The Vines Resort & Spa

The Vines Resort & Spa

After the ninety minute drive from Mendoza airport, the Andes start framing the vineyards, and The Vines Resort & Spa appears at their foot in Tunuyan, in the Uco Valley, about 19 kilometers from town. The resort keeps just 22 rooms and villas, so the pool, library and picnic area rarely feel crowded, and its place among The Leading Hotels of the World points to consistency of service rather than size. What separates it from other Mendoza wine estates is the kitchen: Francis Mallmann, known for open flame cooking, designs the menus at Siete Fuegos, where guests eat at a 28 seat shared table and watch his seven fire methods cooked in the open kitchen. Wine fills the whole stay, not just an afternoon tour: guests can blend and hand bottle their own wine, taste barrel samples in an Oak and Wine session, or spend a day harvesting grapes before the estate's tasting room, Vines to Go, pours the vineyard owners' wines. Villas range from a 700 square foot two bedroom with a garden view to a nearly 3,000 square foot Andes Cóndor Villa, each with access to the spa, gym and business center, useful if a work trip runs into the weekend. This suits a couple who want their wine tour and their bed at the same address, or anyone happy to hike or cycle between vineyards rather than sightsee. It will feel remote to those wanting nightlife or a walkable town, and pets are not allowed. The last morning, with the light still low over the vines, is worth setting an alarm for. A 22 room resort at the foot of the Andes in Mendoza's Uco Valley, where Francis Mallmann cooks over open flame at Siete Fuegos and guests blend their own wine between tastings. It suits couples who want their wine tour and their bed at one address, not those chasing nightlife.