Most individuals know that Argentina produces a variety of wine within the Mendoza area and there are a great deal of wine excursions there, however in some ways it may be extra fascinating to go to the second-most-important wine grape area. That may be Cafayate, within the Salta province. It takes a number of hours to get there from Salta correct, nonetheless, so stick round for some time utilizing our recommendation on the place to remain in Cafayate.
This can be a dry and dramatic area that’s sunny virtually the entire time. It has heat days and funky nights, so whereas there may be some crimson grape manufacturing, the white wines flourish the very best right here, particularly the distinctive Torrontes varietal that it is best to actually hunt down in case you haven’t had one earlier than. It presents an actual explosion of taste that dances throughout your style buds, an enormous step up from the standard white desk wines like Pinot Grigio.
How do you get to Cafayate? Effectively it does have an airport, so in concept you might fly there, however there aren’t many choices in case you’re not chartering a non-public airplane. Should you do that you’d miss out on one of the vital scenic drives in South America too, which might be a disgrace. See our publish right here on the beautiful Quebrada de las Conchas route from Salta to Cafayate. It’s actually spectacular and it’s value stopping off for a hike or two when you have the time.
If you need our recommendation, that may be to fly to Cafayate after which hire a automobile there. Or arrange a customized tour with a driver and that approach you may go to a lot of wineries with out getting behind the wheel.
Should you’re feeling adventurous and don’t thoughts bumpy gravel roads, maintain going previous the place the asphalt ends and take an exploration to Colome, the final one on this record, with a few of the world’s highest-altitude vineyards and a few of the world’s oldest grapevines.
Grace Cafayate
Whereas this lodge is unlikely to blow you away, it’s the most luxurious choice on this small metropolis with out a variety of decisions. It’s a part of a sequence extending throughout a number of continents. It has snug rooms, views over grapevines, and a swimming pool.
All rooms have luxurious king beds, bigger–than–life bogs, and all of the facilities you’d anticipate finding in a lodge of its caliber: espresso machine, excessive–high quality linens, flat–display screen televisions, his and hers robes and slippers, and excessive–finish tub merchandise.
This lodge is an element of a big residential growth, so there are additionally villas with a number of bedrooms within the rental pool and there’s even a golf course as a part of the complicated, a full 18-hole course.
See our detailed evaluation of Grace Cafayate within the on-line journal.
Vinas de Cafayate Lodge
This is likely one of the longest-running inns within the space and has steadily improved and gone extra upscale over time as Cafayate’s customer numbers have climbed up. Technically it’s Viñas de Cafayate Lodge since vines are viñas in Spanish. True to it’s identify, you’ll look out at loads of grape trellises from this location perched above vineyards and the town.
There’s a pleasant pool (pictured above) with a view and in cool months you may nestle up subsequent to a hearth together with your glass of native wine.
The place Viñas outshines the competitors is in its quick access to the out of doors actions that Cafayate has to supply. Mountain bikes are left exterior on the patio for visitors to make use of, good for cruising round city for wine tastings starting from the normal and prestigious Etchart, Lavaque, and Domingo Hermanos to small luxurious wineries reminiscent of Finca Las Nubes, José Luis Mounier, and El Porvenir. Simple day hikes can be found at close by Cafayate Canyon, the Cafayate Dunes, and the Colorado River waterfalls.
See our full evaluation of Vinas de Cafayate Lodge in Argentina.
Estancia Colome Lodge
Our most up-to-date addition to the Cafayate scene is form of a reboot. We had a evaluation of Estancia Colomé Lodge posted on our web site quickly after we launched again within the ’00s. Whereas the vineyard by no means stopped, the lodge closed down for a few years and wasn’t admitting visitors who weren’t associates of the homeowners.
Now it’s again open to visitors once more, although as I discussed earlier, be ready for an journey to get to this distant vineyard established in 1831. You may need to stick round a number of days after the journey and let your physique actually unwind. The meals is surprisingly good contemplating the placement removed from any cities and naturally there’s no scarcity of wine. Then there’s an unlikely shock for artwork lovers:
There’s additionally horseback driving, an out of doors pool, a bocci court docket, wine tastings, and a gymnasium outfitted with a treadmill, a step machine, a rowing machine, and free weights. All of that’s fairly regular for a vineyard lodge. Nevertheless, the onsite James Turrell Museum—the primary exterior the US and the one museum solely devoted to the US artist’s work—is a panoramic shock.
See extra about their wines right here, then go searching for photographs of this distinctive artwork museum.
See our full evaluation of Estancia Colome within the Salta Province of Argentina.
See our associated Salta journey journey tour story on the realm too.
One final observe on Cafayate, Argentina: don’t confuse it with Calafate in the identical nation. It might take you a few days to drive from one to the opposite, the latter being in Patagonia, not within the north.
Article by Timothy
Timothy Scott is the founder and editor of Luxurious Latin America and has been masking the area as a journey journalist for the reason that mid-2000s. He has visited every nation we cowl a number of occasions and relies in a UNESCO World Heritage metropolis in central Mexico, the place he owns a house. See contact data right here.