The first time I got acquainted with Argentine wine wasn’t during a tour or a tasting. It was on a work trip.
Years ago, my ad agency was shooting TV commercials in Buenos Aires. One evening, after a long day on set, one of the editors working alongside us offered to take me to a neighborhood wine shop. We walked in, surrounded by rows of labels I didn’t recognize. He pointed to one bottle and said, “This is the wine you should try.”
It was Angelica Zapata Malbec. (Here’s the bottle I brought home.)
That bottle became my first glass of truly great Argentine wine. I didn’t know it at the time, but that single gesture in a quiet wine shop would set something in motion — the beginning of a long, layered relationship with this country, its vineyards, and its people.
So, when I got home, I decided to try an experiment. I would let my boss or my friends buy wines from California or France when we were dining out.
But when I went to the store, I made a rule for myself: I would only buy wines from Argentina. That inspired the original name of my blog: MalbecsOnly. I started blogging about my experiment, and began to get a pretty good following.
A Friendly Nudge.
Then, one day on my social feed, I came across a reply from none other than Laura Catena, Argentina’s best-known ambassador of wine. I can’t remember the exact words of her post, but the gist was, “We’re a lot more than Malbec, you know.”
She was right. That moment changed the way I looked at Argentina’s wines — and over the years, it’s led to friendships and experiences I couldn’t have imagined at the start.
And it was also the day this little blog became Drinking Argentina. Celebrating all the wines of Argentina – Malbec, Torrontes, Cabernet Franc, the red blends, the cult classics, the Franco-Argentine partnerships, the crazy little garagista experiments – all of it.
The People Who Shaped the Journey.
I’ve honestly lost count of how many times I’ve returned to Argentina — fifteen or seventeen trips, maybe more. (Delta Air Lines probably knows the number better than I do.) But the truth is, these visits stopped being “trips” a long time ago. What I have here now are roots.
Over the years, I’ve built a web of friendships and trusted relationships that have shaped every single visit. People like Miguel Sanz, whose calm precision behind the wheel has carried me across three wine regions — and who always seems to know the one backroad that leads to something special. Chef Nadia Haron, whose inspired creativity I have followed since the beginning of my travels. Sommelier Andres Rosberg, whose insight and generosity have opened doors to conversations and tastings I never would have found on my own. Chef Edward Holloway, whose culinary genius and eye for hospitality have shaped a new generation of visitor options. Winemaker Daniel Pi, whose genius is only outweighed by his generosity. And my friend Sonia Onozawa, a Buenos Aires – based storyteller of many talents.
Then there are the places themselves — like Casa Glebinias, where the welcome feels as familiar as old friends, and La Morada Lodge, where the silence of the Uco Valley stretches out like a deep breath. Restaurants like Hornero and Siete Fuegos are no longer stops on a list; they’re the backdrop to countless conversations, shared meals, and friendships built slowly, like good wine. There’s Fierro Hotel, with a (very warm) rooftop pool that is my favorite place to wind down after a Mendoza trip, and a breakfast for the ages.
These aren’t just names on an itinerary. They’re the people and places that have layered meaning onto every glass I’ve ever raised here. They’ve shown me that Mendoza isn’t something to check off a list. It’s something to return to — and to belong to.
The Journey Ahead.
In November, I’ll be heading back once again. The trip will begin in Buenos Aires, at the Park Hyatt Buenos Aires, with wine on the patio, a walk through Recoleta, and dinner at Fogón Asado.
Then it’s west to Mendoza — to Casa Glebinias for the first half of the trip, where Luján de Cuyo’s historic vineyards still hold their quiet power. There will be tastings at Budeguer and Martino Wines, and a long lunch at Casa Vigil — home of El Enemigo and one of my favorite afternoons anywhere.
The second half takes me south to the Uco Valley, Mendoza’s new frontier, where ambition meets altitude. There, tastings await at Cuvelier Los Andes, Michelini i Mufato, and more. We’ll be in a private house beside La Morada Lodge. And of course, there’s the fire-lit theater of Siete Fuegos — because some traditions deserve to be repeated.
For now we are waitlisted at Catena Zapata, the winery where my love affair began. (Fingers crossed.) I hope we get in. Because it would be nice to go full circle, and show my friends the winery where it all began.
Seeing Argentina Through Fresh Eyes.
I can’t wait to get back – and share this Mendoza wine journey with friends who are first-time visitors. It’s all about returning to the people and places that have made Argentina feel like a second home — and sharing it with friends who are seeing it for the first time.
