As a highlight of my 6-week South American sabbatical – our four days in Mendoza, Argentina, offered an ideal blend of world-class wine, gourmet cuisine, and urban exploration.
This trip wasn’t just a vacation; it was an intentional break, aligning perfectly with my motto: Work to Live, Live to Travel, Travel for Work.
Read on to discover how to make the most of a long weekend in Mendoza, whether you’re on a sabbatical like I was, or planning some well-deserved paid time off for a shorter but equally effective respite from work.
Day 1: Explore the Shaded Streets of Mendoza
Start by getting your bearings. Mendoza is set-out in a grid so it’s easy to get around and not get lost. The streets are lined with large, shady trees to take the edge off the desert heat year round.
Grab lunch at a sidewalk cafe like we did such as Bute Centro. Nosh on gourmet cuisine with a glass of Argentinian Malbec, of course.
One great side effect of all the shady trees in Mendoza is that it’s very likely you’ll see some cool birds. We spotted this woodpecker staring at its reflection in a window across the street from our restaurant.
Get inside out of the heat and explore some of Mendoza’s historic shopping arcades.
Take a walk in any one of the small, city parks that you’ll find in Mendoza. During the time we visited (November), the water in all the park fountains was bright blue!
One of the luxuries of this sabbatical was having the freedom to simply wander Mendoza’s tree-lined streets without a packed schedule.
Gourmet dinner at Azafran
After a day of walking around and exploring the things to do and points of interest in Mendoza, you’ll definitely be ready for dinner. Make a reservation at Azafran for an upscale and modern dining experience with roots in old-school Argentinian cuisine (i.e., expect to see lots of meat on the menu).
The most unique feature at Azafran is the wine cellar. After sitting and placing your order, you’ll be escorted to the wine cellar to pick out a perfectly matched bottle of wine with help from Azafran’s sommelier.
We sampled provoleta, Argentinian grilled cheese served in a skillet, a rich risotto, and chicken grilled to perfection. There was no way to save room for dessert!
Day 2: Taste Mendoza Wines on a Trout and Wine Day Tour
Our four days in Mendoza revolved heavily around sampling Argentina’s famous wines. We signed up for a wine tasting day tour from Mendoza in the Lujan de Cuyo region with Trout and Wine (around $190 – $200 USD).
Our expert and energetic guides Clara and Augustine made sure that we had an amazing day tasting wine at three vineyards near Mendoza. We also enjoyed a 6 course lunch with wine pairings to round out the day.
In contrast to the U.S. and similar to what we found in Chile, Argentinian wine tastings are by appointment only so it’s easier to sign-up to a tour to make the rounds of various vineyards.
Alta Vista
The first stop on our Trout and Wine Day Tour was to Alta Vista. The vines were backstopped by beautiful views of the Andes. We were in for a real treat when we were taken through a high-end tasting by Martina in a room complete with individual sinks for spitting and rinsing.
Bodega Budeguer
Next up on our Trout and Wine day tour was Bodega Budeguer. Georgina showed us around this more modern property. I liked their approach to wine tasting which included chocolate dusted with curry powder to bring out the unique flavors in their wine.
Lunch at Casarena
Our Trout and Wine Day Tour continued with a 6 course lunch with wine pairings at Casarena. The food was absolutely amazing.
The menu included:
- Chickpea citrusy paste with cauliflower pickle, crouton, and lemon emulsion paired with Espumante.
- Seasonal vegetable soup served with breaded cheese and paired with Chardonnay 505.
- Mote wheat over carrot paste and pickled beets served with Rose 505.
- Spicy lamb gigot served with spiced squash and paired with Ramanegra Reserva Cabernet Sauvingnon
- Hereford cast-iron filet mignon with sauteed vegetables and paired with Casarena S.V. Malbec – Naoki’s Vineyard, Agrelo
- Alfajor served with Ramanegra Sparkling Cider.
Mendel
The final stop on our day trip to Argentinian wineries from Mendoza was to Mendel where Silviana gave us a tour of the property and a guided wine tasting. We arrived just as the workers were hand labeling bottles.
As you can imagine, we had no room for dinner after an amazing lunch and sipping wine all day long!
Day 3: Saturday Lunch at Bodega Clos de Chacras
Another fun thing to do in Mendoza is take a taxi to a nearby winery for lunch. Make sure to call in advance for a reservation because the most popular wineries book up fast. We spent an amazing Saturday afternoon as Bodega Clos de Chacras where we sampled a 7-course tasting menu and 6 wine pairings.
We took a moment to admire the grounds of the winery before moving inside for lunch.
Our 7 course tasting menu included:
- Panna Cotta: Greek yogurt, pink pepper, asparagus, and strawberries
- Pimiento Relleno: Piquillo pepper, surubi, saffron, and parsley
- Terrina de conejo: mushrooms, figs, truffles, and herbs
- Roll de chivo: goat, sweet potato, and criolla sauce
- Bife a la criolla: sirloin, broad beans, chocolate, and potatoes
- Plato de quesos (aka a cheese plate)
- Postre: dessert consisting of beet, carob, grapefruit, and thyme
Argentinian wine was poured to accompany all courses except for dessert. The wine pairings were:
- Clos de Chacras Cavas Malbec Rose 2017
- Clos de Chacras Cavas de Crianza Chardonnay 2017
- Clos de Chacras Cavas de Crianza Merlot 2015
- Clos de Chacras Eredita Malbec 2014
- Clos de Chacras Gran Estirpe Blend 2014
- Clos de Chacras Memorias de Ida Malbec 2014
On this sabbatical, we savored every moment of our extraordinary meal at Bodega Clos de Chacras, indulging in an unhurried pace so we could deeply experience the flavors and relax.
Once again, we ate and drank so much for lunch that there was no way we could possibly consider having dinner that evening.
Day 4: Sunday Walk in General San Martín Park
If you spend a long weekend in Mendoza, you’ll be bound to ask yourself: “What should I do on Sunday?” Most shops and area vineyards are closed on Sunday so you’ll need to get creative. We spent the morning doing an alfajor taste test in our hotel room and then walked off the calories with a visit to General San Martín Park.
General San Martín Park is where locals go to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon. The fountains and lake provide a cooling influence and a nice place to have a picnic.
Sip A Craft Beer and Dine al Fresco on Aristedes Villanueva
We rounded out our time in Mendoza with an early evening stroll on Aristedes Villanueva, a buzzing area filled with bars and restaurants. The shops along Aristedes Villanueva are closed on Sunday but many of the bars and restaurants are open.
We stopped at Antares Cerveceria for happy hour. Antares Cerveceria insists that you buy two beers per person to get the B1G1F discount. It felt a little weird drinking craft beer instead of wine in Argentina, but on a hot day, there is nothing more refreshing. As our Trout and Wine tour guide pointed out: you simply can’t gulp down a cold and refreshing Malbec. The craft beer scene is Mendoza’s answer to the heat.
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Our four days in Mendoza underscored the value of embracing a sabbatical as a powerful tool for part-time travel. It would have been harder to justify a 4 day trip from Europe to Argentina as a self-contained vacation. Instead, I took an unpaid leave from work and spent 6 weeks in Latin America where this trip to Mendoza was an integral part of the adventure. We loved taking a deeper dive into Argentinian culture, cuisine, and wine.
I hope our long weekend in Mendoza inspires you to include a wine-focused leg on a sabbatical trip, or if you aren’t ready to take an unpaid leave or can’t afford to do so, turning a visit to Mendoza into a bleisure trip or workcation. After all, a short trip is better than no trip at all!
| SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT: Looking for other destination ideas in Argentina? Why not consider: taking a Buenos Aires city break to really explore the capital? going further afield to see awe-inspiring El Calafate Glacier? doing some drives around Bariloche, Argentina’s gateway to Patagonia? Bonus: you’ll find some amazing Patagonia birds around the lake. |
