A Food-Lover’s Guide to Maipu, Argentina
Mendoza’s Maipu is one of the best known wine-making regions in the country, so it follows that it would also have a world-class food scene. From cheese to fish to meat, there is no shortage of delicious food to chow down on on a trip to the Andean area. Check out our food-lover’s guide to Maipu.
What to eat and where
Mendoza benefits from a unique geographic location at the foot of the Andes. This makes it perfect for the cultivation of wine, but it also means that you will find food and products here that don’t make their way easily to, say, Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires. Here is our guide to the best things to eat while you’re in Maipu.
Meat
Cheese
Considering the amount of wine consumed in Maipu, it would be remiss not to mention the delectable selection of local cheeses that can be sampled with a wine tasting in one of the many bodegas you will surely visit on your trip. While the typical provoleta cheese is consumed nationwide, grilled on the parilla and served with your meal at steakhouses, farmhouse and regional cheeses are harder to come by in typical restaurants or local supermarkets. Luckily Mendoza has some wonderful cheesemongers, including Qualtaye, a speciality cheesemaker who produces both sardo, a hard cow’s cheese found in many places in Argentina, as well as fynbo, a semi-hard cheese typical of Denmark. Qualtaye also infuse their cheeses with rosemary, oregano, nuts, and dried fruits. It is also common to find rarer cheeses like goat’s cheese served as part of cheese boards or platters.
Olive oil
While Mendoza might be best known for its wine production, the region also has a reputation for producing high quality olive oil. Known as the Olive Road, Maipu’s olive oil-producing enclave is home to the Pasrai olive grove, a family enterprise that has been going since the 1920s. Laur is another olive oil manufacturer in Maipu in the same area as Pasrai, and they also produce speciality foodstuffs including vinegars and preserves. Tours of the olive oil region in Maipu are available for visitors, where you can be taken around the factory and shown how the oil is produced.
What to drink and where
Wine
It goes without saying that when in Mendoza, one must drink wine. Maipu is home to many of Mendoza’s most well-known wineries, including the famous Familia Zuccardi who operate a vineyard, restaurant, and bodega. El Enemigo is another of the region’s renowned winemakers, as well as Bodega Lagarde, which is situated in lush green surroundings and has an impressive gastronomic offering. Finca Agostino’s modern bodega has a fantastic range of blends that you can sample, and the world-famous Trapiche bodega welcomes visitors to its beautiful property to taste its wines and dine in its restaurant.
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