The Vines of Mendoza | Blog

Archive for December, 2010



2010 The Vines- A Photographic Year in Review

Friday, December 31st, 2010

2010 is rapidly coming to a close and it has been a very busy year for us in Mendoza at The Vines. We have built phase I of our winery, had our first harvest from our first vineyards planted in 2007, created a new high tech blending lab in our downtown Tasting Room, planted more than 125 acres of new vineyards and now have a family of 85 international vineyard owners as well as many friends, family, Wine Club members and employee’s which have made this all possible.

We decided to highlight some of our favorite moments throughout the year, however, there are too many to count and if we included them all it would probably end up being a feature length film!

We are thankful to everyone who has made this possible and invite you all to come and visit us in 2011!

Posted in In the News, Life in Mendoza, Photos, Private Vineyard Estates | No Comments »


Hotel Aguamiel- to stay or just dine

Tuesday, December 28th, 2010

Mendoza is an oasis from the harsh desert that lays at the base of the Andes and is filled with hidden spots of luxury nestled in wine country in which to relax, rejuvinate and indulge in what Argentina has to offer. Hotel Aguamiel is just such a place. Located in Maipu, about 20 minutes from downtown Mendoza, the modern bungalows are situated on 5 acres surrounded by organic Malbec vineyards, a cherry garden and a singular view of the Cordon Del Plata in the Andes mountain range.

The minimalistic design offers comfort and simplicity with European style, they utilize wood to portray, in the simplest and clearest way, elements that appeal directly to the senses. Make this your jumping off point to visit nearby wineries or you can also stop by for a decadent four course lunch or dinner amidst your travels.

Prepared by gourmet chef and influenced by the owners Mexican heritage, you will indulge in seasonal dishes like philo pastry with goat cheese and vegetables served with a reduction of olive, honey, chili as a starter, or a decadent filet mignon in a reduction of malbec, spices, chocolate and herbs as the main course. Paired with wines from their estates, the four course lunch is $55USD and they do ask for reservations, so plan ahead. Lunch is served from 12-3pm and dinner hours are a gringo’s dream with service starting at 7pm when you can also soak in the beautiful Mendoza sunset. (normal dinner time in Mendoza is around 9:30-10pm as a point of reference)

For more information on this wine country hide away- check out their beautiful website www.hotelaguamiel.com

Posted in Experiences, Life in Mendoza | No Comments »


The Vines “Colores de Uco” Contest

Friday, December 17th, 2010

The Uco Valley is a stunning place, one to be remembered not only for the staggering Andes mountains and beautiful vineyards, but also for the people and the Argentine culture. Because the people who make up The Vines is such an integral part of who we are, we have teamed up with the elementary school in Vista Flores, Islas Malvinas, to help support the efforts of the local workers and their families. Together we can create this area into one of the most respected world class wine regions.

For the holidays we decided to call upon the creativity of children, which is usually the most impressive, to create our annual holiday card. We provided supplies for 75 students to create their impressions of what is significant in the Uco Valley and what it means to them. We were overwhelmed by the images and had an especially difficult time trying to pick the top four!

After a lengthy process and many different opinions we were happy to announce the winners. First place went to Cristian, a fifth grader who won a new bicycle!

, Second place and an art kit went to 7th grader, Lila for her beautiful rendition of the waterways, green vineyards and mountains. Special mentions went to Ale and Veronica who received gift certificates to a local sporting shop for their unique and beautiful drawings!

We would like to thank everyone who helped organize this special concurso, especially the students, Univita and the school!

FELICES FIESTAS A TODOS | HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

*to see more pictures check out The Vines facebook page here.

Posted in Life in Mendoza, Private Vineyard Estates | No Comments »


The Vines in Worth Magazine

Friday, December 10th, 2010

“We may not make the same decisions, but I can trust that he’s going to make a good one,” Evans says of partner Pablo Gimenez-Riili.”

MICHAEL EVANS AND PABLO GIMENEZ RIILI

WHAT THEY DO:

Co-founders of Vines of Mendoza, a cooperative vineyard in Argentina (vinesofmendoza.com)

HOW THEY TEAMED UP:

After an exhausting stint as a consultant to John Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign, Evans came to Argentina for a three-week vacation and met Riili through a mutual friend. The two hit it off and spent several days visiting vineyards in the Mendoza, a rugged province in western Argentina. When Evans expressed interest in starting his own small operation, Riili explained that, below a certain amount of acreage, grape growing wasn’t financially feasible. So the two concocted the idea of a co-op in which investors could own fractions of a vineyard, bringing in several of Evans’ friends to purchase the land and start the Vines of Mendoza operation.

Read the complete article here.

Posted in Experiences, In the News, Private Vineyard Estates | No Comments »