Wine tasting in Mendoza
We made it Bariloche after that bus journey, but because of that bus journey could do nothing but sleep for two days. So sleep we did, in the very cool and laid back hostel. On our last day there Ylva casually dropped it into the conversation that Bariloche is the chocolate capital of Argentina. That decided the morning’s activity. We stocked up, on what was possibly the best chocolate I’ve ever eaten and headed off to the next stop on our tour, Mendoza.
This place is known for wine. It seems to be the only reason people come here. It has a lot of bodegas (vineyards) around the outskirts of the town, and visitors can either get a fancy tour around or rough it on bicycles.
We sort of did a mixture of both. Stupidly, we let our hostel talk us into booking an expensive tour. The only difference between expensive tour and roughing it on bicycles is the pick up in a fancy car, rather than taking the bus. Our car picked us up an hour late, shortening our wine time (I’m still angry and bitter about that as I write – quite a while after).
In the vineyard part of town we hopped on our bicycles. Arriving late ensured we got the dud bicycles. Mine had a pedal that liked to fall off and Ylva’s didn’t seem to like moving at all. First vineyard was great. We got a tour all around the place, saw the grapes that later get miraculously transformed from a nutritious fruit into a tasty drug. They explained how it’s made and how the technology has changed down through the years. In Europe they have to let the wine sit in wooden barrels for a bit. In Argentina, they’re put in massive steel ones, with bits of wood thrown in to still give it that wooden taste. Not sure how comfortable I am knowing I could get a splinter in my throat if I drink Argentinian wine (this did not however stop me drinking Argentinian wine).
The best thing about bodega No.1 was the free wine tasting. Some other backpackers we’d been talking to said once the lady leaves the stand the wine’s just sitting there, waiting to be drank. They left legless. But Ylva reminded me we’re classy backpackers, so we just drank what we were given and got on our bicycles.
No.2 was equally as fun as No.1. This place made chocolate, and alcoholic beverages made from chocolate. After the mandatory 5 minute talk we got given an menu and asked what we would like taste. We got some chocolate and a shot of a drink of our choice. Two chocolate filled shots later we were on our way again. I felt bad about just coming, getting free stuff and going, but it’s what one has to do to get to all the bodegas in one day. So I took my freebies and left.
By the time we hit the third we were really ready for some wine. We had just gone 2km off track to find the restaurant recommended by our tour. Once there we realised we would have to sell our bicycles to afford it so got on the long straight road again. In this bodega we got offered 7 different types of wine for about €6. We were told we should also order food because it’s such a lot of wine, so we got a cheese platter. I don’t think the lady there has met many Irish people, because that was certainly not a lot of wine. Just a half glass of each between the two of us.
Because we spent so long hanging out with our cheese in No.3 we fell behind in our schedule. We almost didn’t mind when No.4 told us it was reservation only. I started to protest that the whole reason we had booked a tour was so we’d have a reservation, but after the 7 wine experience I was too happy to argue. Just gave him a dirty look and started back to my bike.
Here’s where thing took a turn for the worse. The heat was really intense and the roads were dusty. Ylva had been complaining that her bike was useless. I presumed she was just really bad at cycling so I offered to swap. Worse decision I’ve made in a while. Her bike really was bad, wouldn’t even go in a straight line, and the seat kept slipping down and down until my knees were nearing my ears. I huffed and puffed for a while and Ylva took her bike back just as I was on the brink of tears. Have I mentioned how great my travelling buddy is??
No.5 became the last. Most likely because of how long we spent discussing the merits of each of the 7 wines, but we still blamed the late taxi driver. Here, for a small fee we got a tour of the winery (was getting de-ja vous at this stage) and got to sample 5 different types. Smallest sample I’ve ever gotten. I’ve gotten more juice from the ladies in the supermarkets with the really small juice cups.
At the end of our hot, fun and tiring day we had to call for help. We were miles and miles from the bike shop and neither of us could face even getting on Ylva’s bike again. The nice people in the last wineyard looked after us and called our people to come pick us up. It was like the car of shame, the other two in the car had to be picked up because they got too drunk. The lady in the backseat presumer we were in for the same misdemeanor. Not sure if she bought our bike story.
The day ended with a new low on my trip. Myself and Ylva bade goodbye as we were about to go in different directions for a while. An hour after she came back minus her passport, credit cards and just about everything else one needs to travel. Some guy had walked by her and dropped his glasses. Being the thoughtful tourist she is she went to return them to him. While she did that some one ran behind her and stole her stuff. Some people eh?
Ylva entering bodega number 1…
Raw wine
Where the grapes used get stomped into juice in the olden days.
Chocolate goodness
Ylva entering a high tech winery.
The real wine tasting begins!
Shouldn`t she be on a game show? She`s completely wasted in Global Economics…
Eventually we had to give in and get a lift.
Tags: 10 - Argentina, Argentina, Mendoza, Travel, wine tasting
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