The hook
Argentina's wine capital, where sun-drenched vineyards spread beneath the snow-capped Andes, pouring the country's signature Malbec, in the shadow of Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside Asia.
01Why it's worth it
Mendoza, in the arid west of Argentina, is the heart of the country's wine industry and the world capital of Malbec, the deep, rich red that thrives in its high-altitude, sun-baked, meltwater-irrigated vineyards. The pleasure here is unhurried: touring the bodegas around Maipú and the more upscale Ucaccio and Uco Valley, tasting excellent wines with long lunches at vineyard restaurants, all with the dramatic backdrop of the Andean wall on the horizon, often by bicycle or with a driver. But Mendoza is also a gateway to the high mountains: the road west toward Chile climbs past the old Inca bridge and thermal springs into spectacular Andean scenery, culminating near Aconcagua, at nearly seven thousand metres the highest peak in the Americas and outside Asia, a magnet for mountaineers, with the towering "Bridge of the Incas" rock formation and trekking and rafting in the surrounding valleys. Combining superb wine, good food, and grand mountains, Mendoza is a relaxed and rewarding stop, easily reached and easy to enjoy.
02How to experience it
Tour the wineries (by bike in Maipú or with a driver in the higher-end Uco Valley), pairing tastings with a long vineyard lunch, ideally around the autumn harvest. For the mountains, drive the Andean route toward Aconcagua and the Puente del Inca, with trekking or rafting for the active. It balances indulgence and adventure.