Bicycles and Vintage Wine, Mendoza Region
Exploring Authentic Family-Run Vineyards in Maipú: A Wine Bike Tour in Mendoza
For wine enthusiasts seeking a unique and personalised experience beyond the popular vineyards in Mendoza, a wine bike tour organised by Mr Hugo's offers an excellent opportunity to discover lesser-known, family-run vineyards.
One such vineyard is Bodega Richitelli, known for its innovative, experimental, and mostly organic wines. The winery boasts beautiful modern architecture, chic vibes, and a top-notch restaurant, providing an authentic, boutique experience in Maipú distinct from the large commercial producers.
Another family-run vineyard worth visiting is Bodegas Lopez, which has been in operation for over 120 years and is still managed by the founding family. This winery offers comprehensive tours covering production to bottling, followed by tastings of exquisite wines. It combines tradition with family heritage and thoughtful hospitality.
Bodega Santa Julia de Familia Zuccardi, while more popular, remains family-run and offers an informal, warm atmosphere where you can taste everyday table wines and also olive oil. It's a good introduction to family-shaped vineyards in the region and often included in smaller wine tours around Maipú.
Bodega Navarro Correas, founded in 1798 and family-owned, produces well-known Malbecs and sparkling whites. It balances historic vineyards with modern facilities, offers guided tours with winemakers, and emphasises environmental sustainability. This winery is less touristy yet well-regarded for quality.
The day's cycling journey took place in a quiet, dusty street lined with trees, leading to Entre Olivos, a small olive oil factory. The owner offered a small bar lined with dozens of bottles of liquor with flavours like strawberry, chocolate, or banana. The homemade jams at Entre Olivos included malbec and chardonnay varieties.
A visit to Domiciano, one of the two biggest vineyards in Mendoza, offered a tour and tasting for 50 pesos per person. The tour included a visit to the tanks where the wine is fermented and stored, and the cellar where the prize malbec is aging.
Trapiche, the largest vineyard in town, has a mansion-like main building and neatly manicured grounds. However, the tour was conducted in Spanish, and a tasting there costs 50 pesos per person.
The wine bike tour concluded with lunch in the garden behind the shop at Entre Olivos, surrounded by olive trees. A bus ride from Mendoza city centre to Maipu costs roughly 4.50 pesos each way and takes about 30 minutes. Mr Hugo's bike rentals cost 70 pesos per day, including a free bottle of wine, a map, and discount cards for some vineyards.
At La Botella, a store manager offered a collection of wines, including a homemade wine in a penguin-shaped bottle. The homemade wine from La Botella tasted like vimto or sugary, wine-flavoured syrup. Mrs Hugo provided a discount card for a free wine tasting at La Botella. The 'tasters' at Entre Olivos were generous double shots of two flavours of choice.
This wine bike tour in Maipu, Mendoza, offered a more personal, less commercialised experience suitable for those seeking to explore authentic family-run vineyards known for tradition, innovation, and a welcoming atmosphere. They are smaller or mid-sized compared to giants like Trapiche but have strong reputations and historical roots in Maipú's wine culture.
While the wine bike tour uncovers the renowned vineyards in Mendoza, it also showcases the lesser-known, family-run vineyards that contribute significantly to the local food-and-drink scene and the region's lifestyle. For instance, Bodega Richitelli's innovative, mostly organic wines and restaurant encapsulate the authentic, boutique experience one might encounter on this travel adventure. This tour underscores the diversity and appeal of family-run vineyards, whether established for decades, like Bodegas Lopez, or more contemporary, like Bodega Navarro Correas.
