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A Wine Lover’s Guide to Cafayate, Argentina

By Jessica Colley Clarke on April 19, 2017

The burgeoning wine region may lack the high-gloss finish of more popular destinations, but that is precisely part of its appeal.

© Courtesy Piatelli Vineyard

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The road to Cafayate has one lane in each direction, with a dusty shoulder for pulling over when the mountain landscape demands a stop. Whimsical red rock formations, frequently compared to the Grand Canyon, line the winding road that leads from the airport in the provincial capital city of Salta to the town of Cafayate and its surrounding wine country. It’s more than a three-hour drive through the northwest corner of Argentina on this narrow road snaking past towers of striated rock sculpted by wind, water, and time.

Upon arrival in Cafayate, it’s telling to note what you won’t see: large parking lots or big groups of English speakers. Instead, common sights include donkeys grazing in the street and gauchos on horseback. In the main plaza, kids playing after school greatly outnumber wine tourists. “Cafayate is not as developed as Mendoza,” says Lucía Romero Marcuzzi, managing director of Bodega El Porvenir, referring to the renowned Argentine wine region roughly 650 miles to the south. “When you arrive in Cafayate, you have the sense that you are discovering a new and remote place.”

But wine lovers are now starting to take note. Cafayate received 149,000 visitors in 2012, but by 2015 that number nearly doubled, growing to 271,000 in just three years. Production at local wineries has expanded, too. At El Porvenir, 350,000 bottles a year are now hitting the market, versus 200,000 bottles three years ago. “There is a higher demand for our wines in external markets,” says Marcuzzi. “New areas like Asia and some countries in Latin America have opened up for us.”

At the heart of this growth is a burgeoning interest in high-altitude wines, with vineyards ranging from 5,400 to almost 10,000 feet above sea level (some of Europe’s highest, in Switzerland and Italy, sit at about 4,000 feet above sea level). “Cafayate has a unique microclimate,” says Marcuzzi. “Warm sunny days and cool nights translate into wines with more color, more aromatics, and great intensity.” At extreme altitude, grapes like Malbec, Tannat, Torrontés, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bonarda, and Syrah receive intense sunlight and their skins thicken to protect the fruit against the sun. As a result, grapes take longer to mature and tannins are concentrated. Wines in Cafayate also benefit from snowcap water off the Andes, which helps to flush toxins from the soil and enriches the grapes.

Both the character of the wines and the undiscovered feel of the region are currently calling wine enthusiasts. Cafayate may lack the high-gloss finish of other great wine destinations, but that is precisely part of its appeal. Here, our guide to the region. 

 

 
 
Courtesy El Porvenir

Sip: Bodega El Porvenir

In the longstanding local tradition, El Porvenir is a family-run boutique winery. Located in the heart of Cafayate, the bodega (or winery) dates back to the late 1800s and charms with its adobe walls framed by potted succulents and old casks. Visitors can choose between tasting options of three or five glasses, or can opt for a special blending session that allows guests to create their own unique blend of different local varietals. El Porvenir can also arrange exclusive experiences, including a picnic in the vineyards or a tasting and regional lunch in the family’s red-roof, three-bedroom house. Córdoba 32; 54-3868/422-007; elporvenirdecafayate.com.

PICS IMG (pics.com.ar) / courtesy Bad Brothers Wine Experience

Sip: Bad Brothers Wine Experience

In November 2016, Bad Brothers Wine Experience opened in a restored adobe house just off the main plaza in Cafayate. Sophisticated in scope but relaxed in setting, this wine bar offers the chance to taste 14 different Bad Brothers wines (options from other boutique producers in the Calchaquí Valley are off menu and available by special request). The venue also serves a range of modern small plates such as pulled pork empanadas, a smoked salmon salad with avocado and Andean potatoes, and a filet mignon sandwich with red pepper pesto and arugula. Special visits with winemaker Agustín Lanús can be arranged to include pairing dinners, private tastings, and rare samples, such as a recent vintage of extreme altitude wine straight from the barrel. Camila Quintana de Niño 63; 54-3868/426-039; badbrotherswe.com.

Courtesy Bodega el Esteco

Sip: Bodega El Esteco

Founded by French immigrants in 1892, Bodega El Esteco was a pioneer of winemaking in Cafayate. Beyond the Spanish colonial-style façade, the winery offers customizable English-speaking tours of the facilities that end with a glass of wine inside the old fermentation pools, which date back to the late 19th century. During harvest in February and March, guests can join the staff in tasting and handpicking grapes by special request. Ruta 40 y Ruta 68, 4427, Cafayate; 54-3868/566-019; elesteco.com.

Courtesy Piatelli Vineyard

Sip: Piattelli Winery

The Andes Mountains are a dramatic backdrop at Piattelli, a winery that opened its doors in Cafayate in 2013. (They have a sister vineyard in Mendoza.) A few tours and tastings are available, including the “two terroirs” tasting option, in which Piattelli’s wines from Cafayate and Mendoza are offered blind side by side. Plan for a long lunch of grilled meats on the restaurant’s terrace overlooking the vineyards. Ruta Provincial 2, Km 3; 54-93868/418-214; piattellivineyards.com.

Courtesy Patios de Cafayate

Eat: La Rosa Restaurant

Colonial-style architecture, adobe walls, and Spanish tiles set a charming scene at La Rosa, the restaurant within the Patios de Cafayate hotel. Locals swear by the lunch meal, which consists of salads straight from the herb and vegetable garden and a medium-rare steak, all served outdoors on a terrace overlooking a pasture with grazing llamas and horses. Special five-course dinners are also available by request, with paired wines from neighboring Bodega El Esteco. Ruta Nacional 40; 54-3868/422-229; patiosdecafayate.com.

Courtesy Ministerio de Cultura y Turismo de Salta

Do: Quebrada de Las Conchas

The province of Salta is known for its epic landscapes. During the drive to Cafayate from the airport in Salta city, stop along Quebrada de las Conchas. Often compared to the Grand Canyon, this landmark consists of towers of jagged rock formations in every imaginable shade of red. (The colors are particularly powerful at sunset.) Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat) is one highlight: the experience is like standing at the bottom of a “throat” with vertical walls of rock rising straight up around you.

Courtesy Museo de la Vid y el Vino

Do: Museo de la Vid y el Vino

The Museo de la Vid y el Vino offers a crash course in the nuances of high-altitude wines, with sections devoted to the vines and terroir, the winemaking process, and equipment used throughout winemaking history. An onsite wine boutique sells wines from around the Calchaquí Valley. Av. Güemes Sur esquina Fermín Perdiguero; 54-3868/422-322; museodelavidyelvino.gov.ar.

Courtesy Ministerio de Cultura y Turismo de Salta

Do: Cafayate Municipal Handmade Market

Located right on the main plaza of Cafayate, the handmade market features the work of 120 local artisans, including handmade ceramics and textiles (bedspreads, tapestries, blankets). “The technique is four pedals, and it takes about three months for each piece to be finished,” says Erica Lorena Yapura, treasurer of the Cafayate Municipal Handmade Market. She recommends the artisan Marino Tolaba, who treats sheep wool with natural plant dyes, and Don Alvaro Cutipa, whose delicate plates and vases have attracted an international following. Vicario Toscano 58.

Courtesy Grace Cafayate

Do: Empanada Cooking Class at Grace Cafayate

Empanadas with intricate roped edges often begin meals in Argentina, and boutique hotel Grace Cafayate offers a hands-on cooking class in how to make the savory baked snacks from scratch. Ruta Nacional 40 Km 4340, 4427, Cafayate; 54-3868/42-7000; gracehotels.com.

Courtesy Grace Cafayate

Stay: Grace Cafayate

Surrounded by vineyards and mountains in the Calchaquí Valley, Grace Cafayate has a serene spot on a 1,360-acre estate. Freestanding villas have private patios with hot tubs and authentic asado grills; room service will deliver baskets to create your own Argentine barbecue, or a chef can do the cooking. Villas also have living rooms with big stone fireplaces and bathrooms with deep soaking tubs overlooking the vines. A new spa opened on the ground floor of the hotel in late 2016; book the couple’s treatment suite with Jacuzzi, sauna, and private deck with outdoor shower. Rooms, from $184 and villas from $390; Ruta Nacional 40 Km 4340; 54-3868/427-000; gracehotels.com.

Courtesy House of Jasmines

Stay: House of Jasmines

House of Jasmines is a 100-year-old mansion-cum-boutique hotel set in the countryside outside of Salta city. Formerly the private home of actor Robert Duvall and his Argentine wife Luciana Pedraza, the estate was purchased by the Fenestraz family in 2007 (other Maison Fenestraz properties include Estancia El Colibri in Cordoba, Argentina, and La Loze in Courchevel, France). The 14-room hotel, now a Relais and Chateaux property, is conveniently located ten minutes from the Salta Airport, making it an ideal stop on the way in or out of the region. There’s a spa, outdoor pool, shady terraces, and a large vegetable and herb garden that supplies the restaurant. Horseback riding excursions are available through vineyards and wild fields at the base of the Andes. Rooms, from $230; Ruta Nacional N 51 km6, La Merced Chica, Salta; 54-387/497-2002; houseofjasmines.com.

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