When in Argentina. . .

My first stop in Argentina was Mendoza (a mere 7 hour bus trip over the Andes from Santiago, Chile).

Mendoza is near the Andes and is the heart of Argentinean wine country so it seemed like the perfect place to spend a week! Mendoza itself is a cute city with wide streets and lots of tree-lined plazas and parks.

From downtown Mendoza, for just $1 and 30 minutes on a city bus, you can be in the heart of the largest wine-producing area in the country, full of vineyards and bodegas. If you drink red wine from Argentina, check the label, odds are it’s from Mendoza.

I spent a day riding a bicycle through wine country and visiting a number of wineries for tours and wine-tastings. (Admittedly, as the day went on and the number of wine tastings increased, the bike was less and less charming!)

I haven’t been to Napa so I can’t compare the wine regions, but in Mendoza each wine tasting was $4 or less (some were free) - I suspect that’s a bit different from Napa. And I can’t complain about a country where I can order a nice bottle of wine at a restaurant for less than $6!

The Argentineans do love their vino tinto (red wine), especially their national varietal, Malbec. But, they also love their beef. Argentina is the home of the Asado: meat (and lots of it) barbecued over an open wood fire. Argentina has many grass-fed cattle ranches so beef is everywhere: from restaurants to roadside kiosks. A typical asado includes several cuts of steak, beef ribs, chorizo (pork sausage), morcilla (blood sausage), several types of offal (small & large intestines, kidneys, and sweetbreads), chicken, and porkchops. It’s always all you can eat, and sides (such as veggies or salad) are optional and infrequent.

You know the old saying, " When in Rome. . ." so who am I to agrue with grilled steaks and red wine for every meal?!?

When in Argentina. . . Follow @reneestreet