Even
a Spaswinefood enthusiast knows when to take a friend’s recommendation
seriously. So when an Argentine wine journalist friend recommended visiting The Vines of Mendoza we did. We made a reservation for lunch at their Siete Feugo (Seven Fires) Restaurant. We also did a winery tour and a wine tasting at the winery. The Vines of Mendoza has a micro fermentation winery that produces over 200 different wines. Located in the stunning Uco Valley (Valle de Uco) with 1,000 acres under vine it is a must for #winelovers.
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1000 Acres Under Vine © Spaswinefood
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The Vines of Mendoza Makes a Perfect Vineyard Escape
Even
through it was not our first trip to the Uco Valley from Mendoza city we budgeted more than the
general recommended driving time. In this case it was needed because when
we arrived at one of the two main entrances to the estate we were told to drive
to the other entrance. We arrived at the other entrance about 10-15 minutes later. When we arrived the guard checked our reservation
and gave us the directions to the restaurant.
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| The Vines of Mendoza, Uco Valley © Spaswinefood |
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| The Vines of Mendoza © Spaswinefood |
After
some navigating through the vineyards we finally arrived at
Siete Feugos (Seven Fires) Restaurant. True it might take some time to drive here however, it was well worth the effort.
Lunch at Siete Feugos
We began our visit with a most amazing lunch at The Vines Siete Feugos Restaurant.
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| Entrance to Siete Feugos, Vines of Mendoza © Spaswinefood |
A
restaurant with a name like Siete Feugos (Seven Fires) conjures images of asado
in your mind. Many of the dishes are cooked over open flames, both in the kitchen and outside.
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| Outside Cooking Setup, Siete Fuegos © Spaswinefood |
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| Waiting for Night, Siete Fuegos © Spaswinefood |
Yes, I know it is a great place for meat lovers. However, if you are vegetarian do not skip this restaurant at The
Vines of Mendoza Resort. We were most fortunate to have had lunch there. The
food was excellent. After all this is where the internationally acclaimed Chef
Francis Mallmann has created regionally inspired dishes. We enjoyed checking out a few of those dishes in this awesome setting, with 180 views of the Andes. I can imagine dinner at night must be spectacular, with the cooking done over the flames.
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| Dining at Siete Fuegos Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
It is worth the drive from Mendoza just to sit here surrounded by vineyards, with the Andes in the distance.
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| Reflection Pool, Siete Fuegos Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
Our lunch began with some inviting breads.
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| Breads, Siete Fuegos Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
Since we were doing a wine tasting later we ordered some wines to taste over lunch. One of these wines was a Receurdo Wines, which The Vines produces for the Bespoke Collection.
Receurdo Wines, Torrontés 2013
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| Receurdo Wines, Torrontés 2013 © Spaswinefood |
We also tasted two red wines. They were a Bodega Ruca Malen, Bondarda 2014 and a Passionate Wine, Esperando a los Bárbaros Malbec 2016.
Bodega Ruca Malen, Bonarda 2014, & Passionate Wines, Esperando a los Bárbaros Malbec 2016
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| Bonarda 2014, and Esperando a los Bárbaros Malbec 2016 © Spaswinefood |
No, I did not randomly selected these wines. Both Recuerdo and Ruca Malen wines have been on my radar for awhile. Yes, I do love Argentine Malbec however, I must admit that Argentine Torrontés and Bonarda have been my list.
We started lunch with amazing gazpacho.
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| Gazpacho for Two, Siete Fuegos Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
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| Gazpacho, Siete Fuegos Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
For our main courses we ordered the following:
Grilled Gnocchi and Squash Burrito
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| Gnocchi with Shrimp, Siete Fuegos Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
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| Squash Burrito, Siete Fuegos Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
We loved the style of gnocchi made at Siete Feugos. The squash dish was also very delicious. Great food and great views are hard to beat. The views from our
dining table were amazing in all directions.
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| Andes in the Mist, Siete Fuegos Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
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| Andes in the Distance, Siete Fuegos Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
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| Vineyard View, Siete Fuegos Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
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| Garden, Siete Fuegos Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
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| Pool Area, Siete Fuegos Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
Onto the Winery
After
lunch we did a tour and tasting at the winery. To get to the winery from the
restaurant there was indeed more driving through the vineyards.
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| Vines, Vines of Mendoza © Spaswinefood |
I think most visitors will be struck by the expansiveness of this vineyard estate.
When
we arrived at the winery the oenologist took us on a tour.
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| Touring Vines of Mendoza Winery © Spaswinefood |
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| Vines of Mendoza Winery Oenologist © Spaswinefood |
We were given an overview of the wine making process used in the winery.
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| Fermentation Tanks, Vines of Mendoza Winery © Spaswinefood |
The sign posted on the
wall at winery caught my attention. For those who want to be part of The Vines of Mendoza there is an opportunity to invest. The sign read:
Wine Lovers Become Winemakers
The
Vines of Mendoza a vineyard ownership experience you’ve always dreamed about
with the renown consulting winemaker Santiago Achaval and our expert team to
make your custom batch wine. You can jump in and get your hands dirty or leave
the details to us.
These limited edition Malbec wines are well made wines. Each had very unique characteristics that make them winners. Without doubt the private vineyard estate owners at The Vines have discovered something special. It is a very special place to visit. We are indeed most grateful to the oenologist who took the time to be with us.
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| Relaxing at Vines of Mendoza © Spaswinefood |
The Vines of Mendoza is a perfect vine-filled escape for those looking to get away from it all. Staying at Vines of Mendoza Resort and Spa is the
ideal vineyard retreat with rustic luxury. While many visitors to Mendoza like to stay in Mendoza
City, as we did, nevertheless staying in a vineyard resort is pure joy. Earlier in
Cafayate we did a vineyard stay at Patios de Cafayate. Whether you spend a day, or a week Vines of Mendoza is a must. From Mendoza city the Valle de Uco it is approximately a 75 minute drive. Other Spaswinefood’s recommendations
for the Uco Valley are Domaine Bousquet and Zuccardi. Overall
for this wine enthusiast a week was not enough time to tour Mendoza's
wine regions. Nevertheless, it sure was an awesome visit to Mendoza Province. You can
check out my travels in Argentina and elsewhere at Spaswinefood.
Sharon
February
2017
Mendoza,
Argentina
©
Spaswinefood
I
would like to give special thanks to Gabriel Dvoskin for this recommendation,
and for arranging for us to meet the winemaker.
Amazing
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