Argentina wine tours are usually centered around Mendoza and the high-altitude vineyards near Salta, though the experience and pacing between the two regions are quite different. Mendoza is larger and more developed for luxury wine travel, with easier access to vineyard lodges, private tastings, and full-day touring through areas like the Uco Valley and Luján de Cuyo. Salta and Cafayate tend to feel quieter and more remote, with dramatic desert landscapes and some of the highest commercial vineyards in the world. Because these regions are far apart geographically, most Argentina wine tours focus on one area or connect them by domestic flight through Buenos Aires.
Many travelers combine wine country with time in Buenos Aires, Patagonia, or Iguazú Falls as part of a broader Argentina tour. Activities often include private vineyard visits, food and wine pairings, cooking classes, horseback riding, cycling routes, and stays at working wineries or boutique lodges. Harvest season between February and April is especially popular in Mendoza, though spring and fall generally offer the most comfortable weather for combining wine regions with other parts of the country.
The best seasons to visit are a little different in Mendoza to Salta. Mendoza is great year-round and spring and autumn are particularly pleasant with rich colors and plenty of activity in the vineyards. The Vendimia Festival takes place in March, this is a celebration of the harvest and is an excellent though busy time to visit. Salta and Cafayate are perfect to visit between January and April and September and December as these periods avoid the somewhat wet months of May to August.
The big one is Malbec but many other wines are produced in Argentina too. Other reds include Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon. Around Salta, in addition to reds, some white wine is produced at cooler, higher altitudes, particularly Torrontes.
We recommend at least two full days to explore the vineyard and wineries around Mendoza. This gives time to visit several vineyards and get a proper feel for the area. You may also have time for a cooking class, gentle cycling trip in the vineyards or horse riding.
The best area to visit for wine tasting is Cafayate. This is about three hours by road from Salta and is an attractive journey in itself, passing through rugged valleys and canyons. Once at Cafayate, there are a number of wineries that can be visited before either returning to Salta or better still staying the night in Cafayate. Around Molinos and Cachi there are also some wineries, the landscape here is even more impressive and making a circuit combining Salta, Cafayate, Molinos and Cachi over a few days is highly recommended.
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