Located in the western region of Argentina, the town of Mendoza is primarily known for producing wine from the Malbec grape. This grape originated in France, and although it doesn’t result in a very good wine there, it strives in Argentina.

Wine Tour

With approximately 2,000 vineyards in and around Mendoza, it comes to no surprise the principle tourist attraction is wine tours. One of the best-rated tour operator is Ampora Wine Tours, and along with 4 fellow Canadians, I visited 4 vineyards.

The 1st was a lovely family vineyard, where the owner himself gave a tour of his grounds. His most prized wine was named after his mother, with a flower on the label because his mom loves flowers. We sampled 4 wines, each other better than the last.

The 2nd was quite upscale, with wonderful views of the Andes in the distance. As part of the production process, the wine rested for several months in a cool cellar, while Gregorian chants were played. The owners believed the chants added vibration energy to the wine, and although I’m not sure how that works, the wine was certainly delicious. To point, all of us purchased at least one bottle, with one girl buying 6.

All of us were inebriated by the end of the 2nd vineyard, so we barely savoured anything from the 3rd. Not to mention the serving lady was curt and dismissive. It was the least memorable experience.

The last was not much of a tour per se, but we had wine pairing with a delicious four course meal. The main course was, unsurprisingly, beef, and it came from a very happy cow. The elegant dining room had floor to ceiling windows on 3 sides, which opened to the grape vines.

Paragliding

Aside from wine tours, another popular activity is paragliding. With a small agency, and me as the only guest, we drove to the top of a small Andes mountain. It was a tandem jump, so after being strapped to a huge fellow, the guide told me to run off the mountain and try not to throw up on the way down. Not concerned about guiding the parachute allowed me to enjoy the tundra-like peaks of the Andes and the desert-like flats of Mendoza. About 20 minutes of airtime on a picture perfect day.

Mendoza in general

In the city, garbage is placed in elevated bins. The reason is to prevent the wild dogs attacking and scattering it across the neighbourhood. Do you know what wild dogs mean? That’s right: wild dog poop! When meandering around the city, not only did you need take care of the uneven sidewalks and payments, you also had to dodge wild dog poop.

The place I stayed was close to the city park, and lovely greenery circling a small man-made lake. I spent many hours on a park bench, watching people run or paddle by, listening to the birds chirping, or the musician playing, and reading my book about rabbits.