picnics among vineyards, cooking classes and bike rides

Wine tourism, the main attraction of Mendoza and the wine regions of Argentina, is much more than visiting a winerylearn about the agricultural and industrial process or do a wine tasting.

Visiting a winery allows enjoy its landscapes, its culture, its gastronomy and contact with nature. In the same place there is a diversity of terrain: hills with their trails for trekking and mountain biking, gardens with flowers and fruit trees, vineyards, streams and canals with meltwater from the Andes mountains.

Los centuries-old colonial-style buildings of some wineries, and the new warehouses built, with great splendor, by the great wine architects, constitute one of the main attractions to visit. The list includes: Salentein, Catena Zapata, Trapiche, Diamandes, Bianchi, Durrigutti and Piedra Infinita de Zuccardi, among many to mention.

Another must-see when visiting wineries: the viewpoints with majestic views and the spacious garden spaces to rest, have a drink and enjoy nature.

During winter holidays, wineries develop activities for family travel and wine tourism options that suit all types of tastes and ages.

For this reason, many of them create and offer alternative plans for children and adolescents.

It should also be noted that the wine gastronomy in Mendoza enjoys great prestige. At the end of last year, four restaurants obtained Michelin stars (Zonda, Casa Vigil, Brindillas and Azafrán), and another 15 restaurants received a special mention from the most famous gourmet guide in the world.

Most of the wine tourism spaces They have a children’s menu and non-alcoholic drinks. They also offer vegetarian and gluten-free food.

An attraction for boys are non-alcoholic fresh fruit drinks, lemonades and food finger food to share with family.

To talk about family tourism, we have to start with Bianchi Wineries, one of the most visited in Mendoza. It has two locations: the champagne house in San Rafael and the Enzo Bianchi high-altitude wine cellar, in the Uco Valley.

“We receive many families with children. When they take the guided tour of the winery, they are the ones who ask the most,” says Alexia Robinson, in charge of Tourism at Bodegas Bianchi.

The activity most chosen by children and adolescents is bike ride through the vineyards of San Rafael. The little ones can ride in chairs on their parents’ bikes.

From 6 years old, they have bikes of different sizes. Prior reservation required. The duration of the ride is 120 minutes, with a minimum of two people and a maximum of 20. Bike rental costs $18,000 per person, and for electric bikes, $25,700.

At the Enzo Bianchi winery in the Uco Valley, they entertain the kids with sheets with drawings and colors so they can paint in the gardens and galleries. To drink, they are offered flavored waters, while their parents taste the wines.

The family home of the Arizu family It is one of the last jewels open to tourism in Maipú, Mendoza. The Finca Paraíso mansion that belongs to the Luigi Bosca bodega It is a historic construction located among the most emblematic vineyards of the winery.

The French chateau-style house was built in 1905 and purchased by Leoncio Arizu in 1926.

He Roots tour It is a sensory journey where knowledge, history and emotions converge. During the tour of the estate and its vineyards, stories from the family, the winery’s winemakers and sommeliers accompany visitors through an audio guide.

The tour is accompanied by an audio guide and tasting of wines and olive oils. For minors, natural juices and water are offered.

At the end, visitors receive a basket with food and drinks, to enjoy in the gardens of a outdoor picnic lunch.

The Foster Lorca wineryin Pedriel, Luján de Cuyo, has a modern classic architectural style and is surrounded by gardens intervened by a xerilandscape (native flora) with views of the Andes Mountains.

They receive families with children who can participate in guided tours and lunch.

“While the parents do the wine tasting, we give the kids labels to paint and stick on bottles to create your own design. To drink, we offer them lemonades,” explained Guillermo Barletta, Commercial and Tourism Manager at the Foster Lorca winery.

Accommodation in wineries allows you to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the city, enjoy nature and wonderful views. Options appear to go as a family with children, in independent lodges that allow you to have all the comforts of a luxury cabin and your own outdoor space, without disturbing the rest of the guests.

Located in the Uco Valley, La Morada Life offers a number of activities for children and teenagers, such as a playground, bicycles, paddle and tennis courts.

This wine tourism accommodation has ocho tiny houses (42 m2 covered and 28 m2 gallery) and seis life pods (with 2 bedrooms, 69 m2 covered and 28 m2 semi-covered), in lots of 800 m2, with access to all the services and amenities of the complex.

For this winter, it was inaugurated La Morada Life Homes for those who prefer larger and more exclusive spaces. They are luxurious houses built on lots of 1,250 m2 (a covered area of ​​139 m2 and 57 m2 semi-covered) and 3 bedrooms, a private pool and a large terrace with views of the mountain range.

The complex has amenities: tennis and paddle courts, bicycle paths, swimming pools and recreation areas for children, among other attractions.

You can have lunch and dinner at the Hornero restaurant, managed by chef Edward Holloway and sommelier Andrés Rosberg.

“We seek to integrate the best and most representative products of the area in preparations and cooking based on two iron ovens, specially built for wood-fired cooking. And the differential of an underground cellar, with capacity for more than 10,000 bottles of the best wines of the area, the country and the world,” says Rosberg.

The Norton winery in Luján de Cuyo It has experiences for the whole family. In the underground cellar, visitors can create their own wine.

The activity includes vineyard tour, Norton House, gardens, winery facilities, barrel room and historic cellar. With laboratory elements, Tourists participate in a wine cutting to obtain a blend of different grapes.

Then, the creation of your own label, labeling and corking in an artisanal way. The youngest members of the family are offered a snack and they also design the wine label.

The game is played in teams of at least 4 people, to compete for the best blend. The cost per person for July is $50,500 (adults) and $25,300 (children).

The La Vid Terraza restaurant, from the Norton winery, is open at noon with cuisine based on regional ingredients, dishes created by chef Santiago Maestre, and combined with high-end wines.

He Children’s menuat 50% of the price for adults, includes pasta or beef schnitzel with fries and, for dessert, a chocotorta ice cream popsicle.

Saint Juliathe Zuccardi family’s Maipú winery, is home to the Pan & Oliva restaurant, next to the olive oil factory and its fields with olive trees and vineyards.

Es ideal to go with family and for several years, during winter holidays and special dates, they have had a cooking show for kids.

The Pan & Oliva restaurant, the house of Zuelo oil, has an open kitchen specialized in pastas, meats and risottos, combined with garden and seasonal products.

The main hall and its gallery, in the middle of a garden of spices and olive trees, is also the setting for cooking classes.

After the activity, where the kids put on an apron, and learn to knead and combine garden ingredientsyou can stay for lunch at the restaurant.

Graciela Hisa’s restaurant, Essence Spacein the Pergolas of Vista Flores, in Tunuyanis a must-see if you are going with family or groups of friends to the Uco Valley.

The chef, one of the pioneers in the gastronomy of the Mendoza wineries, has her restaurant on a property with a huge garden, with games for boys.

Esencia’s gastronomy is a combination of technique, care of the products and homemade food.

“My restaurant is like a kitchen-dining room, where the diner can see how we work. That shows transparency. You can see the stress, the movement and everything that happens,” explains the chef.

And, he adds, “Nature where I live gives me impeccable products and allows the menu to change four times a year.

The Bressia family wineryin Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, has just opened its Fuegos restaurant and offers picnics in the gardens (47,300 per person), children under 12 years of age do not pay and have the option of consuming a smoothie or natural juice.

Is a relaxed experience to enjoy the winery gardens. The basket has cold cuts, nuts, homemade bread, chipá, homemade nachos, a variety of dips and desserts.

Includes a bottle of wine for every two people of choice between the labels: Profundo 2019, Lágrima Canela 2020, Piel Negra 2020, and Sylvestra Rosé sparkling wine.

Visitors receive blankets and pillows for lunch on the grassand armchairs if you prefer to sit in the garden.

In all wineries open to tourism, the price of the menu for lunch or dinner includes a guided tour of the winery.