Memories of Mendoza

Memories from our time in Mendoza dance in my head. On a bright, warm March day we found ourselves at Vines of Mendoza; beginning our morning with a grape harvest and horseback ride, followed by a never-ending comida of wine, grilled meats and fresh vegetables, with the Andes and rolling hills of grape vines serving as our backdrop. We had been invited to tour the Vines of Mendoza in Argentina with potential investors so plying the group with copious amounts of local wines and meats grilled only steps away from our beautiful lunch table was the right way to spend the day. Dessert of fruit with the richest homemade Dulce de Leche--pure sugar blended with sweet cream--reached another level of delicious consistency, neither solid nor liquid, it was melt in your mouth gelatinous goodness. After lunch I laid back in a hammock sipping Recuerdo (translates: memories) Malbec transfixed by the mountains and letting the cool air and warm sunshine bask over me.

Later that evening, after a proper siesta, we found ourselves at Francis Mallmann's 1884, a legendary restaurant and grill within one of the oldest wineries in Mendoza. Despite the excellent food and gorgeous medieval surroundings I got the impression that locals don't frequent this pricey and elegant spot save for special occasions. And the fact that we closed the place down at 1am (prime dinner time in Argentina) substantiated my hunch. Nevermind the tourists though - I enjoyed one of the best meals in recent memory. We began with Andalucian Gazpacho drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with homemade bread crumbs. Followed by sweet grilled pear with burrata cheese dusted with freshly grilled bacon bits. Then began the meats. Mustard encrusted sirloin, rare Rib Eye with Chimichurri sauce, bacon wrapped tornadoes and tender grilled octopus to round out the carnivorous adventure. The entrancing flames jumping from the beautifully weathered grill seared in the flavor and made each bite better than the previous. Dessert was a strawberry, mint soup topped with vanilla ice cream followed by a Dulce de Leche crepe to round out the evening.

The incredible food, tranquil settings and our welcoming hosts at Vines of Mendoza and 1884 seared the senses of this trip in my mind for always. I know I'll look back with fond memories of those moments, the aroma of burning wood and sweet grapes, sitting at the foothills of the Andes. I'm sure the few bottles of wine I consumed over the course of the day contributed to my amorous recollections but no matter what the reasons, I will carry the recuerdo from our time in Mendoza with me always.