The Uco Valley is about 90 minutes south of Mendoza city, at 900–1,200 meters above sea level. The drive alone is worth it — the road runs through the Andes foothills with Tupungato visible most of the way.
The altitude and the wide temperature swings between day and night produce wines that are more structured and mineral than what you find closer to the city. Malbec from the Uco Valley ages differently. It’s tighter, less obvious, with more going on.
Wineries We Visit
Each stop includes a guided wine tasting and cellar visit. We work with a range of bodegas across the valley — some large and architecturally impressive, others small operations where the winemaker shows you around personally. A few we visit regularly:
Salentein — One of the most visited wineries in the Uco Valley. Built in a cross shape into the hillside, with a 1,200m elevation and an art gallery inside the cellar. The Killka collection is worth the visit on its own.
La Azul — A small boutique winery in Tupungato with a very selective approach to grape quality. Personal visits, no tour groups.
CarinaE — Run by a French couple in Cruz de Piedra. Small production, mostly Malbec and Syrah, very personal experience.
We typically visit three wineries per day and include lunch at one of them. If you have specific bodegas in mind, we build the day around them.
How It Compares
The Uco Valley takes a full day — the drive is part of the experience. If you only have one day, Luján de Cuyo is closer and easier to fit in. If you have two days, doing both regions gives you a complete picture of Mendoza wine country — the classic Malbec in Luján and the high-altitude wines here are genuinely different.
