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Malbec Meets Architecture in Mendoza, Argentina

A rich Malbec tastes even better when paired with the daring architecture of Mendoza, Argentina.

Jurriaan Teulings
Scenset travel expert
Daring architecture at Casa de Uco
Daring architecture at Casa de Uco
World-class wines and breathtaking scenery

Set against an eternal backdrop of the snowy Andean volcanoes, Argentina’s famous Mendoza province is where you'll find some of the most spectacular wineries and wine hotels in the world.

Its 900 bodegas and 1,450 square kilometers of vineyards mean it's easily the most important wine-making area of Argentina, especially famous for its Malbec wines.

Art and wine are a perfect combination at Salentein winery
Art and wine are a perfect combination at Salentein winery
Views at Casa de Uco stretch all the way to the volcanic peaks of the Andes
Views at Casa de Uco stretch all the way to the volcanic peaks of the Andes
Architectural delights

A wealth of modern architecture pairs exceptionally well with a glass of Malbec. Take the cathedral-like wine cellars of Dutch-owned Bodegas Salentein, which also boasts the Killka Art Gallery. Or Casa de Uco, with glass and concrete structures inspired by its natural surroundings.

The one-of-a-kind loft suite at the Entre Cielos Wine Hotel has become the most talked-about hotel room in the province. This ultra-private, retro-futuristic hideaway on stilts rises above a vineyard.

Nearby, guests can relax in a vast hammam, billed as Latin America’s first. Don’t save your hammam treatment for a rainy day though – the region only gets about five of those a year.

Life on stilts: a retro-futuristic retreat at the Entre Cielos Wine Hotel
Life on stilts: a retro-futuristic retreat at the Entre Cielos Wine Hotel
The Hammam at the Entre Cielos Wine Hotel
The Hammam at the Entre Cielos Wine Hotel
Looking for festive crowds, or peace and quiet?

Visit during the harvest festival, the Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia, to experience a carnival-like event that culminates in a full week of live music, dance performances, parades, and a nationally televised beauty pageant. Held from January to early March, it's also teamed with the Gay Vendimia the following week, when an entirely different Vendimia queen is crowned.

Not into crowds? Visit in the winter. The wine tastes the same, the sun is just as bright, and the vineyards are every bit as golden. Yes, nights are a little chilly, but you get a lot of peace and quiet in return.

Regardless of when you visit, miss the spectacular road trip along the desolate Andean mountain passes. Weaving between Mendoza and the Chilean border, it's a great way to spot Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Southern Hemisphere.

Longing for 361 days of Argentinian sunshine?

Get in touch with our curators to start packing now.

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Jurriaan Teulings
Jurriaan dreamt of becoming either an astronomer or a circus clown. He became a lawyer instead, but finally found the ultimate fit for his free-range mind as a travel writer and photographer. A Stroopwafel evangelist, he's also won a few awards: two in plexiglass, one in bronze, and one made of beads. The biggest prize: 20 years of travel to all continents and 99 countries so far.

Images copyright of Iara Snai, Entre Cielos Wine Hotel.