Mendoza

OK, So our first week of the gypsy life and what a great way to start! A week in beautiful Mendoza state in the Argentine wine country. Cool town, amazing food and beautiful wineries. We spent a couple days walking around getting to know the town and hitting up the local harvest festivities. Our first day in town was the opening of harvest season and the about 100 wineries pouring over 300 wines set up booths along Belgrano street in downtown. We were introduced to some great wineries and got a feel for how things work in Argentina. Touring actual wineries is a bit different down here as you have to have reservations to get in the actual facilities, without which you'd be turned away at the guarded gates! It almost feels like a military state. Our last two days were spent touring wineries; one with a tour group and one day in a rental car. We met a fun couple from Toronto who joined us both days. At Belasco de Baquedano winery, or bodega as they are called here, they have an aroma room. There are about 30 different stations with different aromas. After you've experienced each one there was a challenge to see how good your nose is. Now we each have an aroma diploma! Fantastic wines and amazingly state of the art wineries that blow away most US wineries in terms of facilities, cutting edge tech and gorgeous grounds and buildings! Recommendations if you can find them in the states: Alta Vista Torrontes 2007 (young white) and the Malbec from Cinco Sentidos (five senses).

Ciao for now!