Promptly at 9:30 we loaded up the truck and were off for the day’s adventure.

First up, Kaiken.  Named after a migrant goose that shares time between Chile and Argentina, this Argentine property is now owned by a Chilean family. Our time here was like none other in our winery touring experience. Shane recommended this as his favorite winery and they clearly know him here – greeting him by name when we arrived. Our host for the winery experience, Alexandra, was with us through the vineyards, cellar, and finally the tasting – such a personal touch being with the same host, asking questions and truly interacting throughout our visit. She was able to gauge our level of knowledge and personalize the experience with reference points that we’re familiar with while sharing new information we can use going forward.

Kaiken does a lot of fermentation in cement barrels which is something we’ve only seen a few times in the US.

The aging cellar was super cool – they play music for the wine as it ages for over 18 months. Gregorian monks chanting. Seriously.

For our tasting, the guys chose the Malbec collection, starting with the rosé, a Malbec blend, then an unblended Malbec, and finally their premium Malbec.

I chose a different path: the Torrentes, Cab Franc, Cab Sav and finally the premium Malbec.

Alexandra poured all our wines generously so we could share, which was outstanding. An exceptional experience – it’s going to be hard to top this first spot!

Next up we drove closer to the Andes to the Uco Valley, another well-known wine region. The soil here is rocky so the wines are more mineral-y.

We stopped at Bodega La Azul, one of the smallest wineries in the area, and one of the few that is still Argentinian-owned. We had a reservation for lunch no less. Our waiter rocked. white-framed ‘euro-trash’ sunglasses, acid-washed jeans and described every plate and glass with dramatic flair.

And the view …

We wrapped up our four-course lunch paired with wine (duh!)  in time for a quick barrel tasting in the production area.

Last stop of the day, Salentien. Interesting that we ended up here since our hosts in Buenos Aires recommended it highly but we didn’t specifically request it.

Again …. this view ….  The wine and cheese plate were top notch too.

It’s our last night in Argentina, folks. We’re going to drink a Cab Franc and sit out on our balcony and watch nothing.

We have quite a journey tomorrow: Mendoza -> Buenos Aires -> Houston -> Seattle. I hope you’ve enjoyed your virtual visit as much as we have enjoyed being here.

Until next time … cheers!