Red, red wine ...

The sound track for this post is here … thank you UB40!

My favourite things this week have been (in no particular order!)

Red wine!  After all that healthy living through January, it feels only right to reward ourselves with a well deserved rest in Mendoza and coincidentally it has a lot of one of my favourite things… red wine!  And because I take my travelling very seriously and feel  that it is right to fully understand the local culture and produce, I am selflessly giving myself and my liver to the art of drinking muchos vino tinto!  As they say, it’s tough, but somebody has to do it!

The main wine produced here is Malbec and I’m happy to report that it tastes excellent!  I have been lucky to be part of a group invited to several vineyards to taste their wares.  This really is the best way to experience them, surrounded by those who know what they’re talking about and having the opportunity to compare and contrast all the different types.  Yes, I felt pretty tipsy afterwards!

Here are some pics from Mendel, a small vineyard and winery which produces the most excellent Malbecs.  There are only 7 people running the vineyard which gives it, as well as the wines, a very personal and artisan feel. 

 

I was very thorough and made sure that they were all up to standard!

Tasted pretty good too!

Much better than having a green house in the garden!

In contrast, we also visited Chandon, part of the Moet and Chandon group.  A much more modern winery, which is reflected in their product.  (Still can't shake the marketing thing!) It was still a fabulous setting to sample their sparkling wines … mmmm!

So much wine ... so little time

But I didn’t drink all week (honest!); my other favourite thing was seeing Aconcagua.  We did a 3hr trek and no alcohol was consumed whatsoever!  Now that’s what I call a balanced lifestyle!

Aconcagua is the highest summit outside the Himalayas at 6962m.  It creates a very impressive landscape (red wine and mountaineering aren’t a good match before you ask if I climbed it!) and a walk in the mountains was the perfect break from wine tasting!

A fresh water lagoon in the National Park

And my final favourite this week has been, not being in a hostel or on a bus!  An actual bed - not a bunk -  with proper pillows, mattress and duvet; an ensuite bathroom;  fresh fruit for breakfast;  amazing coffee … what a treat!  All at Posada Borravino!