Mendoza, Argentina

The overcast sky that hung over the high Andies didn´t bode well for the weather while we were in Mendoza, but luckily that couldn´t stop us from enjoying the city and the wine.

Many of the wine cellars (¨Bodegas¨ in Spanish) were built near the turn of the last century and had wonderful atmosphere,

Beautiful architecture,

Original tiled floors,

and lovely flora.

Oh, and did I mention the tastey wine?

One winary fed their grape castings to goats who in turn made cheese. (Now that´s what I call recycling!)

We also went to an artisanal olive oil factory, meaning they don´t add preservatives and produce extremely flavorful oils, including one unfiltered variety.

The city itself had lively street life, lots of cafes, restaurants,...

and imperial looking fountains.

Cafayate (Northern Argentina)

Our first taste of Argentinian wine country came during our visit to Cafayate, a beautiful little town nestled in the dry mountains south of the Quebrada del Río de las Conchas (Shell River Canyon). We arrived on an overcast day, which provided the perfect excuse to relax and sample several of the area´s Malbecs. The local vinyards pride themselves on their organically grown grapes, which due to the high altitude (over 2000m, or 6500 feet) can more easily be grown pesticide free. We happily report that the results are pretty tasty.

The next day we awoke to a beautiful blue sky that revealed the area´s natural beauty. After getting acquainted with the local wines, we spent the next couple days exploring nearby canyons.

Overlooking the Río de las Conchas valley, with the canyon entrance to the right.

Rock formations along the Río de las Conchas

View looking into El Anfiteatro (the Amphitheater), a box canyon in the Quebrada del Río de las Conchas.

La Garganta del Diablo (Devil´s throat), another local box canyon.

Rock formations south of the Quebrada del Río de las Conchas.

Copper and iron deposits create beautiful contrast in the mountains outside Cafayate.

A view from our walk along the Quebrada del Río Colorado just outside town.

Photo of a local endangered bird, el mirlo de agua (water blackbird). The bird feeds on larvae and insects that it hunts in the rapids along the river.

View from near the top of the canyon.