We remained optimistic, however, because we knew that Argentina was home to the Malbec heartland, Mendoza!  Finally – a great selection of wines to be consumed meal-in and meal-out! 

Unfortunately, despite ALL effort, we just couldn’t seem to fit Mendoza into our itinerary.  Things just don’t always go as planned.  Ah, the joys of long-term travel.  But, as they say, things happen for a reason, and this is what led us to another wine region in Argentina: Cafayate.

This small, dusty, town is about 3 hours south of Salta by bus and is the birthplace of Torrentés, a dry but fruity white wine that pairs perfectly to the hot climate.  We spent 3 days sampling wines from the various bodegas and have compiled a guide to moving through them.

Tasting Rooms in town

• Bodega El Tránsito: We found the staff to be a bit unenthusiastic but considering how cheap the tasting was we were not affected by it that much, plus we did enjoy their Pedro Moises Red Blend enough to buy a bottle, which waived one tasting fee.
• Bodega Nanni: We opted to skip the tasting/tour and just buy a bottle of the Torrontés and enjoy it in their courtyard because the scenery is beautiful
• Bad Brothers Wine Experience: More of a wine bar than traditional winery but offer their own label to taste in a flight; we loved the outdoor patio area and the tapas are delicious!
• Bodega Porvenir: This winery was closed when we were visiting, but we did have the opportunity to try their wine later in our trip. We heard positive reviews from fellow travelers about their in-person visit, so we feel confident in recommending them to others. 

Outside of town, there are a handful of wineries that demand either a bus, taxi, or bike.  We opted to go the bike rental route and would recommend it but be forewarned, it can get pretty challenging – especially in the heat!

We’ll be honest, this wasn’t the romantic, picturesque bike ride we had originally dreamed up in our heads.  We were on mountain bikes (not cute little beach cruisers), the ride there was a gradual incline (yay, sweat!) and it was post-harvest, so the vines were all bare.  But because of all this, the product waiting for you at the end is much more rewarding.

Recommended Winery Route

• Dominga Molina: Tasting includes 5 wines of your own choosing (except for their sparkling, and premium labels) along with cheese/crackers; This was our favorite winery because the service was great and super private, likely because it was the furthest distance from town.

• Bodega Piatelli: Two tastings offered, premium and standard, and must be done with a tour. The tours in English run every 2 hours starting at 11am.  Since the location here is gorgeous, we just decided to have an appetizer and drink a bottle outside.  This spot, though beautiful, is much more touristy.

• Bodega El Esteco: Short hours on the weekend, so make sure they are open before heading out; we arrived after the tours were closed but were able to do a tasting in their courtyard (you pay based on the wine you choose).  Lovely setting and there is a hotel on the property if you want a full vineyard experience.

If you don’t have time to visit many wineries but want to try a variety of local product, head over to Chato’s Wine Bar.  Oscar, the owner, is incredibly knowledgeable about Argentinian wine and he has an extensive collection for you to choose from.  Plus, he’s adorable and provides excellent conversation.

Bonus Treat: Ice Cream & Wine

The last (and arguably most important) thing for us to mention about Cafayate is the helado de vino.  Yes, wine ice-cream.  In a wine town as hot as Cafayate, it makes perfect sense that this delicious treat would exist.  And we have Heladería Miranda to thank for this.  She was the first to create the local Torrentés and Malbec sorbets.  Make sure to get the both flavors side-by-side in a cone but be careful – these babies are like having two full glasses of wine!

Cheers!

Is Peru’s first hop-on hop-off bus worth the price? Read our review to find out! 

The post Cafayate: Exploring Argentina’s Lesser Known Wine Region appeared first on Passport Therapy.

According to Peruvians, pisco was created from distilling grapes that emerged on their lands during the colonial era, after the Spanish brought over vineyards.  The first reports of the production of this grape spirit can be traced back to the start of the 17th century.  Today, Peruvian pisco is produced only on the coast with the aim of protecting the designation of origin.

While many cocktails are built from pisco, the pisco sour remains the most popular and iconic of the bunch. The pisco sour was actually invented by an American in the early 1920’s, when Victor Vaughn Morris (a bartender in Lima) was attempting to make his favorite drink, the whiskey sour, but ran out of his beloved spirit. Desperate for a drink, he used what he had readily available, giving birth to the pisco sour.  The drink’s popularity spread quickly and other bars began to experiment with their own versions.  By the end of the decade, the modern pisco sour was born.  The drink is so popular today that it even has its own holiday, celebrated by Peruvians on the first Saturday of February.

Now that you have a brief history, we’re sure you want to know where the hell to get one of these delicious cocktails. We recommend you skip a headache caused by those awful 2×1 happy hour pisco sours advertised at every bar in every town, and head to a classy establishment. If you’re in Lima, head to one of the coolest bars in town, Ayahuasca, which not only offers a delicious pisco sour, it has pages of variations on this classic. Heading straight to Cusco? The Pisqueros at Museo Del Pisco has you covered. This place is not so much a bar as it is a house of worship for all things pisco.

Or maybe you’re interested in making your own?  Below is a recipe for a classic pisco sour that can be whipped up at home.  We only ask that you invite us over to share.  Salud!

INGREDIENTS:

• Simple Syrup (highly suggest making your own with 1/2 cup sugar and 3 spoonfuls of water)
• 7 1/2 oz pisco
• 1 egg white
• 2 1/2 oz of lemon juice
• ice
• bitters

DIRECTIONS:

Syrup:

• Put 1/2 cup of sugar in a small pot with 3 spoonfuls of water, just enough to dampen the sugar
• Cook on a slow fire, stirring with a spoon until the sugar is entirely dissolved
• Take it off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes

PISCO SOUR:

• Add the lemon juice and the pisco to the warm syrup and beat firmly until the ingredients have been mixed well
• Pour the mixture into a blender and add ice until the liquid volume has been doubled
• Blend at top speed for approx. 30 seconds, until the ice has completely dissolved
• Add an egg white and blend again at top speed for 1 minute
• Pour the mixture into a jar and serve immediately, in “old-fashioned” glasses on in white wine glasses
• To top it off, add a drop of bitters to each glass, in the middle of the foam
• ENJOY!

The post The National Drink of Peru: Pisco appeared first on Passport Therapy.