Wineries in Lujan de Cuyo: Robino, Bonfanti, Norton

Lujan de Cuyo is another wine region right outside Mendoza.

Travel in Bike

I loved pairing bike riding and wine drinking so much in Maipu (the other wine region outside Mendoza city) that I decided to do it again, but this time, with Travel in Bike. Travel in Bike is owned by a very friendly, young couple. When we came, the wife had taken their newborn son to a check-up, but her husband Marcos was very helpful—he even drove to the the first winery to make sure we made it okay! I highly recommend them—$40 pesos ($10 dollars) to rent a bike all day. Marcos will also reserve all the wineries for you, but I recommend calling ahead if you have a preference on where to go.

Dante Robino Bodega (winery)

Personalized tour (tour guides speak English perfectly, although we asked for Spanish)

• Widest variety of wines
• Most aesthetically pleasing
• Best tasting
• Medium-sized winery

Wine Labels: Dante Robino & Novecento

 

Wine Types: Malbec, Bonarda, Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Extra Brut, Demi Sec, Rosado

Roberto Bonfanti Bodega Familiar

• Very quaint
• Family bodega

Wine Labels: Roberto Bonfanti, Familia Bonfanti, Bonfanti Malbec Rose

Wine Types: Malbec, Malbec Rose, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec Alfa

Norton bodega

• Biggest winery
• Interesting tour: tastings from start to finish of the wine
• Elegant interior

Wine Labels:

Becoming Domesticated

Somewhere in between all of our Argentine adventures, Brad and I have become domesticated.

Our rose plant :)

We baked medialunas (sweet croissants served with coffee at cafes). Of course, they didn’t have the same lightness as the ones here, but we came close!

Happy Revolution Day! Revolucion de Mayo

25 de mayo, or Revolucion de Mayo, is a public holiday celebrating the beginning of the revolution against Spain for Argentine Independence. One of my friends at the university, Wanda, kindly invited Brad and I to her house to try locro. Locro is a stew usually eaten on independence days (both May 25 & July 9), similar to our hamburgers and hot dogs on Fourth of July.

“Locro is a traditional South American food popular in the countries that lie along the Cordillera (mtn range) of the Andes Mountains. Locro can be compared to a thick stew or chili. The name comes from the Incan language, Quecha. Locro is a particularly popular dish in Ecuador and Argentina. In these countries, locro is not only a food, but also a custom. Locro was eaten by native peoples of South America previous to the time of Spanish colonization, and continues to be a popular customary dish as of the 21st century.”

-http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-locro.htm

Our particular stew had potatoes, beans, corn, chorizo and an assortment of other vegetables. It takes a few days to prepare so although I doubt Wanda’s mom will probably never read this, many thanks to her for toiling in the kitchen on our behalf. The seasons are opposite in the Southern Hemisphere so a stew is perfect for the end of May!

Finally, we ended with arroz con leche (rice with milk). Brad is a fanatic for this dessert. It’s quite sweet! See second picture down on the left.

Wanda’s family was very kind and welcoming, and I can understand why 20-something adults don’t want to leave home here. Her home and yard was beautiful and her mom was a great cook (we have something in common! *wink, mom*)