A grape adventure

Vineyards. Check. Tree lined avenues. Check. Snowcapped Andean backdrop. Check. It must be the wine lovers paradise Mendoza. What better way to soak up the atmosphere than from the (albeit uncomfortable) seat of a bicycle. The vineyards are situated in El Maipu a 40 minute bus journey outside of Mendoza and the grape varieties grown here are largely Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The cycling begins at 11am when I pick up my bike and map, then it´s a short peddle to the Museo del Vino. Housing old harvesting equipment and barrels from yesteryear, a quick look around gives me an impression of how wine production started in this region. This is still a working winery making an aptly named bottle Museo, it´d be rude not to take up the offer of a free taster. The Cabernet Sauvignon here is fruity and pleasant, but I´ve got my tastebuds set on some Malbec so we push on.
The next stop is more a gourmet cottage industry than straight-up bodega, Historias Y Sabores (Histories and Flavours) makes jams, chutneys, liquors and chocolates from ingredients mostly grown on the farm. After witnessing the resident Willy Wonker hard at work in his chocolate splattered kitchen we head to the tasting room. Here I try some grapefruit jam and olive and pimiento paste, all are rustic with a homemade feel. Then my guide brings out the liquors - yikes it´s only 11.45am. A mandarin liquor was a bit too strong and lacking in sweet orangey flavour for my taste.
After a 12km cycle in the midday sun, throwing myself in the irrigation ditch once or twice to save being mowed down by impatient grape trucks, we arrive at Bodega Carinae. I´ve never felt less like a glass of red wine than entering this winery, I´m drenched in sweat and gagging for a good hose down, but this is my out and out favourite on the tour. A really knowledgable guide shows me the areas of the vineyard containing different grapes, then a tour of the barrels and an explanation of the process. She tells me they ship barrels from France for the good quality French oak for 900 Euros a pop, they only use them five times before they´re sent to some wine barrel graveyard. The more expensive wines get first dibs on the barrel and the fifth use is saved for the cheapest plonk. The tasting here was great, I tried a beautifully dry Malbec Rose, I´m told the skins are left in for only a few hours. A Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec blend is redcurrenty and light, but best of all an aged Malbec from those pricey French barrels. It´s almost sweet and syrupy and stays thick on the tongue for minutes afterwards - it´s perfect company for a 5 minute rest under a tree.
Back in the saddle and Bodega Tempus Alba is a little dissapointing. Looking like a millionnaire´s mansion, it´s all style and no substance inside. There is what looks like a very good restaurant, however, no tour, no tasting, pah, where´s my glass of free Malbec? Tempus Alba redeems itself when I realise I´m allowed to frolic a little among the vines. Myself and two fellow riders check over our shoulders before plucking the odd grape. Expecting bitterness, for some reason, I´m surprised by how wonderfully sweet these are. They´re almost like a blueberry in flavour and I scoff a handful or two for the road. Refueled and purple of mouth we hotfoot it out of there before Old Senor Tempus cottons on to our grape-thieving ways.
It´s only a short wheel across the road to Vina al Cerna, but it couldn´t be further removed in style. This place is rustic with a corrugated roofed shed full of smoke from a lunchtime asado (BBQ). We take a seat in the barn and someone explains the differing wines they produce, it´s all blending into one now. Wine, wine and oh something sparkly. We try a glass of each, a new Malbec is pleasantly fruity but not unusual and an oaky old (2003) Malbec is the stiffest of the day and finishing it brings on a bit of a headache. I have to say, the sparkling Chardonnay may be the winner here, it´s 4pm and its palette cleansing and refreshing citrus zing perk us up for the long ride to the finish line.
Head slightly befuggled, we weave our way back, thankfully it´s downhill all the way. Time to lean forward and let gravity do its worst.