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Travel tales

Tales from the road

A rising star in Elqui

by AB December 17, 2013

“They thought we were loco,” says Giorgio Flessati, winemaker at Vina Mayu. A common story for pioneers and winemakers who push the boundaries. And fifteen years ago anyone would have thought Giorgio and his cousin Aldo Olivier and co-partner at Vina Falernia were crazy for planting vines in Elqui. A land of extremes, Elqui Valley is on the edge of the Atacama Desert, has over 340 days of sunshine a year, almost no rainfall, can reach the high 30s during the day with some of the purest sunlight in the world – almost 10 times more solar radiation than in Europe.

These diurnal extremes would make winemaking impossible if it wasn’t for the polar opposite nocturnally: the temperature plummets, a soggy sea fog rolls in, and the vines wake up cool and moist. During the daytime you might be in a shorts and T-shirt, but at night you’ll need a blanket as Elqui is in fact considered a cool climate for wine. “Climatically it’s extremely cold and windy,” says Paul Hobbs, a flying winemaker who consults for Vina San Pedro who make wine in Elqui. “It has very cold nights and there’s a wind tunnel coming in from the sea.”

San Juan: A sanctuary in the desert

by AB November 15, 2013

Written for Wine Republic, October 2013

San Juan is a city in a wild landscape of bare mountains and flat plains two hours north of Mendoza City. You’ll see a few tumbleweeds roll past on a Sunday afternoon in San Juan and that’s not just because of its dusty surroundings and sleepy lifestyle but also because San Juan is characterised by its winds.

If you have been in Argentina for long you will have heard about the infamous ‘Zonda’. It sounds like a caped fox from a Spanish cartoon, but the Zonda is a wind so fierce it can run at 40km per hour, and so hot it can reach 45 degrees Celsius. It is a wind of biblical proportions at times – especially those that last 3 days and tear apart roofs of houses – and if you go to the village of Zonda and it’s surroundings you’ll see how this wind has shaped the lands into dramatic clay sculptures. The best example of how the Zonda has shaped the landscape over the years is the outstanding Valle de la Luna, Ischigualasto Park, 250kms further north.

The most popular tourist route near San Juan is the Quedabra del Zonda, a mountainous setting near the Ullum dam where you’ll find beautiful nature walks, and outdoors activities like dirt biking, cycling, kayaking, paragliding and windsurfing. The winds that blow across the dams in the area make it one of the top windsurfing and kitesurfing spots in South America, especially in the nearby dam called Cuesta del Viento.

Although in the winter the landscape might look like an ancient crater where a dinosaur dropped an A bomb a few millenia ago, in the summer it transforms into fertile valleys and resplendent vineyards producing some of Argentina’s top Syrah. When it isn’t blowing a Zonda gale – which fortunately is only a dozen times a year and usually in the less critical winter months – San Juan is impeccably sunny and dry with almost no rainfall and perfect sunshine. This gives its wines a unique character.

Some Serious Syrah

“San Juan has some of the clearest and most unpolluted skies, with over 300 days of sun so it gives a longer maturity and UV exposure which produces more antioxidants and makes the tannins much sweeter,” says winemaker Gustavo Daroni about the easy-to-drink style of San Juan wines. The antioxidant levels also give you a great excuse to drink more as they are proven to reduce risk of cancer.

Hot sun isn’t ideal for all grapes and summer temperatures can soar to an overwhelming 46 degrees Celsius. The varietal that’s really made its home here, is Syrah. More heat resilient than other varieties, it continues working and producing even on the hottest days. You’ll also find good Torrontes, Cabernet Franc and Malbec in these parts, amongst others. The vineyards near Zonda village are in fact considered some of the best quality for their high altitude and there’s an old sparkling wine cava built into the mountains nearby too (Cavas del Zonda, Ruta 12, Km 15).

Cherry picking Mendoza’s hotels

by AB September 30, 2013

As a bonafide (if unofficial) resident of Mendoza for four years, I get a lot of emails asking about where to stay. Here are my top picks of accommodation in and out of the centre of Mendoza:

In the city:

Being in the city centre is the best place if you are relying on public transport – it’s the hub of Mendoza and its wine regions. You’ll find all the bars, some of the top restaurants, the amenities and the massive park at your disposal and the easiest way out to the wineries (without your own car) is coming from the city centre (whether by bus, bike, tour or taxi). For staying in the city centre, I really recommend staying the West side of Plaza Independencia, the East side is not so pretty and is much busier, dirtier and noisier.

Budget picks:
I don’t really know the hostels in Mendoza, I could only tell you which have the notorious party scenes which is probably not the best recommendation… So check out ratings on hostelworld etc for the most recent opinions. My advice is stay west for the nicer areas, and if you want to be on the party scene pick one on Aristides Villanueva Street.

Mid-range:
B&B Plaza Italia: If you want to stay in the city city centre, this B&B is on my favourite plaza. A bit more relaxed then the main Plaza Independencia, but still surrounded by the better restaurants and it’s in the nicer, safer end of town. A simple B&B/small hotel which has neat rooms and is around $800pesos per night. Don’t miss out on Florentino restaurant next door. Plaza Italia B&B, Plaza Italia.

Bohemia Boutique: In the 5ta seccion, in a quieter residential neighbourhood four blocks from the city centre and four blocks from the park and four blocks from the nightlife street (Aristides), this is a more tranquilo location for those who are happy to live more where locals do, with nice rooms, a small pool in a patio/garden and is around $100US/$600pesos per night. http://www.bohemiahotelboutique.com/ Granaderos 954 +54 261 423-0575

Top Dollar:

The Hyatt: Right on the main plaza, this is still the hotel of Mendoza. Attractive, nice (but small) spa and a small pool open all year round they have two good restaurants, a nice wine bar and good service compared to other hotels in the city. Park Hyatt, Chile 1124 , +54 261 441-1234

The Diplomatic: Another good hotel, although a bit more corporate. Good location (not as pretty though) but at the right end of town with good restaurants and bars nearby, and a terrace pool that gets afternoon sun. They also serve bubbly at breakfast (the only hotel left in Mendoza that does). Diplomatic, Av Belgrano 1041 +54 261 405-1900

Chacras & Lujan:

About 30mins by taxi from the city, one hour by bus, you can stay in Chacras or Lujan. You are closer to vineyards, but further from city centre facilities. Chacras has a picturesque town with lots of restaurants, some shops and pharmacies etc. If you want to feel a bit more in the countryside without actually being in the sticks, then this is your place. You could survive here without a car, although taxis will add up. Visiting places within walking distance or bike will only keep you entertained for a day or two. Alternatively you can just sit by the pool and enjoy the Mendoza sun.

36 hours in Santiago: Gourmet Tour

by AB September 8, 2013

Chile is a foodie’s paradise. With almost all the climates you can ask for, the long stretch of this thin country has mountains, valleys, forests and a massive coastline. But fortunately for those with only a short time on their hands, you don’t need to travel the entire length of the country in search for a taste of Chile – it can all be found in Santiago.

Written for 36hrs.in

Friday, 9:00pm

Make your way to Bocanariz wine bar (Jose Victorino Lastarria 276) in the trendy Lastarria neighborhood where you can get your snout in good training for the weekend. The best place in the city for wines by the glass, you can try wines from all over the country here ranging from boutique to big players. Order a flight of wines and get the sommelier-trained staff to talk you through Chilean wine country. When you’ve worked up a hunger, pick some of the tasting dishes from the menu which are all divided into flavor profiles: sweet, salty, creamy… Perfect for playing with wine pairings.

Saturday

9:00am

Take a morning stroll around Plaza de Armas, the historical square in the middle of the city. As you walk around with the pigeons and tourists, get a bite of breakfast on the run from the numerous food stands underneath the arcades on the Portal Fernandez Concha side. It’s not glamorous, but it is Chilean. Have an empanada, a doughnut, a slice of pizza, a hotdog or all of them and remember the mantra: eat breakfast like a King.

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36 hours in Buenos Aires: Literary Tour

by AB September 8, 2013

Buenos Aires is the city that inspired Argentina’s great writers and, like Paris, was the hub of many a literary movement. In fact, almost the entire surreal, literary world of Jorge Luis Borges is based in Buenos Aires. Enjoy the chaos of the city tucked deep inside a cafe and amongst shelves of books, visit the haunts of authors past and keep up appearances with the artsy crowd of the present.

Written for 36hrs.in

Friday, 8:00pm

Starting out at the government’s Casa Rosa, stretch your early evening literary legs by wandering down the bustle of one of Buenos Aires’ most important streets: Avenida de Mayo. Bookshops litter the street and as the night lights come into play you’ll get swept away with the big city romance. A few blocks in is the capital’s oldest café – and probably the most touristy – Cafe Tortoni. This 1858 building hosted most of Argentina’s literati in its time and although now it’s more for camera wielding Japanese than distressed writers, you’ll still get a sensation of the history it retains. If your legs are tired, grab a beer and stick around for the daily, but slightly tacky, tango show. A good alternative milonga about 15 minutes away on the bus is Club La Independencia in San Telmo (Av Independencia 572) which is much cooler and less touristy.

10:00pm

A few blocks away is this gem of a Peruvian place… Chan Chan! Affordable, spicy and authentic – this is a great place to sip away on a pisco sour and chow down on some ceviche and most definitely on their awesome Papas a la Huancaina!

36 hours in Buenos Aires: Luxury

by AB September 8, 2013

This wasn’t called the Paris of South America for no reason! Buenos Aires has all the luxuries a European capital can afford: five star hotels, gourmet cuisine, exclusive tours and all the makings for a great weekend schmoozing, boozing and relaxing.

Written for 36hrs.in

Friday, 6:00pm

The hottest luxury hotel in BA is Faena, and it wasn’t called a ‘universe’ for nothing. Designed by Philippe Starck in one of the landmark buildings in the city, El Porteño, this is so much more than a hotel – it has an arts center, a spa, live music performances and some of the city’s best dining options, and as you’d expect from Starck no expense or creativity is spared in its design. Start the evening with a private wine tasting in the cellar, with the largest collection of wines in Argentina at your disposal, then move onto one of the restaurants before finishing for an intimate evening of top quality tango in El Caberet bar. Expect sizzling tango and sip on a champagne cocktail to cool off from the latin heat on the dance floor. If you don’t want to stay at the hotel or choose to dine elsewhere, you are in the right place – BA’s opulent neighborhood, Puerto Madero – where there are dozens of great restaurants, clubs and hotels.