Vistalba

After Zach, Levi, and Liz left for the airport, Emily and I headed to Vistalba, a suburb of Mendoza. It was a rushed goodbye. Mostly due to the late night. But they all got out and we assumed they made their flights since we didn't hear from them for about a day. Emily and I tried to get a little more sleep, but we weren't too successful. Since we weren't in a rush, we took our time packing up, ensuring the apartment was clear of our belongings, and eventually caught a cab to our next stop. We wanted a couple of days to see a bit more of the area around Mendoza, go to some wineries, and relax a bit.

The complex we stayed at in Vistalba.

We arrived at our very secure accommodation and got the lowdown. We had a room in the owner's neighboring house, which had a pool. They also had a few dogs that entertained us during our stay. We relaxed for a bit, but then headed out for a run. It was kind of a crummy day and had rained during our cab ride. However, we timed it right and actually didn't run in the rain. It was pretty late in the day for a run, but we were able to take advantage of the cool afternoon temps. The surrounding area is very interesting. You can tell there are some really nice places, but some parts are a little rundown and under construction. It's an odd juxtaposition, especially with all the gates everywhere. So secure, everywhere. And seems like this is a country-wide thing.

Running along vineyards.

We had a relaxing dinner, and took a break from wine, and called it an early night. For real this time. The following morning, I had to figure out what I was doing the following day after Emily left. So I spent some time doing research, but not making any decisions. We made a move and went down to the pool. We hung out there for a couple of hours and just relaxed. The weather had improved greatly from the previous day.

Relaxing in the sun.

But we did want to check out some wineries and obviously had to eat. So we booked a lunch with a tasting pairing at Bodega Vistalba. We cleaned ourselves up and walked the mile to the winery. Of course, we received way too much attention from drivers passing by. I can confidently say there are plenty of women in Argentina, and since it's summer, they aren't bundled up. So to receive all this attention is a little frustrating. It's so degrading to get honks, whistles, and catcalls. I understand it's the culture, but it still doesn't make it acceptable. It needs to change. We made it to the winery, and soon forgot all that disrespect. 

Bodega Vistalba.

After entering a large gate (again), we had a great view of the vineyard and the Andes in the distance. Another perfect example of what you can find once you are let inside a gate. We actually weren't too far from some of the wineries we visited the previous week. They escorted us to the restaurant, and we sat down to select out lunch. We decided on the 2 pairings, but did ask nicely if we could ask for a 3rd tasting. We were both in the mood for some rose, so we got to start off with that.

Rose and Corte.

We got our food (we both chose the salmon), and it was paired with Corte. The food was very good.

Pacific salmon.

We sat and enjoyed our lunch. Of course there was postre. We chose our respective desserts and tried their Extra Brut. I was thinking it would be sweet, but it wasn't. I could definitely drink more. And eat more. 

Chocolate quenelle over mint soup.

We walked back through the grounds when we finished, admired the Andes in the distance, and grabbed a bottle of rose to drink by the pool. We then headed back out the gate to attempt to visit another winery. 

Matching black dresses.

And we were successful. We stopped at Bodega San Huberto. It looked like they may have been closing soon, and the woman didn't speak much English. However, we were able to get a couple of tastes in. It was a quick visit, but we were itching for another swim in the pool, so that worked out.

Bodega San Huberto.

More rose. 

Rose all day.

I finally decided where my next move was, and I booked a bus to San Juan, a little north of Mendoza. It seemed like a good town to visit, and there were some scenic areas nearby that I could check out. I had a plan. Excellent. I timed it so I was leaving not too much time after Emily.

The following morning, we got another run in before another swim. And then another winery.

Snow covered peaks in the distance.

We grabbed the bikes and headed to Bodega Nieto Senetiner, where we made a lunch reservation. We took a wrong turn (thanks Google) and showed up a few minutes late. Someone showed us to the tour group we were joining. We were confused. We didn't book a tour, but maybe they misunderstood my email. We did ask, but it seemed like we were in the right place.

Trying the grapes.

We proceeded with the tour and then headed into the tasting room. At this point, we wanted to clarify again what our intent was, and see what could be done in our timeframe. We purposely decided on lunch so that we could have time to head back to the house, pack up, and grab our cab into town. They informed us that lunch wouldn't be an option since it would take too long. But they would see what could be done.

Tasting away.

After the tasting, we were able to get a modified version of lunch. It included some more tastes and empanadas. So I was happy. We finished up and she gave us the option of dessert. Of course we wanted it, but we weren't sure if we had time. She assured us it would be quick. It wasn't. However, we are fast eaters.

Ice cream, and a brownie somewhere in there.

So we ate up, we paid, and we got out of there. We grabbed the bikes, and booked it back to the house.

Trying not to fall off.

We were able to make it back with about 15 minutes to pack up. And the cab only had to wait a couple of minutes, but only because he was early. Emily made her flight, and I made my way to a spot to enjoy a glass of wine before my bus ride.

Grabbing a glass in the beautiful courtyard.

It was a nice couple of days outside of Mendoza and a good way to wrap up Emily's visit. Even though there wasn't much to do except visit the wineries, it would have been nice to hang out by the pool for a couple of more days. Maybe I'll find a pool somewhere else. Time for San Juan.