Destroyed by the 1861 earthquake, Mendoza was rebuilt on a grid of wide avenues, designed to provide refuge in case of another tremor. Plaza Independencia sits at its centre, surrounded two blocks away by four smaller squares, Spain, Italy, Chile and San Martín, each dedicated to a country or a hero. The pedestrian Sarmiento street gathers cafés and terraces. The acequias, open irrigation channels along the pavements, water the trees of this city built in the desert. Allow half a day to see the centre on foot.
North-east of today's centre, the Área Fundacional marks the site of the colonial city founded in 1561 and wiped out in 1861. A museum on Plaza Pedro del Castillo shows the foundations of the old cabildo, with the ruins of San Francisco church a few streets away. On Avenida Las Heras, the Mercado Central lines up stalls of dried fruit, olives and cured meats, and small counters for a lunch of empanadas. It is the least touristy part of the city: plan two to three hours combining museum and market.
Some 20 to 30 km south of the city, Luján de Cuyo and Maipú form the first wine area, the oldest and most accessible. Maipú is explored by rental bike, from one winery to the next, on flat roads: one day for three or four visits. Luján de Cuyo, with its Agrelo district, is home to the big Malbec houses. Book every visit in advance, as most wineries do not accept walk-ins, and note that many close on Sundays.
About an hour and a half's drive south, the Uco Valley covers the departments of Tupungato, Tunuyán and San Carlos, with vines planted between 900 and more than 1,500 metres above sea level, facing the cordillera. Wineries here are more recent, often architecturally striking, and several offer gourmet food and wine pairing lunches that take up the whole afternoon. Distances between estates are long: plan for a car with a driver or an organised tour, and do not schedule more than two or three visits a day.
National Route 7 climbs the Mendoza river valley towards Chile. After about an hour, the Potrerillos dam offers a turquoise lake and rafting on the river, then come Uspallata and its colourful plateaus. About three hours' drive away, Puente del Inca and the entrance to Aconcagua Provincial Park mark the end of the trip. You are approaching 3,000 metres here: climb gradually, drink plenty and avoid physical effort if you get a headache. The trip is done in a day, leaving early in the morning.
The harvest runs from February to April, and the Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia peaks in early March, with parades in town and a big show at the Greek theatre in San Martín park: accommodation must be booked months ahead. Autumn, from April to May, brings golden vines and mild temperatures, the best time in our view. Summer often exceeds 30 °C during the day. Winter, from June to August, is dry and cool, with snow at altitude that can close the pass to Chile. The Zonda, a hot, dry wind coming down from the Andes, blows mostly from May to November.
