Luján de Cuyo travel guide

Southwest of Maipú, Luján de Cuyo is another wine producing area in whose leafy suburb, Chacras de Coria, you’ll also find restaurants and small hotels. For information, contact the local tourist office (Roque Sáenz Peña 1000, T0261-498 1912, http://www.lujandecuyo.gov.ar) .

The large and impressively modern Mayan-pyramid like bodega, Catena Zapata (Cobos, Agrelo , T0261-490 0214, http://www.catenawines.com) is in one of the most beautiful settings in the region. It’s owned by a traditional family who produce outstanding wines that are exported under the names Catena Alta, Álamos, Nicolás Catena Zapata and Catena. There is a restaurant too. Another large, modern bodega with fantastic mountain views is Séptima (R7, Km 6.5, Agrelo , T0261-498 5164, www.bodega septima.com.ar, Mon-Fri 1000-1700, Tue and Thu also open for amazing sunset tasting sessions) .

There are now several wineries which offer accommodation, but the most famous and deservedly popular is the exquisite Tapiz (Pedro Molina, Russell, T0261-496 3433, http://www.tapiz.com) a small winery that owns a finca in Luján de Cuyo. There’s a restored 1890s main house, beautifully decorated with impeccable taste, which is the region’s most exclusive hotel and has one of the finest restaurants in Mendoza.

A smaller winery, but also highly developed, Carlos Pulenta-Vistalba (Roque Sáenz Peña 3135, Vistalba (west of Luján de Cuyo town centre), T0261-498 9400, www.carlospulenta wines.com) is renowned for its marvellous Vistalba wines and for having on its ultra-modern premises, La Bourgogne, one of the best restaurants east of the Andes.

The Malbec grape flourishes wonderfully at Renacer (Brandsen 1863, Perdriel (south of Luján de Cuyo town centre), T0261-488 1247, http://www.bodegarenacer.com.ar) which produces Punto Final Reserva, one of the top Argentine Malbec wines. Quite close to here, you’ll find Achával Ferrer (Cobos by the Mendoza river, Perdriel (southwest of Luján de Cuyo town centre), T0261-498 4874, http://www.achaval-ferrer.com.) A young, modern and repeatedly prize-winning boutique bodega which produces the finest quality red wines, including the great Finca Altamira. El Lagar de Carmelo Patti (Av San Martín 2614, Mayor Drummond (north of Luján de Cuyo town centre), T0261-498 1379) is highly recommended for its welcoming owner, who personally leads the tours, and takes pride in serving his excellent Cabernet Sauvignon or his Gran Assemblage for tasting, even straight from the barrel. Spanish only....read more