A place of gauchos and vineyards near the beaches of Villa Gesell

The sea breeze pushes the warm sands of Villa Gesell Towards the immensity of the symmetrically aligned fields on the coastal strip of the South Buenos Aires, on the other side of the double track of Route 11.

Where a path of land and gravel takes the post of the paved street that leads to the airport and the municipal cemetery, The atmosphere of the field goes on to master the landscape and a light shine dusty patina detached from the Médanos is fixed on the roads and fertile lands.

At the end of a long curve, under that murky air that floats between the trees, the silhouette of the bell tower of the chapel the good shepherd, a delicate modern touch added to the destination of the historical site that seems to fit from end to end to the Macedo place.

References that are visible endorse that dominant sensation: the remains of a telegraph office, animal pens, sheds and deposits coated with sheet metal They refer to 1912the year of opening of the train station, designed to get the local agricultural and livestock production through the Sud Railroad branch that connected General Guido with Juancho and Vivorathá.

With the closure of the rail service in 1978 that fruitful stage was diluted and the debacle also dragged the splendor of the Victory General Ramos Warehousedeclared in 2018 “Historical and Cultural Heritage” of the General Madariaga party.

The brands of the past come to light behind each tranquera, until the stranger stops at the entrance of “El Kiwal”, the bold project of Kiwis cultivation and marketing which the Italian businessman Federico Olivieri undertook in 2013.

The performance of the fruit plants – taxed in 60 hectares and collected in storage sheds – was better than expected and this visionary Veronese decided to go for more.

In a sector of these lands that first frequented the chief Pampa Nicasio Macedo and later administered the English priest Thomas Faute and the landowner Francisco Sáenz Valiente, Olivieri planted Viñas de las Ciempas inks Pinot Noir, Marcelan, Petit Vernot and Tannat, a kind of extension of the Parrales de Verona and Bergamo of his family.

Today, the wines of the Ancient Legacy Bodega They are macerated in oak barrels that make their way in the old packaging and cold shed of kiwi.

At this point, Macedo’s wine activity – held by a “without risk” project, thanks to the more than enough of 80 mm of rain per month recorded in the area – revives the Manzanar experience created here in 1964, when 25 thousand plants were destined to the production of 3 thousand tons of apples for the La Victoria Cider Factory.

Then – like an advertisement of the successful bets for the kiwi and the grape – the time of splendor of peach and plum With authentic taste of Macedo.

“We have twelve grape varieties and Tannat’s first production is coming,” says Olivieri during a guided tour of the vineyard. His story is cut by the sound of a gas canyon placed to scare the birds that fly over the clusters.

The route continues inside the winery and closes with the expected moment of the Pinot Noir and Rosé tasting accompanied by a bit of cheeses and cold cuts.

The rests of ancient agricultural machines and the semi -matched train track under the grassland again lead to Macedo’s past, a distant time that remains latent in the GENERAL RAMOS WAREthe infallible boliche of drinks that – in this case – emerged as police station and was also the carnage of the town.

“Here A customer enters and a friend leaves. They arrive from the vineyards or the corn, soybeans and sunflower fields, some on a motorcycle, others by car or in a truck and many on horseback. For everyone there is room, ”he says, acoded at the counter, Juan Carlos“ El Bati ”Battistessa, a pains anchored in Macedo.

For nine years, the bati is usually rewarding the animators of the trick and pool games with their best letters: the succulent disk with ricethe choppedhe roast And, above all, the disposition to The enjoyable talk and friendship Non -rodeos, like a sacred ritual, impossible to ignore before going back.

How to get there. From the city of Buenos Aires to Macedo, they are 363 kilometers on the highway to La Plata, Route 2 to Armas, Route 74 to General Madariaga and former Route 11 (30 km of land).

From Villa Gesell you have to travel 28 km through rural roads 039-03 (it takes to the municipal cemetery and airport) and 039-02 (about 20 km of land).

SEMICAMA BUS PLUSMAR WITH RETURAL TO GENERAL MADARIAGA (4 to 5 hours), $ 53,500 IDA; Bed car, $ 59,500. From there to Macedo, Resto Los Friends for 4 passengers: $ 34,000 Ida (02267-555-500).

Micro semicama the Retirement Eagle to Gesell (5 to 6 hours), $ 56,200; Bed car, $ 64,600. Semicama plusmar, $ 59,000; Bed, $ 68,000. From Gesell to Macedo, Restís Alameda for 4 people: $ 28,000 Ida (02255- 466-66).

In Madariaga, Hotel San Carlos: Double Standard room with breakfast, parking and Wi-Fi, $ 76,000; upper double, $ 93,000; triple, $ 130,000; Quadruple, $ 135,000 (02267-551-111 / 2/15409911 / www.hotelsancarlos.ar / Facebook: San Carlos Hotel).

In Villa Gesell, Hotel Coliseo: Double room with breakfast, Wi-Fi, heated pool, gym, covered parking, ping pong and metegol, $ 75,000; Suite for 4, $ 125,000 (156-1701554 / 02255- 15625997 / 462-955 / 463-420 / www.hotelcoliseo.com.ar / Facebook: Hotel Coliseo- Villa Gesell).

(02267) 551-058 / (02267) 15419157 / tourism@madariaga.gob.ar / www.turismo.madariaga.gob.ar / Facebook: Madariaga, the gaucho payment.