Argentina’s Napa Valley

Mendoza is Argentina’s Napa Valley, a prosperous place with a mellow vibe, thanks in large part to the world-class wines produced here.

We arrived in this city of wide, leafy streets and ornate plazas after a 17-hour bus ride from Salta (in cama class, thank goodness).

Mendoza started out as part of the Spanish colony of Chile, though Santiago lies on the other side of the imposing Andes.

Early colonizers took advantage of a series of pre-Hispanic irrigation canals to build vineyards which soon became South America’s most productive.  By 1700, the city’s merchants were selling barrel-loads of wine to Santiago, Cordoba and Buenos Aires.

More recently, Chilean wine growers, flush with money, have been buying up the region’s vineyards.

It’s a smart move. Many wine experts believe that within a decade Argentina’s wines will outshine Chile’s because of the region’s sunnier climate, cleaner air and richer soil. And unlike Chile, where most of the best wine is exported, Argentina drinks a lot of its premium wines.

Mendoza’s cafe culture and shady streets made it the perfect place to spend our last days in Argentina.

Our pictures from Mendoza are posted here.