Mendoza, Argentina · 5 Days
5 Days in Mendoza: Malbec, Mountains & Asado
Mendoza produces some of the world's greatest Malbec from vineyards perched at 750 to 1,500 metres altitude, with the snow-capped Andes as a permanent backdrop. This five-day itinerary takes you through three of Argentina's finest wine sub-regions — Luján de Cuyo, the Valle de Uco, and Maipú — combining world-class tastings with the legendary Argentine asado culture at exceptional value for money.
What to Expect
Mendoza offers exceptional value by global wine tourism standards — top-tier tastings cost a fraction of Napa or Bordeaux equivalents. The altitude (750–1,500m) means thinner air; drink plenty of water, especially the first day. USD cash is widely accepted and often preferred at wineries and restaurants.
Day 1 — Mendoza City: Arrive & Acclimatise
Arrive & Walk the City
Mendoza city was rebuilt after a devastating earthquake in 1861 with wide boulevards, street trees (the acequia irrigation channels line every street), and a grid of parks. The Plaza Independencia and its surrounding smaller plazas make for excellent afternoon walking. The altitude is real — take your first afternoon easy and drink water before the big days ahead.
Dinner at a Parrilla
Your introduction to Argentine asado. A good parrilla cook tends a slow wood fire — ribs, short ribs, sausage, and blood sausage (morcilla) emerge over two to three hours. Pair with a glass of Malbec from a local producer. La Marchigiana and Francesco Barbera are Mendoza classics for this first night.
Day 2 — Luján de Cuyo: High-Altitude Malbec
Catena Zapata
Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo · Adrianna Vineyard, Adrianna White Bones
Catena Zapata is Argentina's most internationally celebrated winery — the Mayan pyramid building alone is iconic. Nicolás Catena Zapata pioneered high-altitude viticulture in Mendoza, climbing from 900m to 1,500m in his search for wines of greater elegance and complexity. The Adrianna Vineyard is now recognised as one of the world's great single vineyard sites. Book the full tour with vertical tasting well in advance.
Achával Ferrer
Perdriel, Luján de Cuyo · Finca Altamira, Finca Bella Vista
A smaller, more intimate winery producing three single-vineyard Malbecs from old vines — Finca Bella Vista, Finca Mirador, and Finca Altamira. Each vineyard produces a strikingly different wine from the same grape, demonstrating Mendoza's terroir diversity. The winery is focused, serious, and unpretentious — tasting here is a genuinely educational experience.
Clos de los Siete
Vista Flores · Clos de los Siete blend, Monteviejo
A joint venture between Michel Rolland (Bordeaux's most famous consultant winemaker) and seven French investors who collectively planted 850 hectares in the Valle de Uco. The flagship Clos de los Siete blend draws from all seven estates. The winery is beautifully designed and the tasting experience is polished without being pretentious.
Day 3 — Valle de Uco: Altitude & Innovation
Zuccardi Valle de Uco
Tunuyán, Valle de Uco · Valle de Uco, Concreto, Finca Piedra Infinita
Named the World's Best Winery three times by Wine Enthusiast magazine, Zuccardi Valle de Uco is a landmark of contemporary Argentine wine. The raw stone and concrete building sits in a landscape of volcanic rock and high-altitude vines at 1,200m, with the Andes as a wall behind it. The restaurant — entirely sourced from their farms and the surrounding valley — is one of Argentina's great dining experiences. Reserve the restaurant months ahead.
Andeluna Cellars
Gualtallary, Valle de Uco · Pasionado Malbec, Altitud
A striking winery at 1,300m altitude in the Gualtallary sub-district — the highest and coolest of Mendoza's wine zones. Andeluna produces refined, aromatic Malbecs with an elegance that sets Gualtallary apart from warmer-climate Luján de Cuyo. The estate has a small hotel if you want to spend the night in the Valle de Uco.
Day 4 — Maipú: Cycling & Wine Culture
La Rural Wine Museum
Maipú · Argentina's oldest wine museum
Begin Maipú with a historical grounding at La Rural's Museo del Vino — Argentina's most comprehensive wine museum, housed in a 19th-century estate building. The collection documents 150 years of Argentine winemaking with original equipment, carriages, antique bottles, and photographs of the immigrant families who built the industry.
Cycle Between Wineries
Maipú is Mendoza's most bike-friendly wine district — flat roads connect a dozen wineries within a few kilometres. Hire bikes from Mr Hugo or Bikes & Wines near Maipú town and cycle to Tempus Alba and Familia Zuccardi at your own pace. It's a relaxed, social experience unlike the formal tours of Luján de Cuyo.
Familia Zuccardi
Maipú · Q Zuccardi, Serie A, Emma
The Zuccardi family's Maipú estate is more accessible and visitor-oriented than their Valle de Uco property, with a relaxed tasting room and the option to eat lunch in their traditional kitchen. Their Q Zuccardi Malbec is a benchmark of the Maipú style — fuller, more generous, and less austere than the high-altitude Valle de Uco expressions.
Day 5 — Blend Your Own & Farewell Asado
Blend Your Own Malbec
Mendoza city · Workshop at Domaine Bousquet or Achaval Ferrer
Several Mendoza wineries offer blending workshops where you combine individual component wines — Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and sometimes Petit Verdot — to create your own proprietary blend. The result is bottled and labelled with your own design. It's a genuinely engaging experience and a remarkable souvenir. Book directly with the winery; workshops typically run two to three hours.
Farewell Asado
End your Mendoza trip with a proper Argentine asado — ideally at a restaurant where you can see the parrillero working the fire. Open your best bottle from the week, raise a glass to the Andes visible beyond the city lights, and book your return trip. Most visitors find five days wasn't enough.
Where to Stay
Mendoza city makes the best base for this five-day itinerary — it has the widest range of hotels, excellent restaurants, and is well-positioned for day trips to all three sub-regions. The Park Hyatt Mendoza is the city's grand hotel; Vines Resort & Spa in Valle de Uco is exceptional for a night or two among the vineyards. Budget travellers have excellent options in the Quinta Sección neighbourhood near Parque San Martín.
Find Hotels in Mendoza →Best Time to Visit
The Mendoza Harvest Festival (Vendimia) in early March is one of South America's great annual celebrations — parades, concerts, and the Harvest Queen crowning at the Frank O'Brien Amphitheatre. Wineries are at their most active; the vineyards are at their most dramatic with autumn foliage beginning in April.
Spring brings blossom to the high-altitude orchards and vines push fresh growth. Temperatures are mild (20–28°C) and the Andes are typically snow-covered — the contrast with the green valley floor is striking.
Month-by-Month
Practical Tips
- 1
Altitude is real — drink water. Mendoza city sits at 750m; many Valle de Uco vineyards are above 1,200m. Headaches and dehydration are common on the first day. Drink more water than feels necessary; alcohol dehydrates faster at altitude.
- 2
USD cash is king. Argentina's peso situation means many wineries and restaurants will happily accept US dollars at the blue-market rate. Bring USD notes in small denominations — $20 and $50 bills are most useful.
- 3
Book Zuccardi restaurant months ahead. The restaurant at Zuccardi Valle de Uco regularly ranks among Latin America's best. Walk-ins are not possible; reservations open months in advance and fill rapidly.
Trip Summary
- Duration
- 5 days
- Winery visits
- 10+
- Focus grape
- Malbec
- Base
- Mendoza city
- Budget/day
- $60–140
- Currency
- ARS / USD
- Altitude
- 750–1,500m
Want the full insider guide to the Mendoza wine region?
Read our full Mendoza guide on WineTravelGuides.com →