mendoza

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.