Maipu is a small town in Mendoza (province), the epicenter of Argentina's wine industry. It is a suburb of the provincial capital, Mendoza.
Understand
[edit]Maipu is an important wine producing center and is known for its robust red wines, especially Malbec, Argentina's most famous varietal. The town is a popular destinations for wine tourism. Visitors can learn about the town's wine history at the local Wine Museum and can tour vineyards and wineries to see how the grapes are grown and wine is produced. Most wineries welcome visitors with tastings of various vintages and brands.
Get in
[edit]
The nearest airport is El Plumerillo MDZ IATA in Mendoza. It is a small regional airport with flights from Buenos Aires and Santiago.
From the airport, you can take a remis (a type of taxi) for fixed posted prices (AR$225 to the centre in 2019). There is also a city bus (collectivo) that takes you downtown, but it comes only every 40 minutes and takes an hour to make its way downtown (but you need to buy a bus card, not available at airport). A taxi from the MDZ airport to Maipu will take about 30 minutes and cost about AR30,000 (US20).
Get around
[edit]See
[edit]- 1 National Wine Museum (Museo Nacional del Vino y la Vendimia), Ozamis 914, ☏ +54 2614 977 763. M-F 12ː30 - 17ː30, Sa 09ː00 - 15ː00, closed Su. Historic 19th century that belonged to one of the first vintners in Maipu. Guided tours are available (Spanish only).
- 2 Plaza 12 de Febrero (Plaza Principal), Pres. Sarmiento 2760. The town's main plaza is immaculately maintained with a large playground and games for children. Great place for people watching, or for a Sunday stroll.
- 3 Parque Metropolitano, Calle Colectora Nte.. Largest park in the city with paved walkways, a lake, and a theatre. Popular place for picnics, jogging, and dog walking.
Do
[edit]- 1 Arena Maipu, Emilio Civit 791, ☏ +54 261 481 9800. Daily 12ː00 - 04ː00. Event venue for concerts and shows.
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]- 1 Il Mercato Maipú, Ozamis sur y Calle 25 de Mayo Oeste. Su-W 09ː00 - 00ː00; Th-Sa 09ː00 - 01ː00. Bustling marketplace selling fresh regional foods and imported goods with food stands selling a wide range of quick, inexpensive food as well as coffee, ice cream, sandwiches and more.
- 2 Al Rescoldo Bodegón, Ozamis 519, ☏ +54 926 1684 3691. Daily 12ː00 - 16ː00 and 20ː30 - 01ː00. Hearty Argentinian cuisine for big appetites. T-bone steaks, baked potatoes, fresh bread. Beautiful setting, friendly staff, outstanding value for the money. AR30,000.
- 3 La Melesca Resto, Urquiza Sur 6020, ☏ +54 926 1501 3697. W-M 11ː00 - 18ː00, closed Tu. Hearty lunch spot featuring focaccia and olive oil tastings with matched local wines. AR30,000.
- 4 Casa de Campo, Urquiza 1703, ☏ +54 261 2441 434. Daily 09ː30 - 23ː00. Argentinian restaurant specializing in grilled beef and hearty soups and stews. Friendly service and excellent quality. AR20,000.
Drink
[edit]Maipu has several wine shops (bodegas) where the local wines can be sampled and bottles purchased to go.
- 1 Bodega Domiciano, Dorrego 4901, ☏ +54 9261 613 7503. M-Sa 09ː30 - 17ː00, closed Su. Wine tours, tastings, and a 4-course luncheon with wine pairings. English-speaking and Spanish-speaking guides available.
- 2 Bodega Trapiche, Calle Nueva Mayorga s/n, ☏ +54 9261 774 4904. Daily 09ː30 - 17ː00. Wine tours with tastings and a restaurant offering 3-course meals with paired wines. A premium tour is available that offers more wine samples. English speaking staff available.
- 3 Bodega Viña el Cerno, Carril Perito Moreno 631, ☏ +54 261 481 1567. M-Sa 10ː00 - 18ː00, closed Su. Family-owned winery producing organic grapes. Tastings include 3 samples. Food is available.
- 4 Bodega Tempus Alba, ☏ +54 9261 6857 595. M-Sa 10ː00 - 17ː00, closed Su. Modern winery growing malbec, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, tempranillo and other varietals. Offers guided or self-guided tours. A wine bar offers tastings of the local vintages.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Esplendor Mendoza, Maza y Emilio Civit, ☏ +54 261 4819 850. Check-in: 14ː00, check-out: 10ː00. Moderate hotel with spacious, comfortable rooms. Many guests complain about noise from casino and concert hall downstairs.
- 2 OliWine Hostal, Ozamis Sur 285, ☏ +54 926 1760 6042. Check-in: 15ː00, check-out: 11ː00. Clean, comfortable hostal with friendly owners, kitchen available, lockers available. Good base for doing bike tours of vineyards.
- 3 Club Tapiz, Ruta 60 Km 2.5, Pedro Molina s/n, ☏ +54 261 596 6853. Check-in: 14ː00, check-out: 11ː00. Traditional boutique hotel with comfortably furnished spacious rooms. On-site restaurant serves a tasty and filling Argentine breakfast. Beautifully manicured grounds with olive trees. Evening wine tastings.