Crossing the Andes to get to Argentina
Harvested Syrah grapes
A legit wine tasting. After hours of biking under the sun before finally arriving to this small family-owned winery I was already working up a sweat. After the cheek-warming qualities of red wine and feeling totally incompetant during the tasting (carefully trying not to "swirl" the glass to hard, and hold the wine in my mouth for long enough but not too long, and getting away with arbitrarily applying ambigious wine terms to wines when they all tasted the same to me), I constantly had to wipe the perspiration from my forehead. After taking an impromptu winery tour and tasting, just me and the guide since I arrived alone, I learned a bit about their particular process and was caught off guard (sort of) by a very friendly farewell advance. Here's the story I regaled to a friend in an email:
"...After a few glasses, a piece of steak, intense stares from the tour guide while I was dripping in sweat from the wine, strenuous bike ride, desert heat, and wine idiocy self-consciousness, buying a bottle beyond my normal price range for my CS host, suppressed sexual tension throughout, my winery tour guide kissed me. I think he was married but as I said goodbye and thanks for everything he kissed me on the fucking lips and that shit was prolonged. The booze dulled my reflexes and even though I half-wanted it I turned my head after a few seconds of delayed realization and disgust and flattery so his lips slid onto a cold cheek. So drunk with stars in my eyes, pedaling back to the rental shop alone I laughed hysterically like a madwoman about the whole silly, housewife fantasy, movie-like encounter..."
A Trapiche vineyard, one of Argentina's biggest wine producers, and just about anyone can pedal or walk through and try their grapes.
Another nameless vineyard I stumbled upon en route to a winery. I stopped here for a chocolate break.
Jorge, my loveable Mendoza Couchsurfing host making tomato and cheese tartlets
At the bus station about to take off for Bariloche, moments before realizing my wallet was stolen. Luckily I had my passport and a backup credit card in my backpack. One of the smartest travel tricks I've learned.
What a great experience! The wine tours were very professional and I learned a lot from the guides about the wine industry in Argentina. I was a little sceptical at first since I did not know how was that going to be, but I simply loved it. Last year in my trip to Argentina, we decided to stay a couple of days in BA and had an actual apartment rental buenos aires and then we headed to San Rafael. I remember that when I went there with my boyfriend we rode horses up to a mountain, we rafted in the river (not too dangerous), we rowed with a boat through a lagoon to a rather wild place. There was so much adventure going on, and we used to end up tired as hell! But it was worth it.
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