Wine enthusiasts who have already toured Napa and Sonoma valleys in northern California, uncorked bottles in the Champagne region of France, and tasted wine in Tuscany, may want to head to Mendoza in Argentina for a unique tasting adventure in the Andes. Mendoza, like many wine producing regions, is startlingly beautiful.  The area is dry and sunny, full of lakes and rivers, and blessed with the snow capped Andes as a backdrop.

The high altitude and extreme variance in temperature produce some of the best wines in the Americas. This area of the world is often compared to Napa Valley around thirty years ago and viticulturists have embraced Mendoza with the belief that the combination of world class wines and stunning scenery will thrust this area into the international spotlight. There are many wineries or bodegas located in and around the city of Mendoza which makes for full days of wine tasting.  Travelers can horseback ride, bike, or bus to the tasting rooms, where tours, explanations, and delicious cuisine await. It is also possible to hire an oenologist to accompany you for a more personalized experience.  Many of the wineries have their own bed and breakfasts, or unique winery accommodations for guests.

A great place to begin a tasting tour is at the Vines of Mendoza tasting room, which is centrally located and offers all the best wines of the region. Once you have tasted the different wines you can visit the wineries that produce your favorites.  Two top-notch places are Tapiz and Achaval Ferrer which offer great wine flights and interesting, informative tours.

Mendoza is a bustling and beautiful city with 150,000 inhabitants and offers a variety of activities to suit every taste. In addition to wine tasting, travelers can take cooking classes with world class chefs, climb the Andes, hike through spectacular pastoral landscapes, try white-water rafting, and enjoy evening tango shows.

Another perk to visiting Argentina, is that the dollar and euro stretches a little further here than it does in Europe or the United States. Travelers can very easily fly to one of Argentina´s other great travel destinations or head to Chile after their wine tasting tour.