Casa de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina
Fine Wine, Dining, and Views in Argentinian Wine Country
If you know me, you know my vacations are all about balance. Luxury adventure travel is equal parts remote exploration and five-star relaxation. And four nights in Mendoza—specifically the Uco Valley—was the perfect way to break up fly fishing in Northern Argentine Patagonia and hiking through Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park. Not only that, but Uco Valley has to be one of the most beautiful places in the entire world to drink wine (tied with Franschhoek in South Africa).
Sipping some of the best Malbec in the world while gazing at the 22,000-foot peaks of the Andes Mountains was a bucket-list experience and a must-do for wine lovers. Keep reading for my recommendations on where to stay, eat, and drink in Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina.
A Few Things to Note
There are three main wine-producing regions (or subregions) in Mendoza, Argentina: Maipú, Luján de Cuyo, and the Uco Valley. While they each have their own charm, we settled on Uco Valley for the most luxurious wineries/accommodations and sweeping mountain views.
Uco Valley was our second stop on our 16-day adventure through Argentina and Chile. Before this, we stayed at Rio Manso Lodge, a world-class fly fishing destination in Argentine Patagonia. After Uco Valley, we made our way to Torres del Paine in Chilean Patagonia with a quick pitstop in Santiago, Chile.
Speaking of Santiago, whether you’re coming from Chile or heading there after your time in Uco Valley, flying over the Andes Mountains was a bucket-list experience in and of itself! LATAM has 1-2 flights daily between Mendoza and Santiago. Make sure you book a window seat!
I would give yourself at least 4 nights in Uco Valley. There are so many incredible wineries to visit, but you don’t want to visit more than two in one day. Plus, if you’re staying in an amazing hotel like Casa de Uco, you’ll want to give yourself at least one or two days to enjoy the pool and onsite activities like horseback riding and wine tasting on site. More on this later!
Best Time to Visit Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina
We visited Uco Valley in early January and except for one overcast day, we had great weather with temperatures in the high 60s°F/low 70s°F and mostly sunny. January is summer in the Southern Hemisphere, but due to Uco Valley’s location at the foot of the Andes Mountains, the weather can be a little unpredictable. Pack options and light outer layers, especially if Uco Valley is just one stop on a multi-week trip to South America. When we left the US, the forecast called for 80°F and sunny every day, so things can change quickly! The high altitude is what makes such good growing conditions for grapes. The hot sunny days paired with very cold mountain nights allows grapes to develop thick skins, deep color, rich fruit flavors, and natural acidity.
How to Get to and Around Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina
Aerolíneas Argentinas has plenty of nonstop flights between Buenos Aires (both AEP and EZE) and Mendoza (MDZ). You can even find nonstop flights from some of the smaller regional airports in Argentina. We flew from Bariloche (BRC) to Mendoza and it was an easy, 1.5-hour flight.
The heart of Uco Valley (Tunuyán) is about one hour and fifteen minutes by car from the Mendoza airport. There are plenty of rental car companies at the airport, but we opted for a private transfer to our hotel (and to get around Uco Valley). We both love wine and wanted to make sure we got from winery to winery safely! You can book this through your hotel or contact me to arrange a private driver.
When flying out of Mendoza, give yourself plenty of time at the airport (especially if you’re bringing back wine/checking a bag). While the LATAM line moved quickly (as I mentioned above, we flew from Mendoza to Santiago), the line to check in for Aerolíneas Argentinas was really long. I’d recommend getting there at least two hours before your flight. Note that there are limited food options after security, so if you’re really hungry, grab a bite before going through.
Where to Stay in Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina
Casa de Uco ($$$) and The Vines Resort & Spa ($$$$) are the two most luxurious properties in Uco Valley. We chose Casa de Uco because it’s more intimate (just 16 rooms plus 5 villas/private residences) and caters to adults. I couldn’t have been happier with our decision.
Casa de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina
Casa de Uco’s property is stunning, the architecture seamlessly integrates into the landscape, and the food is incredible. We loved the food and relaxing on property so much that we even canceled our dinner at Siete Fuegos (the restaurant at the Vines) to order room service one night. That’s what a day of wine tasting will do to you! While their menus change seasonally to draw from ingredients grown directly onsite, Casa de Uco has incredible breakfast, a fabulous gnocchi dish, and quite possibly the best Caesar salad in the world (I lost count of how many times we ordered it).
We booked a Cordon del Plata room and while we still had gorgeous views of the vineyards and mountains, our balcony didn't have any furniture and we overlooked the hotel entrance/parking lot. My recommendation would be to book a room on the other side of the hotel (the Laguna Suites).
View from Cordon del Plata room, Casa de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina
Staying at Casa de Uco (when you book with me) also includes a complimentary winery tour and tasting. We had the tour all to ourselves and our guide was incredibly kind and knowledgable. You can book additional experiences like Asado in the Vineyard (ours was unfortunately canceled due to weather which was a bummer; guess we’ll just have to go back!), horseback riding, a 4×4 vehicle tour to watch the sunrise from a mountaintop, a cooking class, and more.
Casa de Uco stables, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina
Do yourself a favor and be sure to watch the sunset from the hot tub one night (we literally always had it to ourselves). Watching the clouds break and the sun go down over the Andes with a glass of Casa de Uco Malbec was one of the most memorable experiences of our trip (and probably of my life).
Sunset from the Casa de Uco hot tub, Mendoza, Argentina
Now for the good stuff! Book Casa de Uco with me and enjoy exclusive perks like:
Welcome amenity (hello free bottle of Malbec)
Room upgrade (subject to availability)
Early check in and late check out (subject to availability)
Complimentary experience per stay (e.g., winery tour with tasting, horseback riding, archery lesson)
30-minute massage per person, per stay
Daily Full Breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom, served in the hotel restaurant
If you do want to stay at the Vines Resort & Spa, I can get you free perks there as well (and with a list like this, I just may need to check it out for myself)!
Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
Daily Buffet breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom, served in the restaurant
Complimentary 3 course dinner for two at Siete Fuegos Restaurant by chef Francis Mallmann (includes non alcoholic beverages), one per stay
Complimentary Tour & Tasting at The Vines to GO, once per stay
Stays of 4+ nights will also receive a complimentary 50 minute massage for up to two guests, per bedroom, once per stay
Stays of 7+ nights will also receive a complimentary Blending Session to create your own wine for up to two guests, per bedroom, once per stay
Early Check-In / Late Check-Out, subject to availability
Things to Do and Where to Eat & Drink in Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina
Eat, wine, sleep, repeat! There are so many stunning high-altitude wineries in the Uco Valley that it can be hard to know which ones to visit. After extensive research, here are the wineries we visited and loved. As always, I would not recommend visiting more than two wineries in a single day. You don’t want to feel like you’re rushing through a tasting to visit the next. Plus, many wineries offer a multi-course dining and wine-pairing experience, so you’ll want to take full advantage, relax, and soak in the gorgeous surroundings. Note that tastings at popular wineries book up far in advance (1-2 months), so you’ll need a reservation (especially if you want to combine it with a dining experience).
Bodega Andeluna - Andeluna is a high-altitude winery in the Tupungato region of the Uco Valley, about 30 minutes from Casa de Uco. The drive there was as beautiful as the winery. They are best known for their Malbec (our favorite) and Cabernet Franc, but they also produce Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Torrontés (Argentina’s signature white wine). We started our visit with a one-hour tour of the winery followed by a tasting for $35/person. Given that tastings in Napa cost $40-$50 on average, I found this to be a really good deal for amazing wine and even better scenery. Following our tasting, we then did the “Pasos por la Montaña,” a multi-course tasting menu enjoyed on the restaurant’s patio where each dish is paired with a glass of wine. This ended up being one of our favorite meals of our entire South America trip; we loved the ceviche, a divine rabbit pasta, and a decadent dessert (note that the menu changes seasonally). Honestly, I could have sat there all day, sipping on incredible wine while soaking in the views (and kind of wish we did/had skipped our next stop; more on that later)! This culinary and wine-tasting experience was $100/person, which was an incredible deal considering all the amazing food and wine we got to enjoy. We were stuffed!
Multi-course tasting menu and wine pairing, Bodega Andeluna, Uco Valley, Argentina
Zuccardi Valle de Uco - Zuccardi is another high-altitude winery and consistently ranked among the world’s best, and after a visit there, it’s so easy to see why. This place is insanely stunning and has some of the most magnificent views in all of Mendoza (even having visited it on a slightly overcast day). Unlike traditional oak barrels, Zuccardi uses concrete fermentation vessels and produces terroir-driven wines, which highlights land characteristics like their limestone-rich, rocky soils. While Malbec is the star, Zuccardi also produces excellent Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and other varietals. We loved their Malbec (specifically the Amphora Project and Aluvional), Chardonnay, and sparkling rosé (Alma 4). In fact, we loved their wine so much that we shipped eight bottles home! You cannot visit Zuccardi without booking a table at Piedra Infinita, the winery’s fine-dining restaurant. Here you can enjoy a multi-course tasting menu with wine pairings in what has to be one of the most gorgeous settings for a restaurant in the world. They have five menu and wine pairing options, so I suggest reaching out to Zuccardi and sharing what kind of wine you prefer so they can recommend the best one. We went with option two, and just be aware that it is on the pricier side ($150/person). But for a ten-course tasting menu, tons of wine, and a complimentary tour of the winery after, it’s worth every penny. We made amazing vacation friends here who we still keep in touch with! I mean, with such an incredible experience like this, how can you not be in a friendly, chatty mood?! I’d recommend this be your only stop of the day; we spent 5 hours at Zuccardi and could have stayed longer!
Zuccardi, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina
Multi-course tasting menu & wine pairing, Piedra Infinita, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina
Bodegas Salentein - Salentein is yet another high-altitude winery just 10 minutes down the road from Andeluna. It’s famous for its architecture (the winery is designed in the shape of a cross) and its extensive underground cellar that houses approximately 5,000 French oak barrels. While the underground cellar was amazing, this was our least favorite wine we tried. Salentein is where we went after Andeluna and I honestly could have skipped it! We also heard mixed reviews of their multi-course dining and tasting experience. But it’s all relative; every winery in this region is absolutely stunning, and we still had a great time.
Casa de Uco - Lucky for us, Casa de Uco is also a boutique, family-owned winery, so we didn’t have to leave our hotel for another amazing wine-tasting experience! They put an emphasis on organic winemaking and are committed to sustainable agriculture. We loved their Malbec (specifically the El Salvaje) and their rosé. Remember, when you book a stay at Casa de Uco with me, your winery tour and tasting is free. Otherwise, it’s $40/person.
Helpful Uco Valley Tips
Don’t overload your days. As I mentioned above, whenever I go to wine country anywhere in the world, I visit two wineries per day max. And in the Uco Valley, I might even advise to visit just one per day. Especially with all of the incredible multi-course tasting and wine-pairing experiences, you don’t want to rush. And with views like these, it’s so easy to lose track of time while sipping fine wine. No shade to Napa Valley, but it’s going to be really hard to top wine tasting at the foot of the Andes Mountains!
Ship your favorite bottles home with Argentina Wine Shipping! AWS partners with 65 wineries across Mendoza, the Uco Valley, Salta, and Patagonia. Here’s how it works: You select bottles directly from the wineries you visit. Then AWS handles pickup, inspection, consolidation, insulated packaging, and international delivery straight to your home (they deliver to 18 countries with flat rates for orders of 2–30 bottles). In other words, you can buy wines throughout your trip without having to transport them yourself or arrange international shipping with multiple wineries. Plus you get access to wines you might not find at home. I wish we had started selecting wines to ship with AWS at the start of our time in Uco Valley; we waited until our last day at Zuccardi to utilize the service. But it all worked out since those ended up being our favorite wines anyways! And the shipping was fast. We had our box of wine delivered to our home in the US less than a week after we got back!
If you love fine wine, fine dining, and even better views, then you have to check out Uco Valley. To book one of the gorgeous properties listed in this guide (or any property in Mendoza), send me a message and let’s plan your dream Mendoza vacation!
I’d like to come back as a dog at Casa de Uco in my next life | Uco Valley, Argentina
The pool at Casa de Uco, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina
Girl dinner, Casa de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina
Bury me in Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina!
