I’m not the only one that has fallen in love with Mendoza. We are many. Thousands in fact. Each year, hundreds of foreigners come to Argentina’s wine lands and they fall in love. With the wine, with the mountains, with the sunshine, sometimes with a local. Those who fall really hard, tend to buy a vineyard. And that’s the case of the 60 owners of Alpasión…
It was love at first sight for a group of friends who were visiting Mendoza on a business-away trip. Over a long dinner and copious amounts of wine, they decided to invest in a vineyard together. They didn’t invest in a vineyard per se – but an 87-hectare virgin territory which had never been planted before! In 2014, having recruited several more shareholders and wine lovers, they began planting their 60-hectare vineyard in the Uco Valley.
It’s the ideal spot for vines, as agronomist Guillermo Cacciaguerra explains:
Today the property boasts 9 different varieties planted across the estate and last year was the first year that they began to harvest their own fruit. This coming year, they will also be vinifying their first wines on the property in their own winery which is just a few months from completion.
Under the talented hand of Argentine winemaker Karim Mussi, Alpasión has in fact already been producing wine for several years using fruit from neighbouring estates. The idea was to start by making wines from the local region as their own vines come of age.
At the moment, Alpasión is making a handful of red varieties and blends, and one Sauvignon Blanc. Malbec is obviously the flagship, but there’s also a rather delicious Cabernet Franc and a very interesting Petit Verdot which you can taste on a visit:
Visiting Alpasión
Most people, however, don’t come to Alpasión just for wine tasting. But for the restaurant and the lodge.
In a dramatic location at the foot of the Andes mountains, Alpasión has some of the most enviable views in the Mendoza. Set between a maze of vineyards, the boutique lodge is a home away from home. Comfortable living spaces, a pool and your own private patio and hammock make it easy to while away the afternoon following a day wine tasting in the Uco Valley. In the evening, you can stroll down to the intimate restaurant where their in-house chef Héctor Ordenes cooks up a fantastic wine-paired menu each evening.
It’s easy to see why the owners fell in love with Mendoza and, after a night in Alpasión, resting and rising with the stunning Andes mountains in the backdrop, I dare you not to fall in love either. I certainly fell in love with Mendoza all over again.
Check out Alpasión chef Héctor Ordenes’ recipe for Argentine empanadas and a video on how to make them here!
My visit to Alpasión was in collaboration with Wine Paths: offering luxury and exclusive wine tours and experiences in wine regions around the world. You can book your own wine and food experience at Alpasión online here.
