We are working on this guide. In the meantime, please pop over to 80 Harvests to read some detailed guides on Brazil’s wine regions and producers.
Mendoza has always had a tradition of hidden restaurants (known locally as ‘puertas cerradas’), but until now there hasn’t been any hidden bar. La Terracita has broken that ceiling, with a rooftop speakeasy on Plaza Italia.
A staircase in El Ciebo restaurant leads you up to what would appear to be a library, when you find the book with the secret password the door is opened…
The intimate rooftop is a little treasure trove of Alice in Wonderland-style cocktails served in bottles, wine by the glass and craft beer. With the restaurant down below you can also rest assured you aren’t far from a good bite. El Ciebo’s empanadas are some of the best in Mendoza.
After enjoying the popular speakeasy scene in the US the owners of El Ciebo, sommelier Eugenia and chef Mauricio, came back inspired to open their own. You can enjoy the secret rooftop bar every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night from 7pm (with Happy Hour till 9pm).
Just remember not to tell everyone, it’s secret… Shhh!
The best things in life come in their own time. Diamandes is one of the jewels in the crown of Clos de Los Siete and it arrived, in its own time, as the last project to be completed. One of the modern architectural masterpieces of the Uco Valley, the centre piece is a stainless steel diamond. Timeless.
The very last piece to the Diamandes puzzle to arrive, just recently – over 5 years after opening – is the wine bar and private restaurant. The upstairs bar and space has been designed to welcome guests into the Bonnie family’s home. With sofas and rugs, it could be a living room. However this is one classy living room. All neutral but warm colours from natural materials: leather, wool, linens, granite and concrete. The architects and design team have woven art and artisanship into a modern space.
The menu is set out to reflect that relaxed ‘at home’ pace, however the cuisine is strictly fine dining. It starts out with a couple glasses of wine and a few nibbles. Bites like Camembert drizzled in local honey and pistachio nuts with their fresh but voluptuous Viognier. It whets the appetite and still gives you time to enjoy the view.
This is the view that convinced the Bonnie family to invest in the Uco Valley. Originally from Belgium, Alfred and Alexandre were always wine lovers and took their passion into profession when they bought Château Malartic-Lagravière, a Bordeaux chateau in 1996. Living in Bordeaux they became close friends with famous winemaker and consultant Michel Rolland who invited them to be part of his Clos de Los Siete project, which is his Diamandes was born.
Díamandes is their largest of their wineries, however the aim of the new wine bar is to create an intimate space and a personal experience. With only a handful of tables, the experience is more akin to private dining than a restaurant. The next five courses are a parade of local ingredients and flavours presented in a beautiful and artistic way.
The menu aims to give you a taste of Mendoza beyond the obvious. Dishes like organic rabbit with Cabernet Sauvignon, or Polenta and tapenade with Malbec, all make a nice break from empanadas. And the lamb loin is a welcome change to beef steak!
The main course comes with Diamandes icon wine, the Grand Reserva, which is another release worth the wait. Diamandes wait until the wine is just right to release it, and today it is 2009 that is on the market. After several years in bottle, the wine is a delicious, smooth and mouth filling blend that worked perfectly with lamb and roast mushrooms.
The finale was an indulgence sphere of chocolate and flowers with their buttery Grand Reserve Chardonnay. And then it is time to sit back on the sofa with a coffee, and enjoy that picture perfect view again.
To visit Diamandes or their restaurant (book 48 hours in advance) fill in the contact form on the Diamandes website.
Viña Cobos has been producing some of the world’s most renowned Malbec for over a decade. However it always came from their old vines in Lujan de Cuyo. Just last week winemaker and owner Paul Hobbs released a new icon wine to their range – Cobos Malbec Chañares – from the Uco Valley which is set to be a new firm favourite from Argentina.
The first Cobos wine was made in 1999, after Paul Hobbs had been consulting for Catena Zapata and decided he too was convinced enough by the fine terroir to make wine under his own label. For many years, the fruit all came from Lujan. However since the mid 2000s, the Uco Valley has been identified as one of the top wine regions for Mendoza and so Paul started looking for a special vineyard to purchase.
In 2013 he found it. 22 hectares in Chañares in the Los Arboles region of Tunuyan. There were several blocks already planted with vines, and the stoney soils and higher altitude offered the profile he was looking for.
He explains why in this video:
Today there are three new releases from Chañares that you can try:
Bramare Chardonnay 2015
A mineral Chardonnay with a fresh acidity that balances out its otherwise unctuous mouth feel.
Bramare Valle de Uco Malbec 2014
With a portion of the fruit from Chañares and also from other vineyards in the Uco Valley, this regional blend has a delicious balance of rich concentration and fruit. Some more floral notes pop out under the dark fruit.
Cobos Chañares 2014
The new icon for Cobos. This 100% single-vineyard Malbec has structured tannins with a spine of acidity. Wild herb notes are meddled with dark fruit, making it a brooding wine that requires time in a decanter to fully express itself. Could be enjoyed for many years to come, if you can resist!