January 4, 2025
We’re both big food and wine lovers, and we often design our trips around culinary and wine regions. Yes, France, Italy, and Napa are great getaways for oenophiles … but our trip to wine powerhouse Argentina in 2008 blew us away. It was actually our first trip taken together, and it was full of delicious highlights.
Argentina may not be your first pick for a food and wine-themed journey—but here are seven reasons it should be:
- It’s an absolutely gorgeous wine region. As you taste your way across Mendoza, Argentina’s main wine region, you’ll be sipping bold reds against the backdrop of the snow-capped Andes. It doesn’t get much more picturesque than this.
- You get to try varietals that are uncommon in the states. If you’ve made it up to Napa or Sonoma—or even the wine regions in Washington or Oregon—heading down to Argentina will give you something totally different. Grapes like Malbec (by far the most famous Argentinian varietal), Bonarda, and Torrentes, which you don’t find much of outside Argentina, are used, so it’s the perfect place to expand your palate.
- The food pairs perfectly with wine. What goes better with a bold red Malbec than a juicy red steak? Not much! Buenos Aires is teeming with steakhouses serving up the juiciest cuts. We also loved indulging in Argentina’s cheeses, like the gooey provoleta served piping hot and melty in a cast iron skillet.
- You don’t have to suffer through a time zone difference to enjoy Old World wines. Think you have to travel 7+ hours to enjoy French wine at a vineyard—and deal with acclimating to jet lag in the process? Actually, you can zip down to Argentina—which is only two hours ahead of Eastern Time—and sip some classic, Old World-style wine. Argentina’s main grape, Malbec, actually originated in Cahors, France, and several iconic Bordeaux wine chateaux put down roots in the Mendoza region to produce New World wines with a French bent.
- You can enjoy a more intimate wine tasting experience. Many of Mendoza’s wineries operate similarly to those in Europe, where you have to make appointments ahead of time for a tasting. That means your tastings will be more exclusive (often down with the vintners themselves) and less crowded—especially in comparison with the busy wineries in the U.S. that can get swamped with day trippers!
- Your pesos will go far. Dining and sipping your way through Argentina provides an excellent value, thanks to the strength of the dollar against the Argentine peso. Imagine checking into a luxury dude ranch or working winery and enjoying a full spa day experience for way less than you would pay in the major wine regions of the U.S. and Europe.
- It’s the ultimate off-season destination. Thanks to its position at the southern tip of South America, Argentina is warm when most of the U.S. is cool, and vice versa. Escape the tail end of winter in late February or March and head down to Argentina for their harvest season, or do like we did and experience their spring with a late October trip!
Ready to explore Argentina’s underrated food and wine scene for yourself? We’d love to plan it all for you—connect with us on a complimentary consultation call to get started.
