A Belated but Still Meaningful Honeymoon in Mendoza

After nearly 4 months on the road through South America, living out of Taka, navigating the ups and downs of long-term travel, we decided to splurge for our (belated, but still officially uncelebrated) honeymoon. Our destination of choice? The wine country of Mendoza, Argentina. We had heard tales of this region’s spectacular Malbecs and mountain views from fellow travelers for months, and it seemed like the perfect place to celebrate our marriage (from nearly 6 years ago lol). 

We arrived in Mendoza after a spectacular drive through the dramatic Andes mountains. The border crossing was something special because we remembered it as the first time COVID impacted our first trip. In 2020 when we crossed the boarder, Argentina was not admitting people coming from the United States due to rising COVID cases in the States. Upon seeing our US passports, we got very troubled looks as they debated whether to admit us. I had to explain to the boarder agent that we had been in South America for 6 months, which thankfully he fully understood and admitted us into the country. This time around, the crossing was much smoother and soon enough we found ourselves Mendoza bound for the 2nd time.

Unlike our usual nights camping in the back of our truck, we had splurged on a cute stone house Airbnb in Maipú, about 15 kilometers from downtown Mendoza. When we pulled our dusty Tacoma up to the property, I could tell immediately we had made the right choice. The little house was tucked behind a larger main residence, surrounded by flowering vines and with its own private garden. Made of local stone with wooden beams across the ceiling, it felt both rustic and luxurious compared to our camper setup. The small kitchen meant we could still cook some of our meals (keeping the overlander budget somewhat intact), which we made full use of.

After settling in and showering away the road dust, we decided our first full day would be dedicated to exploring the wineries closest to our stone house. Mendoza’s wine regions are divided into several areas – Maipú, Luján de Cuyo, and the Uco Valley being the most famous. Maipú might not be as prestigious as the others, but it had the distinct advantage of being a short drive from our Airbnb, meaning we could visit several bodegas while having a designated driver. 

The first stop was Bodega Azul, a family-run operation we’d heard had excellent small-production wines that rarely made it out of Argentina. The bodega was housed in a beautiful old building with striking blue accents (hence the name). 

Our table was laid out in a afternoon garden party atmosphere. We were greeted by Pablo, whose family had been making wine there for three generations. He explained that while Malbec is the star of Mendoza, the region produces so much more. As he poured us our first taste – a crisp, refreshing Torrontés with notes of white flowers and peach – he explained this white varietal is uniquely Argentine and thrives in the high-altitude vineyards. 

Next came a rosé made from Malbec grapes, followed by the reds: a medium-bodied Bonarda (another Argentine specialty), a complex Cabernet Franc that Pablo said was his personal favorite, and finally, their reserve Malbec. This last wine was everything we’d hoped for from Mendoza – rich and velvety with deep plum and blackberry flavors, hints of vanilla and chocolate, and that characteristic violet aroma that makes Mendoza Malbecs so special. Pablo explained how the region’s high altitude, intense sunlight, and significant temperature variation between day and night create perfect conditions for developing these complex flavors in the grapes.

While swimming in the bottomless wines, we managed to also indulge in an amazing lunch of slow braised short rib. The meat literally fell off the bone as it was placed on our table and then proceeded to melt in our mouths. The neighboring table also commented on the idealic food, wine and scenery. We started to talk with them and they were a retired couple from Washington DC. We struck up a great conversation about the current political climate and if we should move to DC for a potential policy job for Nikki. While remaining somewhat apolitical (very hard with bottomless wine) they politely said they would not be relocating the DC anytime soon if they were us. As the afternoon progressed, we enjoyed wine after wine while continuing to talk with our adopted DC mentors. At the end of the afternoon the sweet couple asked what our favorite wine of the afternoon was and very discreetly bought us a bottle of it to celebrate our honeymoon.

We visited one more bodegas that afternoon, but honestly, they blurred together a bit as the tastings accumulated. We had decided to take turns being the designated driver and today was my day. On the drive back to the Airbnb, the Andes mountains providing a majestic backdrop in the distance, and we thought this was about as perfect a honeymoon as we could have imagined after months on the road.

The next day was dedicated to our biggest splurge of the entire year-long trip – a nine-course lunch with wine pairings at Rucca Malen winery in the Luján de Cuyo region. We had been saving for this experience since before we left home, knowing that Mendoza would be on our route and that this particular winery was renowned for its food and wine pairings.

We drove our Tacoma the 30 kilometers from our stone house to Rucca Malen, arriving just before noon. The winery itself was stunning – a modern building of glass and stone set against the backdrop of vineyards and mountains. We were seated at a table on the covered terrace, offering panoramic views of the estate.

What followed was a four-hour gastronomic journey that I will remember forever. Each of the nine courses was designed to highlight both the local cuisine and a specific wine from Rucca Malen’s collection. We started with a delicate empanada paired with their Yauquén Torrontés, followed by a goat cheese and beet salad with herbs from their garden, matched with a bright Brut sparkling wine.

The progression continued through increasingly complex dishes: a trout ceviche with their Reserva Sauvignon Blanc; tender lamb slow-cooked in a clay oven with their Reserva Malbec; a grilled flank steak that melted in my mouth paired with their flagship Kinien Malbec. Each pairing was introduced by both the sommelier and the chef, who explained the inspiration behind the combination and how the flavors were meant to interact.

By the time we reached the dessert courses – a refreshing sorbet palate cleanser, followed by a deconstructed alfajor with dulce de leche ice cream paired with a late harvest Torrontés – we were in a state of blissful satisfaction. The meal concluded with mate-infused chocolates and coffee served in the garden.

What made this experience all the more special was the contrast with our usual overlander meals cooked on our camp stove or cheap menu del día lunches. After a year of budget travel, this extravagant meal felt earned, appreciated in a way that wouldn’t have been possible had we just flown in for a luxury vacation.

Our wine tasting had come to an end but not the honeymoon. We proceeded to drive to the Chile-Mendoza border and stopping at Lake Embalse Porterillos for some lake days. We had only planned for one lake day but ended up spending three days there because of how idealic the lake was. We were also joined on the 2nd day by 30 local Argentinians who gladly welcomed us for a typical Argentinian summer day and who kindly also gifted us a bottle of wine to celebrate our honeymoon. 

As our honeymoon week drew to a close and we prepared to continue our journey north toward Valle de Elquí (the pisco valley), we reflected on how perfect Mendoza had been for this milestone. We packed up our camper once more, adding a carefully wrapped bottle of Malbec gifted from our DC friends and the bottle of white from our beach friends. As we left the lakeside and hit the road again in our trusty Taka, I couldn’t help but feel we’d found the perfect balance – a honeymoon that honored both our marriage and our love of adventure, with memories (and flavors) that would last a lifetime.