The pool at Finca Adalgisa

Mendoza lies just 760 miles south of Salta, but it seems like another world.  We are staying in the Chacras de Coria neighborhood of Mendoza, pretty much the Boca Raton/Aspen of Argentina.  We suffered a slight sticker shock coming from Salta.  The Finca Adalgisa, where we are staying, is a beautiful 2 acre property, with California style and California prices.  The neighborhood is south of the main town of Mendoza, and is known for its nice properties and boutique hotels.  The Finca Adalgisa, (converted into a hotel in 2002) makes its own Malbec wine from vines first planted in 1916.  The finca’s wine is only for the guests.

Finca Adalgisa

We arrived to clear blue skies and warm temperatures.  Relaxation by the pool was followed by a glass of the finca’s own Malbec and tapas.  The property is beautiful, but the food prices are “international pricing”, very different from downtown Mendoza or Salta.

Finca Adalgisa’s wine tasting area. Many of the buildings are built around trees and grape vines.

We decided to walk into the main part of Chacras de Coria to get local prices for dinner.  We saw many dogs on the street, all of them friendly.  We can’t decide whether they are street dogs, or family dogs on the loose, but they are not afraid of people, are in good shape, hang out in the cafes and sometimes don’t even eat the treats we give them.

We stumbled upon a little fair with live music, pony rides and market stalls.  The weather was fine, as we had expected.  I’d been watching the weather reports, and Mendoza was always warm and dry.  Too bad that didn’t hold out.  Too bad for the grapes and the wine growers as well.