At Casa Naoki, it’s hard not to get caught with your eyes on the horizon… whether that be snowy mountains, the flaming orange sky or even cascades of lightning moving across a thundery sky. Casa Naoki is all about its position high on the hillside with a perfect panoramic view over the wine regions of Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza. The infinity pool seems to drop off into the vineyards and fields below, where you can see farmhands in the distance working the vines.
Casa Naoki: More than a hotel, a home away from home in Mendoza
More a private home than a hotel, this is the house of the Dartley family who own Casarena winery. It is an exclusive residence available to hire — whether you are a couple or a group of friends. The whole house is at your disposition but, and here’s the big difference, the house staff is too… Which means you will barely need to lift a finger while staying here. A beautiful breakfast is laid out at your chosen time, there’s a fridge filled with snacks and a cellar filled with wine, and a personal chef on hand for special wine-paired dinners in the dining room or on the pool deck.
During my two-night stay, I opted for one three-course dinner prepared by the chef and one ‘in your own time’ dinner left in the fridge. Even without whispering my preferences (apart from being gluten intolerant) to the booking team, they had managed to somehow get in touch with a friend of a friend and find out some of my personal favourites… Pão de Queijo awaited me, as did beef carpaccio and burrata! It did feel like being home, only done much better!
Sitting down for the three-course wine dinner was a charming experience, with the chef coming out with each dish and a bottle of wine to pair… I can assure you there was never a lack of wine to taste at Casa Naoki!
And the menu was creative too. Our Spanish tortilla came in a martini glass with foam of potatoes; we had gnocchi stuffed with lamb; and a dulce de leche flan with salty caramel (and paired with Malbec!) All the dishes were paired with the single vineyard wines of Casarena, which are certainly a highlight of tasting through Luján de Cuyo.
Exploring Naoki vineyard from Casa Naoki
Another vinous highlight was a trip into the vineyards with winemaker Martina Galeano. I’ve long known that Casarena is an impressive specialist in Mendoza’s Luján de Cuyo, working with several individual vineyards and marking out the differences between them in the glass with Single Vineyard Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon being particular highlights. But Martina showed me a whole new side to Casarena… one filled with bold moves and experimentation. The small plantation of Cabernet Franc in an old river creek is one — it is overflowing with wildlife and native plants, none of which have been displaced for the vines. The first harvest is this year, 2022, and I’m sure it will be a wine filled with the aromas of the place and its native inhabitants.
The other incredible project is their ‘elephant cemetery’. These vines were set to be removed as the rows were in the way of the new restaurant being constructed in Jamilla vineyard, but instead of letting them go to waste the vines were dug up and taken to a south-facing rocky slope in Naoki vineyard. The name comes from the African namesake where elephants go to die — renowned as later being great sources of ivory after the herd passes away. The soil of this vine graveyard is also covered in white, but not of ivory, instead of the distinctive calcium sulfite and gypsum the Naoki vineyard has.
The vines certainly don’t look like they are on their deathbed though, quite the contrary, it looks like they’ll have a new life here in Naoki with a harvest predicted for 2023. It’s a fascinating project that I’m looking forward to following. (Check out the video of Martina explaining the vineyard here!)
Casa Naoki: A room with a view
Staying at Casa Naoki gave me a deeper appreciation of the Naoki vineyard and the Casarena philosophy, and most of all it was a perfect place to unwind (with far more privacy than a hotel). Dreamy mattresses and spacious bedrooms with a perfect view to wake up to, a lounge filled with board games and comfy pillows, personal touches and notes left in discrete places… and a pool deck that never lost its charm even when we were greeted by a massive thunderstorm.
I certainly could have made Casa Naoki my home for much longer than two nights, and I fully recommend you do. It’s the ideal spot to take a break in the heart of Mendoza wine country.
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Find out more about Casa Naoki and Casarena in our winery guide online!
