Mendoza, right? And the vineyard is a plethora of superlatives, hosting the highest vines in the world (lying at 3,111 metres above sea level) and whilst being the oldest vineyard in Argentina, built in 1831. In addition, the wines are all ‘biodynamic’ (organic).

The height of the vines, combined with the range in temperatures the desert location entails, makes for unique growing conditions.

Purchased by the Hess Group in 2001, the bodega has undergone a transformation and is now producing internationally respected wines as well as hosting a boutique hotel for those who feel like splashing out. But even if you just want to visit for a couple of hours, the detour is worth it – like many things in Salta, half of the experience is getting there, winding red dirt roads through rocky landscape eventually lead to the oasis-like bodega. And there are hotels to suit all budgets in Molinos, the closest town.

The difficult location adds some other unique qualities: the bodega could almost be described as self-sufficient – there is a small farm where most of the food used in the restaurant is grown and reared. This means the freshest products are used to accompany tastings, ensuring the gastronomy compliments the wines on offer.

If you have the palette for white wines, be sure to try Salta’s signature white: Torrontés. Or if red is more to your taste, the Syrah at Colomé can only be tried or purchased at the bodega or in the estancia, so it is worth tasting as you’ll probably never get the chance again.

The most recent addition to the site is the James Turrell Contemporary Art Museum, which opened earlier this year. The galley was built specifically as a project to house Turrell’s vast light installations, making for an interactive exhibition that uses lights to play on the senses through nine works that span the length of the artist’s career.

Leaving the delights of Colomé behind, it is time to cross the desert and head south to the buzzing tourist town of Cafayate. The Ruta 40 will again feature in the journey, weaving unpaved through moon-like landscape and giant rock formations, before flattening out in the approach to Cafayate.

Photo by Rafa Lopez Binaghi

Quebrada de las Conchas

Cafayate

Cafayate is the jumping off point for most of the vineyards and also for the Quebrada de las Conchas, also known as Quebrada de Cafayate.

Encircled by bodegas, you could spend days getting sloshed in the surrounds, hiring a bike to meander slowly from a Malbec to a Torrontés. And as the tourism is taking off, so the wines from the region are improving. A lot of investment has gone into the area in recent years, and improved technology and oenologists from Mendoza now feature at many of the big label vineyards.

Bodega El Esteco and the luxurious Patios de Cafayate Hotel and Spa are an example of this change. Sitting just on the edge of Cafayate, the whitewashed bodega and affiliated hotel are prime examples of this move upmarket. While a night in one of the 30 exclusive rooms may not be in your budget, a tour of the bodega including a tasting will set you back just a couple of pesos. The Don David Malbec is worth a try and at under $30 a bottle it is perhaps worth investing in a bottle or two.

The road back north to Salta takes you through the Quebrada de las Conchas. The best time for the light to catch the canyon’s walls is in the morning, so set off early and take in the two highlights at the upper end of the quebrada – the Amphitheatre and the Garganta del Diablo – two giant formations to be explored. And if you’re lucky, there will be some local musicians testing out the acoustics in the Amphitheatre.

Alternatively, if you have more time, you can hire a bike in Cafayate and get a bus to the Garganta del Diablo, before riding the 70km (mostly downhill) back to the town.

And when you have drank your fill and taken in more rock formations than most geologists, it may be time to move on… perhaps heading back up to Salta, or perhaps south to Tucumán…

El Bordo de las Lanzas

If you don’t feel like staying in the bustle of Salta capital, an option lying just north-east of the city is El Bordo de las Lanzas, one of the oldest estancias in Argentina. Dating back to 1609, it was built by the mother of General Güemes’, a local hero from Argentina’s independence.

The estancia runs over 2,500 hectares, much of which has been left as an uncultivated reserve, although the estancia is a working farm. El Bordo also boasts a yacaré (alligator) reserve, hosting 80 of the reptiles that arrived there years ago and decided to make the spot their home.

If horse riding and the country life are what you are after, this is a beautiful – and surprisingly green – alternative for a day or so, and very removed from the desert like south-west of the city.

Photo courtesy of El Bordo de las Lanzas

Estancia

Photo by Lindsey Hoshaw

Picking up right where we left off: if you looked at the wine, discerning its colour (the ‘eye’) and smelled the wine (‘nose’), deciding whether you liked it and whether you could put any descriptors on it, it is time to put the wine in your mouth.

Duh.

The mouth, clearly, is the most important aspect of wine, as wine is meant to be drunk not just looked at and smelt. Here you have two of the five senses acted upon in unison: taste and touch. The taste of the wine, again, is pretty straightforward: do you like the taste or not? Finding ‘pistachio shell’ or ‘freesia’ in the wine is absolutely unnecessary when it comes to enjoyment but may be fun as you progress in your wine knowledge and development of your palate.

The touch or feel of a wine breaks down into two components: the weight and the texture. With respect to the weight, a continuum exists that runs from light to heavy; in other words the question is: “Is the wine more like water (light body) or more like whole milk (full body)?” In the texture category you have a continuum that runs from harsh/abrasive/tannic to supple/velvety/soft. Does it feel like the wine cleans out your mouth like a sponge (or even more harshly like steel-wool) or does the wine gently massage your palate and feel like you are bathing your tongue in silk. Needless to say, unoaked whites like Torrontés or Pinot Gris are said to be much lighter than Chardonnay, particularly oaked Chardonnay, which will be much lighter than reds, especially Malbec, Syrah and Cabernet.

As promised, this leads us to the fifth and final sense, rounding out wine’s ability to satisfy all five senses: hearing. How does one hear a wine? Quite simply, tilt your head to the side, raise your glass to your ear and listen… Do you hear that?

(…Sucker)

In all seriousness, hearing the wine is a symbolic gesture done when all present raise their glasses, touch them together creating that clinking sound and say the word “Cheers!” or “Salud!” or “Prost!” or “Sköl!” or “Kampai!” or “Tchim-tchim!”or “Nazdraví!” or “Slainte!” or “L’Chaim!” and then drink together. Clearly, this is an important aspect of drinking since nearly every culture has its own way of expressing the sharing of good drink together.

Wine is meant to be shared with people and this final step in the wine ritual is evidence of that. How wonderful! So email me and we’ll crack open a bottle or two…

Daniel Karlin is founder of Anuva Vinos, a premium wine club that hand sources limited production wines from Argentina. He makes his home in Buenos Aires where he offers wine tastings to visitors from all parts. www.anuvawines.com

Photo by Lindsey Hoshaw

I asked myself the question: “Could I truly recommend a good wine for under 15 pesos?”

The answer espouses my wine philosophy: yes, because taste, by definition is subjective. I, for one, find very few wines that please my wholly pompous palate at that price. Why? Certain things like the expression, character and texture of a wine simply improve exponentially with the use of better starting material (denser grapes: virtues to be explained at a later date) and more sound winemaking practices like hand harvesting (virtues to be explained at a later date).

Having reached a certain level of wine snobbery myself, choosing a good table wine can be just as hard if not harder that choosing a good premium or ultra-premium wine, especially since there are so many of them out there. Here are some commonly found wines on your local supermarket shelves that all cost less than $15.

Weinart Carrascal. $15. This wine has a decent nose for those of you who like a bit of brett in your wine (think stinky French wine). Smooth enough and easy to drink. Decent fruit but not fruit forward. Acidic finish.

Trapiche Malbec. $10.90. A better nose but one that dissipates quite quickly: sweet and fruity at the onset but after a few minutes the smell simply disappears. Tart cherry flavour and somewhat fruity in the mouth. Not so acidic on the finish.

Quara Malbec. $12.98. Deepest, nicest, most appropriate colour. No notable nose. Heavier and fuller. More tannic. Nice and rich. This is a more aggressive wine that actually displays some aspects of its Salteño terroir. I would rank this as #2 in this group. People who do not like somewhat harsh and aggressive wines should stay away from this, though.

San Felipe 12 Uvas. $11.90. No notable colour or smell. Acidic finish. No real flavour. Not flawed just no personality. Dull. Not horrible.

Callia Shiraz-Bonarda. $13.49. Best smell but dissipates quickly also. Somewhat floral in the nose. Fruity in the mouth with an earthy finish. Very pleasurable. 1st place. Callia by the way has been noted by many of my professional wine colleagues as certainly one of the best inexpensive wines in Argentina.

Graffigna Malbec-Syrah. $12.64. Acceptable nose. Fairly generic table wine although I did find this wine to be remotely pleasing. If I had to pick a different 2nd place wine because of the fact that it’s more generic I would pick this one.

Please forgive the hoity-toity attitude. I do recommend the Callia most out of this group and will be doing a taste comparison of this Callia with other Callia blends at the same price level. I will also compare these wines with other wines at the same price level as there are certainly tonnes of other wines out there in this price range that are sure to have many redeeming qualities.

Daniel Karlin is founder of Anuva Vinos, a premium wine club that hand sources limited production wines from Argentina. He makes his home in Buenos Aires where he offers wine tastings to visitors from all parts. www.anuvawines.com

Photo courtesy of O’Fournier

You arrive in Mendoza. You know nothing about wine, other than you like drinking it, and the number of bodegas to visit is mind-boggling.

Even worse, they are all coming up with more and more creative ideas to make you visit their bodega above the rest, and all of them sound tempting. Add the tour companies that are springing up all over the place, promising to take you around 17 bodegas in under three hours and your head might just explode.

Let us help break it down for you.

It is not really necessary to be carted around like cattle on a tour bus – you can easily visit the bodegas yourself with the help of a hire car, and a decent map. This is also the best way to explore the region, and allows you to stop for an afternoon snooze at the side of one of the sycamore-tree-lined roads.

Geographically the main areas for visiting wineries are Maipú, just 20 minutes south-east of the city of Mendoza, Lujan de Cuyo, around half an hour south-west of the city, and Valle de Uco, a couple of hours drive south along the Ruta 40.

The bodegas are notoriously badly signposted, and with the distances – and drinking – involved, it is wise to seriously consider which ones are worth the visit, and not over-fill your day. You’re supposed to be on holiday, remember! We have picked a handful of bogedas to give you a good overview of the range on offer.

Photo courtesy of O’Fournier

First stop should be Catena Zapata bodega, in Lujan de Cuyo. One of the oldest bodegas, this is a good place to start, and the setting is stunning. The bodega itself is styled on a Mayan temple, and the views of the Andes from the top of the pyramid are a treat.

As the tours are group-based, rather than private, I would advise doing this tour near the beginning of your stay, as, although it gives you all the background information you will need on winemaking, it does little to stray from the classic tour.

However, due to the location and setting, and the fact that it produces some of the region’s finest wines, it really should be visited, especially if you are short on time, as it provides you with everything you need to know.

Photo courtesy of Ruca Malen

Around the corner from Catena Zapata is Ruca Malen. A new vineyard, it can’t market itself on the history or architecture that Catena Zapata can. However, it has something else to offer the visitor that should not be missed: the degustación (tasting) lunch.

The fact that wine is generally enjoyed with food is something a few of the vineyards have been quick to take advantage of, realising a good lunch is a sure-fire way to get the tourists in if you don’t have the history or architecture, or a well-known brand of wine.

Ruca Malen is a perfect example of a bodega which has done just that, and done it very well. The concept is five courses, with white or lighter red wines to accompany the first courses, ending with a crescendo of rouge, usually accompanying a good slab of steak, in the form of the bodega’s signature malbec.

Lunch is preceded by a tour, but it doesn’t mess around – and let’s face it, we were all there for the food anyway.

After a snooze under the sycamores,

Photo courtesy of Club Tapiz

Club Tapiz

finish off the day with a visit to Tapiz, where Carolina will bowl you over with her energy. Despite the fact that we were probably her 42nd tour that day, she was as fresh as if it had been her first. And this lady knows her stuff. We visited the vines and got to see the grapes, so we could compare leaves and sizes, helping us understand the wine making process further. We saw the difference between oak from the US and from France, and how they change the flavour of the wine. Carolina’s energy and encyclopaedic knowledge, meant this tour was definitely worth a visit.

If you’re looking for somewhere to stay or dine afterwards, affiliated Club Tapiz in neighbouring Maipu is a great option for accommodation. Complete with pool and mini-spa, the simple stylish feel of this place is perfect for relaxing after a hard day of drinking. And if you can fit in more food, dinner in the old restaurant is the perfect way to finish off a day. The views from the first floor dining room are a highlight.

Photo courtesy of O’Fournier

O’Fournier

After such wine-riddled first day, a drive along Ruta 40, Argentina’s Route 66, will clear your head and take you south to Valle de Uco for your second day. A couple of hours south, these vineyards are at higher altitude making for an entirely different grape.

However, as you already know the basics by now, head to a place where a bit of extra knowledge will go the extra mile.

After a couple of hours drive, and a right-hand turn along the way, the remarkable architecture of O’Fournier vineyard will rise out of the ground to greet you. Looking like the baddie from a James Bond film’s lair, the architecture seems odd at first. Until it is explained to you that is.

This modern bodega has thought out everything to make the building work in harmony with the landscape. The barrel basement has an art exhibition, and the more you learn about the design of the bodega the more it makes sense – gravity is used wherever possible, from the crushing of the grapes to the slightly sloping floor to allow water to run off more easily. The concrete pillars are used to house barrels, the cement keeping the temperature steady. And then the degustación lunch – the food, like the wine, is simply stunning. You’ll be arguing over who has to drive after this one, as the wine that complements the lunch is too drinkable.

After such a taxing couple of days, relaxation is probably required, and the perfect place to chill out is nearby, towards the north of Valle de Uco, up in the Andean foothills.

Estancia El Puesto, where Raul and his team will cater to your every need, is a little haven away from talk of barrels, oak ageing and the like. Fresh mountain air with a stream running past the front door, this truly is an escape. The decoration perfectly balances sleek modernity with rustic design, with the small touches, such as the dried flowers on your napkins, making all the difference. While away the hours flipping through Raul’s photo albums and listening as he explains the history of the region, or reading a book whilst eating homemade pastries and drinking steaming coffee. Or homemade casserole and red wine. Or homemade cake and champagne. Yes, the food is delicious, and you can expect to be spoilt.

The next day you can truly enter into the spirit of the country by going for a horseback ride with Raul and his right hand man, Cristobal. The horses are used to all levels of riders, and are good-mannered and docile. Riding with them is the best way to see the surrounding countryside, and with treks available lasting from just two hours to a week or more, you can explore and get as saddle-sore as much as you wish.

When you can’t take the silence anymore, have read all of your books, and eaten your fill, escape back to the bustle of Mendoza city and perhaps head to The Vines of Mendoza. A wine bar in the truest sense, The Vines offers most of the region’s best wines, and have tasting menus in different price brackets to cater for all budgets. They also host cheese and wine nights and other events throughout the week. It is a perfect place to socialise whilst getting your palate around the wines from all the vineyards you didn’t get to.

Before you leave though, there is one more stop worth making. Set aside either a morning and lunch, or afternoon and dinner for a bodega in the city. Yes, Escorihuela Gascón, one of the oldest bodegas in the region, used to be in the country, but has now been consumed by the sprawling suburbs.

This place is all about the history – we all know how wine is made by this stage (although the tours are generally private, so you can go over it all again if you wish). The giant old carved oak barrel and black and white photos of how the bodega used to be are highlights.

Follow this tour with lunch in adjoining 1884, top Argentine chef Francis Mallmann’s signature restaurant. Set around a beautiful courtyard, the interior decoration compliments the garden views. The menu is pure exuberance, and the selection of Escorihuela Gascón’s finest wines complement the divine dishes, often Argentine takes on French-style cuisine.

At lunch the restaurant is very relaxing, although perhaps a little quiet – it is at night when the place really gets going. As it is right in the city, there can be no reason not to head down there and give yourself one more hangover, before the detox begins.

We hired a car to get around the region, but if that does not take your fancy, Tasting Mendoza can help you plan a tailor-made tour – not just around the vineyards, but to the regions other delights, such as Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in the Americas. For more information please visit www.tastingmendoza.com

For more information on the places mentioned in this article please visit:

Catena Zapata: www.catenazapata.com

Ruca Malen: www.bodegarucamalen.com

Club Tapiz: www.tapiz.com.ar

O’Fournier: www.ofournier.com

Escorihuela Gascón: www.escorihuela.com.ar

Estancia El Puesto: www.estanciaelpuesto.com.ar

The Vines of Mendoza: www.vinesofmendoza.com