Malbecing thru Mendoza

wine vineyards

Tropiche winery

Have you ever seen the movie “A Walk in the Clouds?” (Keanu Reeves and a Hispanic actress are the main actors in the movie…it’s worth the rental.) Well, when I went biking in Mendoza, I felt like the Hispanic actress biking thru vineyards on unpaved roads and feeling free. I pretended to live vicariously through the actress because everything that day was as if it was a scene taken from her movie. Ahhhh what I would do to own a vineyard and make wine? The lifestyle is relaxing and laidback (and living in warm weather is always a plus). Everywhere we biked, everything we ate, and everything we did that day was simply perfect.

We rented bikes from a rental place called Maipu Bikes and biked to many wineries and also chocolate, jam, olive oil, liquor, and absinthe vineyards. For only 25 pesos (6 $US) we were given bikes (with cute baskets to place our bags…very “500 Days of Summer” style) for the full day, a bottle of water, and a glass of wine (if we’re being honest, it was gross wine). After a few bruises and falls into each other, we finally made it to our first winery.

There are small and big ones; renowned and lesser known ones; and fancy and simple ones. Overall, each winery is very unique. I wish I could remember the names, but my memory won’t allow me to. (If you’re planning on going…Maipu Bikes will give you a list of wineries to visit.) The first vineyard we biked to drastically increased our age by 15 years...we walked into the winery and the lady showed us around and told us about their wine. We bought a bottle and shared it because we didn’t want to go heavy at 10AM- we were still stopping at 7 other wineries. We sat on tree trunks in the heart of the vineyard and sipped our vino tinto (red wine) and felt very sophisticated (hence why I said we dramatically aged at this winery). After quite some time we made our way to the next winery and so on and so on.

We did however bike to a chocolate, jam, olive oil, liquor and absinthe vineyard (yes, a weird combination, but I didn’t make it…I just enjoyed it). We started off trying different olive oils then jams then chocolates and then to the big stuff--- flavored liquors and absinthe. My favorite liquor was the coco (chocolate-coconut) flavor…definitely worth the try! After tasting the various liquors, they lit a fire and began roasting sugar on silver spoons and melted it into the absinthe filled glasses. When it was ready, we cheered and downed those atrocious shots (Mom and Dad please don’t read…!) and felt a burning tingling go through my esophagus. Don’t ever do it…it was the grossest alcohol I’ve ever tasted. Aside from that, it was really cool going to this vineyard because it had a homey feel to it and everything was made there.

All the wineries close at 5PM, and that’s about the time the Beer Gardens start hopping. After biking and tasting wine in all seven wineries, we decided to make our final destination point be The Beer Gardens. It was quite amusing because when I walked in the “gardens” I instantaneously felt like I was back in Moshav Modiin but without Zelda. The layout of the “gardens” was the chillest place on earth. There were couches and chairs covered in bohemian tapestry placed either in tents or in the shade. The grass and tables were saturated with peanuts and their shells (you know, the kind you would find at the Brewer’s game?) The amount of Bob Marley that was played definitely didn’t bother the owners…yes, we get it…this place is for free-spirits. And, there was a bar to buy drinks. While everyone ordered beer, I prohibited my body from allowing alcohol to enter my body---so I ordered a multi-fruit liquado (smoothie). I don’t know what they put in the liquado, but it was the best one I’ve ever had…even Jamie thought so! Ahhhh The Beer Gardens was a great way to end the day…

After loosing the boys, we raced back to the bike rental place. Not only did Jamie, Henry, and Nick mysteriously arrive before us, they gave us the famous free glasses of wine the rental place handed out. Even though it was free it didn’t matter how much wine we drank that day, there was no way anyone was going to make us drink it. It was alarming that they would even serve it…I guess that’s why it was free.

That being said, biking through the wineries and vineyards made me realize how valuable time is. The eight of us click really well and didn’t let a minute go by without having a good time…the laughter that came out of us that day was memorable.

If you’re going to Mendoza, it’s a must to visit a winery or maybe seven...

Beer Gardens