8 Best Sights in Wine Regions, Argentina

This showstopping winery was built by the Zuccardi family to celebrate their newfound passion for the Valle de Uco, following the success of their other family winery in Maipú. In the heart of Paraje Altamira, this winery's impressive architecture is made of local natural materials that reflect the wild, rocky landscape while incorporating artistic touches, such as a colorful cupola and twisted metalwork door. The efforts have paid off; it's thrice been crowned the world's best vineyard. You can tour the estate, taste the family's top wines in the wine bar, or have a paired lunch at the excellent Piedra Infinita restaurant ($$$$).

Approaching this ultramodern winery on a lonely dirt road, you could be forgiven for thinking you’d discovered a flying saucer instead. But, as your tour guide will tell you, every part of the futuristic building has a function—whether it’s to make the best use of gravity or to direct the sometimes brutal winds that whip through. The wines come from the local estate, which sits at an altitude of 1,200 meters (3,940 feet), which you enjoy at Crux Cocina restaurant.

The newest winery in the Clos de los Siete complex, Diamandes has some of the most striking architecture in the valley with a steel diamond in the center of the showpiece winery. Most visits focus on the four-course pairing menu from which you'll taste the Bordeaux-inspired wine portfolio with local cuisine.

The first winery to be constructed in the Clos de los Siete complex in Vista Flores, Bodega Monteviejo is not only an icon in the local wine scene, but also in the cultural scene, boasting rotating art exhibitions, regular concerts, and Mendoza's top rock festival each April. A visit to this winery includes an informative tasting, a tour of the wine-making facilities, and a walk up to the stunning rooftop with jaw-dropping views over the valley. There is a great restaurant on site, too.

Built by Eugenio Bustos in 1890, this winery flourished under his daughter Celia's leadership, producing an excellent Malbec. Today it’s owned by a Chilean company that has invested in the latest technology. Tastings, traditional lunches, and tours of the winery and experimental garden are available with advance booking. In season, pruning and harvesting programs are offered in the vineyard as well. There is a rustic posada on-site for anyone interested in spending the night.

Federico Gimenez-Riili or his father are often available to show you around this family-owned boutique operation and offer you a taste of their wines straight from the barrel. If you want to stay for lunch, enjoy the paired tasting menu accompanied by fantastic Andean vistas.  There's also a seven-room guesthouse for overnight stays.

Off-beat and contemporary describes not only the wine style of the Michelini brothers, but also SuperUco, their boutique winery in The Vines' renowned Winemakers Village. In between the biodynamic vines, the winery rises up like a cement crown. Enjoy a pour of the family's different wine labels that range from steely Sauvignon Blanc and juicy Bonarda to skin-contact wines and hand-riddled sparkling wine; alternatively book in for a paired lunch. Reserve ahead for a BBQ lunch.

Making hundreds of small labels for different private estate owners, The Vines of Mendoza offers an educative tasting in Tunuyán where you'll learn about the art of blending and working in microlots.