Exploring Argentina’s Wine Regionswinenotboutique.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/... · Wine &...

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WineNot Bouque & Internaonal Exploraon Society, Present... Exploring Argenna’s Wine Regions An Insiders Behind-The Scenes, Sommelier & Author Lead Trip A Culinary, Wine & Cultural Journey in Argenna March 10 to 17, 2018 plus oponal: March 17 to 24, 2018 7 Days Exploring... Malbec Famous Mendoza Including the culturally rich city of Mendoza And the Origins of the wine regions of Luján de Cuyo and Maipú + 7 Day Oponal Add-On (March 17 to 24, 2018) To explore Argenna’s new wine froner: Valle de Uco Exploring Wine Regions Officially Sanconed Event

Transcript of Exploring Argentina’s Wine Regionswinenotboutique.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/... · Wine &...

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WineNot Boutique & International Exploration Society, Present...

Exploring Argentina’s Wine RegionsAn Insiders Behind-The Scenes, Sommelier & Author Lead Trip

A Culinary, Wine & Cultural Journey in Argentina

March 10 to 17, 2018plus optional: March 17 to 24, 2018

7 Days Exploring...

Malbec Famous Mendoza Including the culturally rich city of Mendoza And the Origins of the wine regions of Luján de Cuyo and Maipú

+ 7 Day Optional Add-On (March 17 to 24, 2018)To explore Argentina’s new wine frontier: Valle de Uco

Exploring Wine Regions Officially Sanctioned Event

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Michael C. Higgins, PhDPhotojournalist & Publisher

Michael has more than 20 years experience traveling to wine regions as a journalist, photographer and publisher of magazines and books all related to travel and wine. Plus, Michael has lead numerous trips through wine regions, introducing his guests to the people and places behind the scenes that make the wine regions so very special. Thirteen weeks in Argentina, three years researching, all during harvest time, working with people who are at the forefront of wine and wine hospitality… writing and photographing for the multi-award winning book Exploring Wine Regions – Argentina, it has been said by many locals that Michael has come to know more about Argentina’s wine regions than the industry professional who live here. Michael has developed special relationships, invaluable friendships, that open doors to experiences that someone just cannot buy. There is nothing like having an insider experience in the wine regions. Join Michael on an amazing journey to the most fabulous place on earth… Wine Regions! With Michael, you will discover these wine regions like you have never seen them before. Meet the people that make it happen, learn from the experts, go on behind-the-scene private tours all while spending time with fellow wine lovers. Michael plans special activities that are not available to the public and takes care of every little detail for you. The excursions are amazing, just read the testimonials.

THE COUNTRY OF ARGENTINAArgentina, the second largest country in South America, is made up of three primary wine regions spanning the western edge of the country... Salta in the extreme northwest of Argentina, Mendoza is central and Patagonia to the south; all three regions running along the eastern edge of the Andes Mountains. Mendoza is the primary wine producing region of Argentina, with more than 80% of the wines produced here and 400,000 acres of vineyards already planted. To put this in perspective, Napa Valley has only 45,000 acres of vineyards and Bordeaux, the largest wine region in France, and the origin of Malbec, has 300,000 acres of vineyards.

Malbec is Argentina’s flagship wine, and the country has the largest Malbec acreage in the world. This grape originally comes from France, as a Bordeaux varietal. In 1852, Malbec was brought to Argentina by Michel Pouget, a French agronomist who was hired by the Argentine government. When phylloxera destroyed the French viticulture toward the end of the 19th century, Argentina became the only country to have the original Malbec vines of true French heritage. Malbec more than adapted to Argentina’s terroir, it thrived, and winemakers began to produce wines better than in its original land. Argentina is now the main producer of Malbec in the world, with 78,000 acres of vineyards planted across the country, far surpassing France with 13,000 acres.

Argentina today is the fifth largest wine producing country in the world, with Mendoza having 85% of all Malbec vineyards in Argentina. In Mendoza, Luján de Cuyo trademarks their region as Tierre Malbec, and was the first Denomination of Origin of the Americas. Malbec from Luján de Cuyo has an intense, dark cherry red color, which may look almost black. It has a nice mineral expressions, with rich black fruit and sweet spices in the mouth. In Mendoza’s Valle de Uco, Malbecs from Tupungato, Tunuyán and San Carlos are more elegant and display distinctive spicy and floral notes. Valle de Uco is the “new frontier” where much of the growth in new wineries and tourism is occurring in Mendoza.

A very unique opportunity to be escorted though the wine regions

by a Sommelier and a Wine Book Author

Svetlana Yanushkevich, PhD, DWSSommelier and Diplomat in Wine & Spirits

Svetlana Yanushkevich grew up on the southern peninsula of Ukraine, known as Crimea. Crimea is famous for its 2,000-year-old tradition of winemaking. As a child she learned about wine from her uncle, who worked in Massandra, the imperial winery of Nikolai II, Czar of Russia. Svetlana holds an MS degree in viticulture and a Ph.D. in agriculture and worked as Associate Professor of viticulture in Ukraine. In 2002, Svetlana relocated to the US, where she completed the London-based Wine & Spirit Education Trust’s (WSET) highest level to become a Diplomat in Wine & Spirits (DWS). After obtaining her WSET diploma, Svetlana managed the wine programs at several prestigious Philadelphia restaurants. She also worked as a wine educator for corporate and private clients. In 2007 she relocated to Nashua, NH, where she opened WineNot Boutique, voted “The Best of the Best Wine Shop of NH,” “Best Wine Selection in Greater Nashua” and “The Best Wine Shop of NH.” Svetlana continues to offer her expertise by organizing private wine tastings and dinners, wine education courses and events through WineNot Boutique. In a past four years she organized four unique and successful wine & culinary tours to visit prestigious wine regions, like Piedmont, Tuscany, Champagne, Burgundy, Rioja, Priorat and Bordeaux. Svetlana is very excited to do an Argentina trip with Michael Higgins, and share their love for wine, culinary and culture with the travelers, and create more beautiful memories.

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BOOK YOUR TRIP NOWIf you want to go, contact us now. We are limited to just twenty people!

Call us at: 626-618-4000 or write us here: [email protected]

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE JOURNEY

Package Price: $3,495 (per person/ double occupancy)

INCLUDES...Ground transportation from the airport to hotel, from hotel to hotel, and from hotel to airport.All accommodations, all nights, in luxurious properties.Meals (14): 7 Breakfasts (every morning), 5 Lunches, 2 Dinners. Note: lunches tend to be huge and late, so dinners may not be necessary.Wineries: all vineyard tours, winery tours, educational & recreational activities, wine tastings, and food pairings.Activities: cooking classes, horseback riding, tours, bicycles, picnics, and BBQs.

This will be an ultra-bucket-list, behind-the-scenes, insider’s experience as organized and lead by the author & photographer of the Exploring Wine Regions - Argentina books, Michael C. Higgins, PhD, who spent 13 weeks in Argentina learning what would be a super-amazing travel itinerary, and engaging his friends and other contacts into this experience.

We will taste some of the very best wines made in Argentina. We will meet and interact with Oenologists (winemakers), Agronomists (farmers) Sommeliers and Chefs. We will learn about the rich culture of the Argentine people, and experience their foods, including authentic Argentine traditional Asado, and see their engaging architecture. We will mingle with them and feel the warmth of this cultures of beautiful people. We will walk through the vineyards and pick the grapes, participate in the harvest so special to them this time of year.

Here are a couple of maps to help get the lay of the land...

Mendoza Province

Mendoza City

Maipú Wine RegionChacras de Coria

Vistalba Sub-Region

Santiago, Chile

Luján de Cuyo Wine Region

Valle de Uco Wine Region- Tupungato Sub-Region- Tunuyán Sub-Region- San Carlos Sub-Region

South America

ARGENTINAMendoza Wine Region

Santiago, Chile Buenos Aires, Argentina

Neuquén Wine Region Río Negro Wine Region

Salta Wine Region

LEGEND: EWR = Exploring Wine Regions book

followed by the page number(s)so you can reference more info/photos

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Saturday, March 10 • EWR - 14-29 • Arrive Downtown Mendoza, ArgentinaWe gather at the Mendoza airport, and a private bus and driver will take us to our accommodations.

Three nights accommodations at the Sheraton Mendoza (EWR-28), a five-star luxury hotel located in the heart of downtown Mendoza city. We are Club Guests of the hotel with special access to their Club Lounge where we will have breakfast every morning. This 17-story building has spectacular views of the city. Most evenings they have wine tasting in the lobby. Indoor heated pool and jacuzzi. Internet provided. This hotel is very close to the banking district for money exchange. Also close is the Sarmiento Pedestrian Street (EWR-20) lined with cafés, shops and restaurants, and a few blocks to the central square Plaza Independencia (EWR-18), the city’s most important square.

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Sunday, March 11 • EWR - 18-20 • Downtown MendozaHistorical, Cultural & Architectural Walking Tour

Today is a walking tour of the central downtown Mendoza. This is a beautiful city of much historical significance. Their is a huge central square called Plaza Independencia (EWR-18) where we will end the tour in the afternoon during their crafts and farmers market. Huge fountains and Wine Gelato are among the possible activities. Surrounding Plaza Independencia are four smaller squares (a full square block) representing the history of the countries (Spain, Italy and Chile) and General San Martín, all having significance on Argentina. During the walking tour to each square we will find much cultural and architectural beauty. Lunch will be as each person desires. You can spend the afternoon in the park, wander the city, or go back and enjoy the hotel.

Innovative Dining with Chef Pablo del RioRenowned Chef Pablo del Rio is one of Argentina’s most innovative chefs and he has created a totally unique restaurant in downtown Mendoza called Siete Cocinas. Translated is Seven Kitchens. “My quest to communicate Argentina in all its aspects, brings me not only to design and enhance products and traditional cuisine, but also to try to understand and discover wine beyond the bottle.” Pablo del Rio

ITINERARY DOWNTOWN MENDOZA

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Monday, March 12 • EWR - 80-89 • Maipú, Wine RegionsA Day Excursion at the Familia Zuccardi (winery)

We will spend the day in the Maipú wine region at the Familia Zuccardi winery, directly south and only a few minutes from the city of Mendoza. It is to the east of Luján de Cuyo, farther away from the Andes Mountains, at lower elevation and a warmer climate with deep rocky clay soils, perfect for red varietals. Maipú has the attraction of big Diurnal Shifts, the large temperature variation from the highs of the day to the cools of nights, ideal for grapes. Maipú calls themselves “The Cradle of Wine” because they are very proud of their rich history as the designated location for European immigrants to continue their important tradition of winemaking. Familia Zuccardi (EWR-84-89) is the perfect winery to begin our wine experience in Mendoza because this is a huge winery (10+ million bottles annually) with 50 years of experience producing a wide variety of wines. They have five distinctively different wineries in one location for five different levels of quality in wines. This is a very interesting winery of three generations of the Zuccardi family. On our visit, we will be interacting with either José Zuccardi (second generation) or his son Sebastian Zuccardi (quickly becoming one of the most innovative winemakers in Argentina). Our tour at Zuccardi will be much more than just another tank and barrel room viewing, as we have arranged for Zuccardi to provide us with several extensive learning experiences.

• We will have an educational walking tour through the vineyards, learning how to recognize grape varietals by their unique leave designs, distinguish the taste of the different grapes, learn about the canopy systems the Zuccardi’s designed throughout their properties, and proper grape harvesting techniques.

• We will also participate in their harvest! Everyone will have their own tools to harvest grapes in their vineyard. There is nothing like hands-on learning, understanding the tools and equipment, and how the perfect harvest occurs.

• We will have an extensive winery tour and see how the grapes are processed after harvest, including a visit to their interesting art gallery at the winery. Zuccardi has five separate wineries, each operated autonomously with completely different teams. This is how Zuccardi can create super-premium wines alongside mass-market wines.

• Next we will have a cooking class in the kitchen of their five-star restaurant Casa del Visitante. This is a spectacular restaurant which offers a comprehensive 12-course food & wine pairing experience extraordinaire. We will work with their chef in learning some of these delicious gourmet dishes.

• Afterwards, we will enjoy our own custom created pairing menu to enjoy in Casa del Visitante, which is nestled in the Zuccardi vineyards, each table with views of the Andes Mountains. Each dish will be paired with a fabulous Zuccardi wine. Complete with a sommelier, we will distinguish the masterful art of pairing wines in a detail like you have never experienced before. With the depth and diversity of the Zuccardi wines, each course is impeccably paired. This is the ultimate way to experience a wine tasting.

After Familia Zuccardi day, we will return to the hotel for relaxation or further exploration downtown. Everyone is on their own._________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ITINERARY DOWNTOWN MENDOZA

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Tuesday, March 13 • EWR - 30-79 • Luján de Cuyo, Wine RegionsWe depart downtown Mendoza to our next destination, Luján de Cuyo, and the Finca Adalgisa Wine Hotel.

Five nights accommodations at Finca Adalgisa Wine Hotel, Vineyard & Winery (EWR-58-63), a beautifully restored property of luxury accommodations like a five-star hotel. This is a small family-run business, in a laid-back informal and relaxed environment where they have lived for three generations, and still live on the property today. It is nestled in the middle of five acres of Malbec vineyards, with a working winery on the property that produces a spectacular Malbec. We will enjoy wine on the back patio of their winery in the evenings overlooking the vineyards. Located in Chacras de Coria neighborhood. Daily breakfast included.

Town & Wineries Day Tour by Bicycle • EWR - 54-57 • Chacras de Coria, in Luján de CuyoWe will spend this day leisurely riding bicycles through the little quaint town of Chacras de Coria, an affluent neighborhood of Mendoza. There are many wineries all in close riding distance as well. There are two wineries in particular that we will visit. If you do not wish to ride bicycles, you can walk the little town and be driven to Bodega Alta Vista to meet up with the group. • Bodega Carmelo Patti (EWR-40-43) - Carmelo is the Quintessential Winemaker. Stepping into the Bodega of Carmelo Patti is like finding yourself in another place in time. Underground, castle lighting, concrete fermentation tanks built into the walls of the building, wooden vise doors to hold back the wine, wine-dripped stained walls, layers of paint colors showing the passage of time like dendrochronology... you can feel the ghosts of the wine’s past vintages in this historic site for making wine, today. Thirty-five vintages later, Carmelo continues to make his wine the old-fashioned way. No modernization here! Carmelo will tell you: “some people build architectural masterpieces, and some people make magnificent wine.” This is a very small winery, a one-man show, where Patti runs every corner of his quirky operation. And there is no formal procedure, he makes great wine like he wants to make great wine, and until it is perfectly ready to drink, he won’t sell it to you. Nor will he get on the phone and look for a sale. You want his great wine, you will find him. Carmelo will be waiting for us to show us his winery and wines. • Bodega Alta Vista (EWR-50-51) - In the heart of Chacras de Coria, full of hundred-year-old olive trees, the Alta Visa winery is a circa 1899 adobe brick buildings of sun-dried earth and straw, fully restored with cutting-edge technology for today’s modern vineyard management and winemaking techniques. This is a French-owned winery of the d’Aulan family which produces wines all over the world, from France (their origin) to unique wine regions like Hungary and Argentina, where they created Alta Vista in 1998, in the search of the greatest qualities of two emblematic varieties: Malbec and Torrontés. The result is the perfect combination of French savior faire and Argentinian passion. We will get the inside view of this 62-acre square historic estate with both vineyard and winery tours. Afterwards is the best part... AN AFTERNOON IN THE PARK - Le Parc... on the Alta Vista property, in the shade of massive trees, on blankets on their lawn, or under a canopy, or on lawn furniture (everything provided) is a magical afternoon of a gourmet picnic and wine pairing with their delicious wines. It will be a peaceful delight, an enjoyment of a beautiful afternoon in Le Parc, possibly a romantic picnic, or a nap, or whatever you want. No time limit. When you are done, you can ride back to the hotel or bike shop. Or just leave your bike at the winery and Uber back (the bike shop will come pick up your bike at the winery or hotel). Bodega Carmelo Patti Bodega Alta Vista Bodega Alta Vista

ITINERARY DOWNTOWN MENDOZA TO CHACRAS DE CORIA

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Wednesday, March 14 • EWR - 30-65 • Luján de Cuyo, WineriesTour & Luncheon, at Two Very-High-Quality Premium Wineries

Bodega Belasco de Baquedano • EWR - 52-53 • The quality significance of the wines from this winery comes from 222 acres of estate vineyards that were planted in 1910 on soils of alluvial origin with a pebbly subsoil and sandy-silty-clay sediments. This, together with a high plantation density and the work of their agronomist and farming team to ensure very low yields for top-quality grapes, they achieve extraordinary characteristics of Malbec. All Belasco wines are 100% Malbec, all from 100+ year old vines. • Winery & Vineyard Tour - Especially the vineyards to see the magnificence of 100 year old vines. • The Hall of Aromas - This is an extremely unique experience where we will smell 46 different flavors we experience in wine. These are 46 primary, secondary, and tertiary aromas and flavors, each identified, structured and ordered with panels to explain them. The Hall of Aromas is a walk through of the world of wine as an interactive educational room that exercises our senses and stored in memory scents and smells that allow us to discover and enjoy wine, their nuances and sensations. The aromas, accompanied by visual and informative supplementary material, encourage our interactivity. This is a interesting and useful education into what describes wine for both the nose and mouth experiences of wine. • Navarra Restaurant - Located on the top floor of the Belasco winery, the Navarra Restaurant presents a gourmet lunch elegantly set in a beautiful room with spectacular views of the Andes. We will enjoy a preset, five-course, food & wine pairing, designed to pair all wines from the winery to achieve the best expression of their Malbec at each step. This is an amazing experience of gourmet foods paired with super-premium Malbec wines in a environment of endless beauty as we gaze out over their beautiful vineyards with the background of the majestic Andes Mountains.

Bodega Achaval Ferrer • EWR - 36-39 • We will experience Achaval-Ferrer, the winery which boasts four of the five highest rated wines in Argentina history, as judged by Wine Spectator, who awarded their 2010 Finca Bella Vista as one of the “Top 10” best wines in the world. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, says they are the highest rated Argentine wines to date, giving their 2004 Finca Altamira Malbec a whopping 98 points! A big noticeable difference at Achaval-Ferrer is the leaf thinning in the vineyards. It is significant. The grapes are fully exposed to the sun. Brilliant idea, yet uncommon. We are going to wander through their vineyards to see this special care of the vines and discover the grape clusters fully open to the elements. This creates thicker skins, which will produce bigger aromas and flavors. And the sun benefits the full ripening of the fruit. Most of the leaf pulling is done in the month of December, when the grapes are still green so the clusters stay completely exposed at they ripen. Then in January and February at the onset of ripening, they remove the grape clusters when the grapes start to change from green to purple. This is common practice, however at Achaval-Ferrer it is substantial. They reduce the crop yield from a typical average of 11 pounds per plant/vine to less than one pound per vine. To put this in perspective, this means it now takes three plants just to produce one bottle of wine. To taste the Achaval Ferrer top-tier wines, as we will do, is taking a moment to experience perfection. After Achaval Ferrer, we have the rest of the afternoon and evening to ourselves.

ITINERARY CHACRAS DE CORIA

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Thursday, March 15 • EWR - 66-75 • Vistalba, in Luján de CuyoExploring Vistalba Today, a special sub-appellation within Luján de Cuyo

Adjacent to Chacras de Coria is a special little sub-region of Luján de Cuyo called Vistalba. Sitting in the foothills of the Andes, Vistalba enjoys the mountainous terroir of 3,300-foot elevation that contributes significantly to the style of wine produced here. And, being just north of the Mendoza River, this region receives plenty of pure Andean melt water for irrigation. Malbec is Vistalba’s key grape varietal; with Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon vines also planted here. Vistalba, which means “view of the dawn” in Spanish, benefits from a position that is slightly higher in elevation than the surrounding region, giving it the advantage of increased exposure to sunlight and better air circulation, having the warm sunny days followed by significantly cooler nights that balances the development of essential sugars and acids so valuable in producing premium grapes.

Bodega Nieto Senetiner • EWR - 68-71 • VistalbaWe will explore the special vineyards of Nieto Senetiner in Vistalba with their agronomist this morning. You have a choice, either by walking or by horseback. After the vineyards, we will have a winery tour, meeting the winemaking team and understanding the efforts and techniques that go into making the super premium wines of this winery. Then, outdoors on their beautiful patio, they will prepare an Traditional Argentina Asado luncheon for us. This is an outdoor cooking technique using natural hardwoods to create embers to slowly cook their special cuts of meats. The food will then be paired with their extraordinary wines. This will be a treat, not just the amazing wines, the delicious Asado that pairs with them. The Nieto and Senetiner families bought this property in 1969, and began an expansion growth of premium wines that brought a new vision to what was possible here in Vistalba. In 1998, Molinos Río de la Plata, Argentina’s largest food products company, purchased Nieto Senetiner, providing huge resources to modernize the winery with the latest of today’s winemaking technology. The winery was converted to 100% concrete fermentation tanks, no stainless, with a three-story tier system for managing the winemaking process using as much gentle gravity flow as possible. The winery is state-of-the-art. The concrete vats are small volume pools for small batch fermentation to pay extra special attention to the treatment of the grapes as micro-harvests in the vineyards to achieve the best quality from the incoming grape. And they are obsessed with cleanliness as you will see when we are there.

Bodega Vistalba • EWR - 72-75 • VistalbaBuilt in the 21st century (2002), Bodega Vistalba had the opportunity of incorporating modern technologies and innovations into all aspects of their winery from design-up of this state-of-the-art facility. Carlos Pulenta, the visionary behind the Bodega Vistalba, grew up in the vineyards here working aside his father and uncle in the wine business all his life. Sixty years ago his father and uncle found this special property in Vistalba and planted 131 acres of vines, of which 70% are still active today, producing the old-vine qualities for their super-premium wines. Carlos learned tremendously from his family making history as pioneers in the Mendoza wine industry with such notable wineries as Peñaflor and Trapiche. We will have a very informative visit here. Their underground wine cellar, where we will taste their wines, has a glass wall open to where the dug-out dirt remains exposed as one of the walls so we can see the structure and contents of the soil.

ITINERARY CHACRAS DE CORIA

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Friday, March 16 • EWR - 46-49 • Luján de CuyoUnique BBQ Picnic in a Park Vineyard Experience

Siete Fincas has a large 75-acre Finca (vineyard property) in Luján de Cuyo that has been in the family for three generations. This property is beautiful, has a grass park setting with grand Alamos trees and a freshwater lake from snow-melt from the Andes used as a reservoir for irrigating the vines. All with the magnificent backdrop of the Andes Mountains. As a special experience unique to most anything else you will find in Mendoza, or the world for that matter... we have arranged for the owner of Siete Fincas to host us for an afternoon in his Finca. We can walk the vineyards, see real live vineyard activities as they happen and have stimulating conversations with the experts who care for the vines and create the wines. And we will have a BBQ picnic, a classic Argentine Asado, prepared on their outdoor Parilla next to the lake and paired with many of their 14 different wines as we relax under the massive Alamos trees. We will even saber their sparkling wine with a machete to open the wine and toast to our time together.

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Extraordinary Cooking Class & Farewell Dinner Feast • EWR - 60-61 • Finca Adalgisa Wine Hotel

At the beautiful property we are staying, and under a massive walnut tree next to their Finca Adalgisa Winery is the setting for our final dinner together and a cooking class you will never forget. We have arranged for a special chef to join us... Christina Brino. Chef Christina puts on a show that is both entertaining and educational. We will learn how to make classic Argentina appetizers, steaks and desert. Possibly Empanadas Mendocinas, Ojo de Bife - Ribeye Steak, and Baked Fruite with Ice Cream Crisp for desert. This is a hands on class, where we can watch or participate as much as we want. And the best part... we will eating this scrumptious feast. Christina will teach us to make everything from scratch. Even the empanada dough and the Chimichurri Sauce, with Christina’s wonderful recipe using fresh herbs and Arauca olive oil (all grown on the Finca), giving a whole new appreciation for delicious mouth-watering steaks! This all takes place outdoors, underneath a grand old walnut tree, tasting Adalgisa wines and enjoying the results of the magnificent meal. Christina, I tell you, is a hidden treasure.

_____________________________________________________________________Tomorrow, sadly enough, we depart for home. Those who are on the additional 7-Day Valle de Uco Journey, we will depart as well in the morning for our next destination.

ITINERARY CHACRAS DE CORIA

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TERMS & CONDITIONS QUESTIONS? MAKE RESERVATIONS... 626-618-4000

Package Price: $3,495 (per person, double occupancy) • March 10-17, 2018Second Week: $3,495 (7-Day Add-On •Valle de Uco Excursion) • March 17-24, 2018Two Week Discount: $500.00 Discount for traveling both weeks • Single Supplement: $1,295 per person, per week

Deposit: A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person will secure your reservation.

Interim Payment: A $1,500 non-refundable payment is due and payable by August 10, 2017.

Final Payment: Due on or before November 10, 2017.

Cancellation: If reservations are canceled prior to August 10, 2017, the initial non-refundable deposit of $500 per person will be charged. If reservations are canceled between August 10, 2017 and November 10, 2017, a total cancellation fee of $2,000 per person will be charged. If reservations are canceled or trip interruption occurs on or after November 10, 2017 your total package is non-refundable and the full amount will be charged. We strongly recommend you get travel insurance.

Insurance: We strongly recommend you purchase a travel insurance program. There are many programs available which offer coverage for trip cancellation, trip interruptions, baggage loss, medical expenses and personal accidents.

Responsibility: Arrangements for this trip have been made by the International Exploration Society acting as agents for all members of this trip in carefully selected hotels, wineries, restaurants, tour and transportation companies. Trip participants agree that neither the International Exploration Society or WineNot Boutique, nor their affiliates, shall be liable for any damage, loss (including personal injury, death, or property loss), or expenses occasioned by any act or omission of any supplier providing services or any other person. If the International Exploration Society cancels this package, it shall bear none of the responsibility beyond refunding monies paid.

Currency Rates and Exchanges: This travel program is priced in accordance with foreign exchange rates as of August 1, 2017. Should the rate of exchange fluctuate more than 4%, an additional charge may be made.

Not Included: Cost of passports, visas, reciprocity taxes or fees, foreign or domestic airport departure taxes, excess baggage, meals not indicated, bottles of wine and gifts, gratuity for tour escorts, tour guides and motor coach drivers when customary and appropriate, and items of a personal nature such as laundry, Internet and telephone.

Need A Roommate?We recognizes that many single travelers prefer sharing a room to avoid the expense of single supplement. Please let us know of your needs and we will try to help fulfill your request.

Meeting in Mendoza: We will meet at the Mendoza Airport (MDZ) on Saturday, March 10, 2018 to be transported to our hotel. In booking your airfare, please note there are no direct flights from the USA to Mendoza. You either fly through Buenos Aires (EZE) and likely have to change airports (AEP) or fly though Santiago Chile (SCL) (easiest).

AIR TRAVEL OPTIONS We realize everyone has their own personal choices regarding air travel. Some people want coach, some want first-class, and others want to use their points. We have made special arrangements with Priceline.com to provide us with the lowest Internet rates. You can access these rates here... Travel.ExploringWineRegions.com

CHANGES ARE NORMALWe ask that you must please be flexible. Opportunities come up and changes happen. For example: a previous wine region trip was during harvest. At one winery, it was not yet time to pick the grapes, so our scheduled time in the vineyard was not possible. On the same trip, there was a grape crush in the middle of the night at a winery, and those who were interested were escorted to the winery at 2:00 am to have an amazing experience in a working winery. We appreciate flexibility along the trip and look forward to an unforgettable journey with you.

International Exploration SocietyBox 93613 • Pasadena, CA 91109-3613

626-618-4000 • [email protected]

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TESTIMONIALS

Our excursions are amazing, just read the testimonials...

“We have been on six adventures with Michael. It doesn’t get any better or easier than just arriving! We sit back and relaxed while he takes us on amazing and magical fun filled tours of the very best wine regions have to offer. The wines were superb, the food incredible and the people ‘behind the labels’ shared their unique stories to make our experiences extra special. The Calistoga Adventure… we will always remember that Valentine’s Day! Can’t wait to see what’s in store for the next one.”

– Rodger and Lori Parker

“The best part about Michael organizing our tour: all the hard work was already accomplished, the best locations were chosen. There was nothing left to do but enjoy. Being on a tour with other wine lovers was extra enjoyable because we already had something in common with everyone else and could share stories of other trips and wine experiences.”

– Lee and Carolyn Jones

“I just wanted to send you a big Texas thank you for the picture of Charity of I you photographed at the “Castle of Love”. I have printed a copy and have it framed on my bedside table. It’s the best picture we’ve ever had taken together. It truly shows how happy we are on your Wine Region Adventures.”

– Richard Burr and Charity King

“We often look to your publications to decide on destinations for our trips, so we were excited by the opportunity to be part of your fantastic excursions. We enjoyed every aspect of the Valentine trip: the food & wine pairings, behind the scenes tours, meeting winemakers, the wonderful accommodations, and getting to blend our own wine. It was a great experience with so many events being arranged exclusively for us. We enjoyed meeting many friendly people with similar interests, we’re looking forward to the next time we can join you.”

– Glen Green and Sharon Van Patten

“You really put together a first-class experience, at a modest price. What makes it so enjoyable is everything is a little surprise, because we did not have the headaches of planning all the little details. It’s the little details that make the difference. Meeting everyone in the group was very rewarding. The hosts and winemakers could not have been friendlier, so I hope to see some of them again on a future trip, which will happen, because you did such a nice job on this one!”

– Brian and Robin Cahill

“Dr. Higgins does everything 1st class or not at all!”– Mike Goering

“I can’t think of a better way to spend my birthday!”– Carol Ditto

“Thank you soooo much for creating such a fabulous/fun trip. You sure know how to put together a great adventure. This is the best trip I have ever taken!”

– Mia Knox

“It was hard to imagine topping the last Valentines Fly-In, yet this trip was even more amazing. Everything we did was so special and quite unique… actually bottling wine, playing with sheep in the vineyards, visiting not-open-to-the-public wineries and learning from their winemakers, behind the scenes romance at the Hearst Castle, blending our own wines, bottling vodka & gin, makeup and hair boosters to prepare for the rest of the day, and… the best hamburger we have ever tasted… you outdid it once again!”

– Jim and Jill de Varennes

“You organized the best horseback riding of my life. The horses were excellent, the Gaucho was a real cowboy, and the outdoor barbeque was truly the best I have ever had. The entire trip was excellent. Thank You!”

– Dr. Rick Cohrs

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Saturday, March 17 • EWR - 90-167 • Valle de Uco, Wine RegionsWe depart Luján de Cuyo to our next destination, Tunuyán in Valle de Uco, to Alpasión Lodge.People just arriving, will be escorted from the airport to join the rest of the group.

Seven nights accommodations at the Alpasión Lodge (EWR-148-149). Five good friends were sitting around enjoying a few bottles of great wine, becoming inspired by the dream of building a luxury home in Argentina’s wine region, and making extraordinary wine to indulge themselves and share their passions with the world. By December 2012, 28 friends had joined them and they purchased this special property in Valle de Uco and built a beautiful six-bedroom, very spacious and luxurious custom home/lodge, and planted 148 acres of vines. We have reserved the entire lodge for ourselves for this week. And the home is staffed, including a gourmet chef for all our meals. We will always have breakfast here, lunch at other places, and return for dinner in the evenings.

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Exploring Argentina’s New Wine Frontier: Valle de Uco

Vineyard Stroll, Visit the Neighbors for a BBQ • EWR - 146-147 • Tunuyán

After checking into our lodge, we will take a tour of the Alpasión vineyard property. We will eventually stroll through the vineyards to the front of the property where we will cross the highway and visit Finca Blousson, the wine industry’s gathering place. Finca Blousson is the place where people from all over the world come to talk wine. When I was there last, the owners of a luxury hotel came to have lunch. Also a sommelier from Buenos Aires, as well as a local winemaker. Everyone mingles, exchanges ideas and stories, eats and drinks special wines... and shares interesting wines. We never know who we might meet. Patrick Blousson (photo below with his horse Bones), owner of this small bistró, will be our host for the afternoon. This bistró is a French/British fusion dream for couple Patrick and Victoria Blousson, who bought the property in 2008, planted Malbec in 2010 and crafted their first vintage in 2013. The bistró is small, cozy and warm. This is Patrick and Victoria’s home, country-style with a beautiful living room to mingle, eat, and enjoy wine. And a large outside patio overlooking the vineyards, aside the Parrilla (grill) and egg! Yes, a large concrete egg (photo below) used to ferment their wine. Patrick and Victoria will show us their beautiful property and prepare a fantastic lunch for all of us. And of course, we will taste their wine, and others.

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Evening Dinner at Alpasión, with a Special Rooftop Event • EWR - 148-149 •

Head back to our lodge whenever you desire. No rush. Enjoy the Alpasión property and lodge at your leisure. They have a pool, jacuzzi, spacious patio, beautiful large den with big-screen TV and movie library. Each guest room is totally unique, based on the themes of elements: wood, metal, fire, water, etc. making your in-room experience wonderful as well. A delicious home-cooked dinner will be served in the dining room, followed by a special rooftop event.

+7-DAYS, OPTIONAL ADD-ON ITINERARY CHACRAS DE CORIA TO TUNUYÁN

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Sunday, March 18 • EWR - 102-111 • San Carlos, in Valle de UcoAward-Winning Super-Modern Winery of Architecture and Technology

O. Fournier Winery • EWR - 102-107 • At the southernmost end of this 25- by 45-mile valley (Valle de Uco) is the ultimate in innovative wineries. O. Fournier is an architectural masterpiece... from its spectacular exterior design that won an architectural gold medal, to an infrastructure designed to gently handle the grapes and wines as they transition through the winery and to ease the work-flow for their employees. The result... wines that are winning the “Top 100 Wines of the Year” award on multiple occasions, plus achieving 94 point high scores. Picture naturally breathtaking snow-capped Andes Mountains as a backdrop for a strikingly modern, minimalist structure, that rises from rich green vineyards. A stark design, insisting on your curiosity. A helicopter landing pad over a winery, you wonder (see photo below)? It is the winery’s outdoor roof, designed with the aerodynamics of an aircraft wing to create airflow below, keeping the grapes and workers cool. Innovation in the winery is everywhere. The entire wine-making process uses primarily gravity. From sorting downward to fermentation, to aging, to bottling… they minimize pumps to maximize gentleness with the grapes, juice and wine. An extensive laboratory overlooks the winery and is part of their commitment to excellence and ongoing improvements. This lab includes micro-vinification to experiment with small batches to understand their single terroir characteristics. The winery even has a built-in canal system within the concrete floors to capture water used in the meticulously cleaning the environment. Above the aging cellar grows rosemary outside to naturally hydrate the cellar below in this dry desert environment. We have arranged for a special tour through their vineyards, onto the platform for receiving and processing the grapes (outdoor under the aircraft-wing canopy), in their innovative lab, down through the winery, and into their massive wine cellar for barrel aging. Ultimately we end up in their restaurant called Urban. Urban won the best winery restaurant in the world, and when you taste their cuisine, you will understand. We have arranged for a menu to pair with their wines. All with a view across a lake with the Andes Mountains as the backdrop. Simply spectacular!

Urban Restaurant - at O. Fournier Winery • EWR - 108-109 • The World’s Greatest Winery Restaurant

Urban wins the World’s Greatest Winery Restaurant award from Wine Access magazine. For me, it would be a tall order to be the world’s greatest winery restaurant. Not just exquisite food, it must be paired properly with the winery’s wines, plus the ambiance, service, and environment must make me feel at home. This place delivers, as the Executive Chef is Nadia Ortega (the winery president’s wife), whose other restaurant in Mendoza is the famed Nadia O.F. that was awarded Best Restaurant in Argentina by the Argentine Academy of Gastronomy. We will enjoy a gourmet lunch here, paired with the O. Fournier wines, enjoying their relaxing and inspiring environment. Urban is ultra-modern, a cube minimalist structure and decor, with wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling glass windows, every table looks out across the lake front, through vineyards, allowing the Andes Mountains to be admired. It’s a casual, non-rushed environment to enjoy the view as much as the culinary experience. If it is a warm day, we may sit outside on the deck, lakeside.

+7-DAYS ITINERARY TUNUYÁN

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Monday, March 19 • EWR - 150-157 • Manzano HistóricoHorseback Riding - Gaucho BBQ - Innovative Winery Tour & Tasting

Andes Mountains Horseback Riding & Gaucho BBQ • EWR - 154-157 • To truly see the spectacular landscape of the Andes Mountains, we need to venture into the foothills of one of its canyons and see it up close. This is best done on horseback. It is beautiful. Majestic. Meditative. An awe-inspiring experience to explore the wilderness, without trails, just in nature... taking it all in. One of the most famous historical entrances to the Andes is Manzano Histórico, made famous by General José de San Martín, who used this canyon as his gateway to the Andes and crossings to Chile where he worked together with his confident Chilean General Bernardo O’Higgins (you just gotta love his name) in fighting for their independence of Argentina and Chile against Spain. Manzano Histórico is a large natural and historical reserve with remarkable landscapes ranging from 4,000’ to peaks of 20,000’ of prehistoric aged masses, penetrated by granite and volcanic rocks, with rivers and streams of very high-quality water and fishing. Manzano means apple in Spanish. Collectively, Manzano Histórico is the historical significance of an apple tree that General San Martín made famous as he would sleep here at this spot, in an apple tree. San Martín is highly honored in Argentina as he defeated the Spanish Army, gaining independence for Argentina, Chile and Peru. Sculptures, squares and roads are named after San Martín in most cities throughout the country. After a couple hours of riding, our gaucho (cowboy) will bring us to a site along a flowing river where an Asado BBQ has been underway for hours. The slow-cooked meats and vegetables will be ready for us to enjoy when we arrive, along with an Argentine Malbec, of course. Year-round snowmelt creates rivers here, always flowing with fresh water to feed the vineyards in the valley below.

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Casa de Uco Vineyards & Wine Resort • EWR - 150-153 •

The closest vineyards to Manzano Histórico is Casa de Uco Vineyards & Wine Resort, next door to where we are staying at Alpasión. This property is a unique project by its owner Alberto Tonconogy, a visionary architect with an illustrious career of designing award-winning buildings... from skyscrapers to luxury homes to bridges. When you are the owner/architect, and your partner is your son who brought the wine expertise connecting all aspects of this resort property together, the design, space and concepts must be brilliant! And they are! When I asked Alberto how he came up with such unusual structures, he shared with me his challenge of developing a building of modest scale in comparison to the vast desert that it surrounded. It was the stream that zigzagged down from the Andes and onto the property that became the landmark that paved the way for the creation of his master plan and ideas. After we cleanup from horseback riding and relaxing the afternoon at Alpasión, we will spend the evening with Casa de Uco. We have arranged a private winery tour and tasting, with an evening of foods outside surrounding their resorts’ outside scape, amidst lush gardens, lagoons, creeks, and vineyards. We will experience a specially guided wine tasting by their on-site sommelier, paired with foods created by their gourmet chef, and enjoy a crystal clear view the magical southern sky.

+7-DAYS ITINERARY TUNUYÁN

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Tuesday, March 20 • EWR - 138-145 • Vista Flores, in Valle de UcoA Diverse Day at Bodegas Salentein

In a breathtaking atmosphere of native plants and natural materials used for construction, comes a winery of art, sculptures within landscape and buildings, modern architecture and design, a museum of 19th and 20th century Dutch paintings, an art gallery of local artist expressing thought-provoking Argentine culture, chefs express their art and taste on the plate, and an innovate winery where great wines are created. All under the backdrop of the Andes Mountains surrounded by vineyards in every direction. Bodegas Salentein is likely the largest winery estate in Valle de Uco with 5,000 acres (2,000 planted with vineyards), stretching 14 linear miles through elevation of 3,400 to 5,600 feet, well into the foothills of the Andes Mountains where the growing cycle is short and the climate cool. Salentein has been experimenting with the full range of their estate’s diverse terroir and five different micro-climates. Their fincas (vineyards) include many diverse elevations, climates and soils, creating varying conditions for ripening of different varietals. Salentein is primarily a red wine producer and they are making great use of the different conditions to maximize the quality of each wine. The winery itself was designed in the shape of a cross for both beauty and function. In each of the crosses’ four wings is a small winery in-and-of-itself to focus on optimizing quality. Two levels allow a gentle flow of the grapes from tanks to barrels by a traditional gravity transfer system, and reducing the distance wine needs to be moved between winemaking steps. Nearly 50% of the Salentein portfolio is Malbec, an exciting lineup of different expressions of Malbec. José Antonio Galante, an important pioneer of the Argentina Malbec movement in the United States, is the Chief Winemaker leading the success of Bodegas Salentein. Galante worked 34 years for Catena Zapata, the pre-eminent winery responsible for creating Malbec’s iconic status and elevating Argentina as one of the world’s most important wine-producing regions. Galante has made it his mission to understand the micro-climates occurring throughout this massive estate, and with such knowledge of this land, he can deliver wines with strong personalities and varietal expression. In the cellar, José hires pianists to play classical music to his wines as they rest, aging, Galante is the maestro of his wizardly skills in bringing forth a masterpiece of classical wines.

Imagine a place where nature, art, culture, food and great wine all come together for an awe-inspiring experience for the day. With the complexity, sophistication and vision of Bodegas Salentein, we have created an interesting and educational day at this property. We will begin in their art gallery with a guided tour through the Killka Gallery & Museum which brings together the Salentein Dutch ownership displaying European art, emerging with contemporary Argentina artists in quarterly exhibits of highly talented, thought-inspiring local work. We have arranged for a guided tour of the spectacular grounds of the property, including the Patio of Sculptures and Chapel of Gratitude, a contemporary take on traditional Andean architecture, with mass on Saturdays. In the vineyard, we will examine the different varietals understanding their unique leaf and grape clusters. We will experience the winery at harvest time to see it in motion, and the barrel room with the grand piano. Our wine tasting will be designed to see how the diversity of terroir on this property effects the wines differently. It will be a unique and interesting experience throughout. Afterward, we will enjoy a delicious lunch at the winery at their Killka Restaurant, a space of art, food & wine, relaxing in the beautiful space. The wine bar has music and sofas, wines by the glass or bottle. The Killka Theatre has ongoing films about viticulture and cultural topics, and a Gift Shop of the full selection of Salentein’s wines, plus interesting wine gadgets and local crafts for sale.

+7-DAYS ITINERARY TUNUYÁN

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Wednesday, March 21 • EWR - 158-167 • Tupungato, in Valle de UcoWilderness Drive - Picnic - Condor Visit

Wilderness Drive and Condor Visit • EWR - 164-167 • Today, we will spend the day driving to the very north end of Valle de Uco, Tupungato, into the foothills of the Andes Mountain range. Here we will have a short light hike and picnic in the quiet beauty of this spectacular wilderness. We have arranged for Eduardo Soler, Professional Outdoor Adventure Guide and Partner in Discover the Andes Mountaineering, to guide us on this light adventure. Eduardo knows his way around the wilderness, knowing geology and geography in a very educational way to make our little adventure interesting, fun and educational. Bring your binoculars as we will find an extensive array of birds. Among our flying friends, the Andean Condor is the most popular bird to go spotting. It is one of the largest birds in the Western Hemisphere, its wingspan exceeds 12 feet. It is midnight black with tuffs of white feathers around its neck. An amazing sight to see! We will visit Quebrada de los Cóndores (Ravine of the Condors) a natural reserve, deep into a canyon with steep cliffs, where the condors live protected by an inapproachable terrain. We will walk up to the base and see the habits of these majestic birds, which will impose their presence from above. We will learn interesting characteristics. For example, they mate for life and, according to tradition, when one of them dies, the other soars high and commits suicide by going into a tailspin and crashing into the rocks of the mountain. Other birds we might see along the way are the Chimango, a beautiful cinnamon-colored bird that is very smart and known as a great survivor in the driest and harshest of landscapes as the Andes. The Pirincho, more commonly known as the Guira Cuckoo, is beautifully distinct with its spiky hairdo, pinky orange beak, yellow breast, and brown and white stripes down its back. They tend to be in the wide-open or semi-open habitats in the foothills of the Andes. The Nandu, also known as Rhea, is a long-legged bird like an ostrich, with a proud plume of feathers on its round body. The male’s mating call is quite a show as he lifts up his plumage, makes loud booming noises and runs around the female manically. And, the vineyards themselves are home to an unusual population: Owls. They are small and quiet, and spectacularly beautiful! Their faces are a sight to behold. They can be seen during daylight too.

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Zorzal Vineyards & Winery • EWR - 160-161 •

While we are here in the wilderness area, we will stop and meet with the Michelini Brothers of Zorzal Winery. They are quite the untraditional winemakers. They desire to explore, invent and experiment, always pushing new ideas and breaking ground where no one has been before. Hits and misses, like brilliant scientists, and now their successes are at the forefront of winemaking innovation. They have innovating new wines, like vinifying grape juice outside and in concrete eggs; harvesting Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec simultaneously and then co-fermenting them together, planting Pinot Noir vines east/west so they have no exposure to the sun; making white wine as you would red wine by pressing the skins and turning Torrontés into an orange wine... and it doesn’t stop there... The Michelinis chose to build their winery away from the crowd, not that this should surprise us, however they chose the notable location of Gualtallary at 4,400’ in this highest vine-growing zone of Tupungato at the foot of Tupungato volcano.

+7-DAYS ITINERARY TUNUYÁN

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Thursday, March 22 • EWR - 128-135 • Vista Flores, in Valle de UcoParticipate in Harvest and Winemaking - Outdoor BBQ of Fires

The Vintner Life at The Vines • EWR - 130-131 • Today, we will experience the vintner life. We will head out into the vineyards to harvest grapes ourselves. This is a hands-on experience of cutting the grape clusters from the vines and filling baskets to be used to make wine. And afterwards, we will do just that. We will sort the grapes on the actual sorting table and possibly stomp grapes just like the original winemaking practices. We will do the punch down, the process of pushing the grapes that float to the surface down into the juice for proper fermentation. We will do some sample tasting from the tanks to taste the progress the grapes go through to become wine. We will have a special wine educator on hand to show us and teach us many things about the process. I have done this numerous times, and it is continues to be a new fun, fascinating and educational experience. This vineyard location is called The Vines of Mendoza, a unique opportunity where people, many from the United States, own their own private vineyard within this 1,500-acre estate in Valle de Uco. Some knowing nothing about making wine, they become their own vintner with a team of highly accomplished winemakers. I have been following the development of The Vines of Mendoza, and everything I see is first-class. Their initial vintage received 92 points by Robert Parker. Their consulting winemaker is none other than Santiago Achaval (of the Achaval-Ferrar winery we visited last week). They have assembled a top-notch team of vineyard management and wine making professionals... all participating to help the owners make world-class wines. People buy their own vineyards here, and today we get to participate, just as they do, in the process. The property is grand. They have over a 130 vineyard owners, growing 18 different grape varietals, producing 230 entirely unique wines. Also on the property is a five-star, all-villa resort and spa.

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The Seven Fires of Francis Mallmann • EWR - 134-135 •

After our winemaking adventure, we will encounter a unique outdoor cooking experience created by the internationally acclaimed culinary author and chef, Francis Mallmann who inspired dishes of Argentina’s famous beef, and other meats and fish. Open flame cooking in action. Beyond the entertainment, Mallmann’s asado may just become one of your most memorable barbecue flavor experiences ever. Siete Fuegos (translated is Seven Fires) is Francis Mallmann’s tradition of the untraditional in open-flame cooking techniques. With fire... over it, under it, in it, and around it. Consider his salt-encrusted salmon, the entire fish thickly encased in salt, baked on cast-iron rack with wood embers burning above and below. After, the skin just rolls back as the beautiful meat is exposed. Eye-opening, mouth-watering and fiery flavors led me to enjoy a nine-hour slow-grilled rib eye with a chimichurri topping to permanently impregnate my senses. Let’s see what creativity will be cooked up for us.

+7-DAYS ITINERARY TUNUYÁN

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Friday, March 23 • EWR - 126-127 • Vista Flores, in Valle de UcoA day at the Winemakers Village

THE WINEMAKER’S VILLAGEThis is a unique village concept adjacent to The Vines of Mendoza property and right down the road from where we are staying at Alpasión, making this a relaxing day experience that we can all come and go as we please. The Winemakers Village... is a very cool project to develop a boutique collection of 12 small, high-quality wineries that are joined by a walking path along a meandering stream of snowmelt Andes water. The Village already has four wineries to explore. We will spend the afternoon tasting these excellent wines and enjoy an authentic outdoor Asado lunch at Giménez Riili, the first to plant vineyards, build a winery and establish themselves in this unique Winemakers Village.

A UNIQUE FAMILYFor four generations, the Giménez and Riili families have shared the love for making wine in Argentina. In 1890 Don Fernando Riili came to Argentina from Sicily and in 1905 Don Pedro Giménez from Spain. This Italian/Spanish love-affair finally consummated in their grandchildren’s marriage of 1967 creating the Giménez Riili Winery of family passions for acquiring choice vineyard properties in Mendoza and making their special wines. We will be joining the second youngest of five great-grandson brothers, Federico Giménez Riili, the CEO managing the family’s Giménez Riili Winery. Young and fresh with ideas, personable and carrying on the family tradition of friendship and passion for their land, wine and the people who wish to share special moments of life with them.

THE UNIQUE FAMILY, WINE & FOOD EXPERIENCEWe will be enjoying the warmth of this family friendship and spend the afternoon with them. Tour their winery, see the tanks, barrels and vintage gallery. Wander their gardens and learn about the native flora and wildlife of the valley. And, join them for their daily traditional Argentine BBQ under outdoor cabanas overlooking vineyards and the Andes mountains. It is an all-you-can-eat five-course menu of fresh-baked empanadas in their clay oven, grilled trout salad with beets and guacamole, chicken stew in an open pot of vegetables, herbs and spices, asado of rib eye and tenderloin, and a dessert of Malbec-infused peaches served with homemade vanilla ice cream... all paired with a different wine.

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Farewell Dinner Alpasión LodgeWe will enjoy our last night together in our little home, Alpasión Lodge, for a delicious dinner and wine._________________________________________________________________________________Tomorrow, sadly enough, we depart for home. We will leave in the morning for the Mendoza Airport.

+7-DAYS ITINERARY TUNUYÁN