Overview
Welcome to and thank you for visiting The Grapevine Wine Tours, Argentina´s premier wine tour company, situated in Mendoza city, the very heart of the exciting and passionate Argentinian wine industry.
The Grapevine designs and hosts wine tour programs in Argentina and Chile for wine enthusiasts, as well as for those of you who enjoy a glass of wine and would like to learn more about it. They also host gourmet clubs, leading international journalists, wine clubs and professional organizations from all parts of the globe.
The Grapevine Wine Tours offers premium English language wine tours, with special wine tastings, personalizing each tour to suit your preferences. Tours include exclusive tastings of premium wines, barrel tastings, vineyard walks even wine tasting on horseback. Gourmet lunches featuring fine wines are always included, set against a back-drop of the majestic, snow capped Andes Mountains.
Wineries (known as bodegas) have existed here since colonial times and many are rich in history and heritage. Straddling the snow-capped Andes, Mendoza’s wineries are set in some of the most spectacular scenery in South America, indeed the world. Argentine wine exports are increasing exponentially. Prestigious companies such as Salentein and the Lurton Brothers have invested heavily and there is a zealous drive to improve and perfect the wines. Already winning international prizes, Argentina is hot on the heels of nearby Chile when it comes to worldwide recognition. Mendoza is being compared to how California’s Napa valley was in the 80s – unknown but very promising. The future looks bright indeed. Now is the time to visit this pristine and unexplored wine region.
The Grapevine also visits the wine producing regions of Salta and La Rioja in the North and Patagonian Neuquen in the South, however Mendoza province is the viticulture powerhouse with by far the biggest output and the longest history. There are an estimated 1500 wineries surrounding Mendoza City and their origins go right back to the beginning in 1561 when the city was founded by the Spaniards. The province is broken into five different regions, each with its own unique ecology and terroirs - fiery, red Malbec and fresh, golden Torrontes, to mention just a few.
Mendoza Province is one of the driest places on earth. The mammoth Andes mountain range catches any cloud blowing in from the pacific, meaning there is very little rain. Yet Mendoza produces 70% of Argentine wine and Argentina is the fifth biggest producer in the world. Mendoza’s capital is a garden city of tree-lined streets and sculpted parks. Every leafy town in the province is surrounded by hundreds of vineyards and farms producing everything from olives to peaches. How? Those same mountains that stop the rainfall catch the snow. The snow melts on the peaks (including Mt. Aconcagua, the tallest mountain outside the Himalayas) and is carried through a complex system of rivers, dykes and dams. This miracle of water supports people and industry. Mendoza city has grown into a green oasis of calm amidst a hot and sweltering desert.
The Grapevine Wine Tours designs tours in Argentina and Chile with variety and value in mind. The range of wineries visited includes the very old and quaint, the historical and the state-of-the-art 21st century - many of which are architecturally stunning.
Cultural events such as the annual WINE HARVEST FESTIVAL have been celebrated in some way since the mid 18th century. Now it is a national event that attracts thousands of people onto the streets of Mendoza. It is a week of carnival, parades, spectacular live shows, fireworks and of course wine.
The Grapevine has carefully selected a range of other service providers to work with and can also assist clients with accommodations reservations and additional activities such as rafting, horseback riding, cookery classes, art tours, trekking in Aconcagua National Park and even private flights over the vineyards.
They also incorporate into client programs Buenos Aires, Iguazzu Falls and Patagonia.
Argentine wine is fast becoming the new sensation. Yet that doesn’t mean to say it has just arrived. Argentines have been drinking their own wine for years, and plenty of it!
Again, many thanks and “Cheers”.
Affiliations
- Frommers
- International Culinary Tourism Association
- Wine Tour International Association
Payments Accepted
Reservation Policy
A 30% deposit of the full tour price is required to reserve. The balance is due 60 days before the tour start date.
Cancellation Policy
If canceled 60 days or more before tour date - Forfeit deposit.
If canceled between 40-59 days before tour date - forfeit 40% of tour cost.
If canceled between 20–39 days before tour date - forfeit 50% of tour cost.
If canceled less than 20 days before tour date - forfeit 75% of tour cost.
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