As you already know, our travels through Mendoza featured plenty of wineries and vineyards, but we also got to experience staying at a wine hotel in Mendoza in Finca Adalgisa.
This is a winery, vineyard and boutique hotel set in Chacras de Coria about 20 minutes outside the city of Mendoza.
Staying at a wine hotel in Mendoza
What initially drew us to this place was its history. Finca Adalgisa is a fourth-generation property with vines that are over 100 years old. The finca was founded by two Italian families: the Morettis who came from Tuscany and the Furlottis who came from Parma. It was shortly after their arrival in Mendoza that they bought their first vineyard and began to produce wine, and they are still at it today!
So what was it like spending a weekend at Finca Adalgisa? Well, let me tell you all about our stay!
Wine o’clock in the vineyard
One of my favourite things about Finca Adalgisa was wine o’clock.
Every evening at 6 pm, all the guests were invited to enjoy a complimentary glass of wine and an appetizer at the Winery & Lounge.
The setting was beautiful. We had views of the vineyards as far as the eye can see, and the option to sit out on the terrace or in a cozy lounge with an old tree growing through the roof!
It was everything you’d expect from a wine hotel stay in Mendoza.
Since we were there right around the end of summer, we opted for breezy evenings out on the terrace, and when things got chilly, there were warm blankets on hand.
It was during wine o’clock that we learned that Finca Adalgisa produces its wine on-site, but only 5000 bottles a year.
We were lucky enough to sample one of these 5000 bottles. We had a glass of their 2008 Malbec, which let me tell you, was a life-changing wine.
After ageing in French oak barrels for a decade, this wine was ruby red in colour and velvety smooth on the palate. It quickly became one of our favourites.
On our first night, we had tapas for dinner and what a meal that was!
We started with 3 bruschettas each: the first with avocado, tomatoes and onions; the second with roasted eggplant and goat cheese; and the third with cherry tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese. They were all drizzled with olive oil from the finca and had a sprinkling of coarse sea salt.
I was there with my dad and Sam, and we were trying to decipher all the ingredients and spices to try and recreate this at home!
Those tapas could have easily been enough for a light dinner, but there was more to come! Another bottle of wine arrived, and then we delighted in a spread of food served in 3 courses.
First up, a deli and cheese platter featuring salami, chorizo colorado, jamón crudo, peppered salami, a mix of soft and hard cheeses, grapes, raisins and almonds. Whewww!
Then came another platter that featured grilled veggies with olive oil and coarse salt. We tried zucchini, carrots, tomatoes, onions, eggplant, and my favourite, pumpkin!
And last but not least, we enjoyed a bowl of onion soup served in a clay pot with pine nuts. Perfect for a late summer’s night.
You eat well when you stay at a wine hotel in Mendoza! We were beyond satisfied by the end of it all…and ready for a good sleep.
A feast of a breakfast
The following morning, we had breakfast at the Old House in Finca Adalgisa, a terracotta building surrounded by lush vegetation and large arched windows that allow the morning sunlight to stream in.
The meal was more like brunch than breakfast, with enough food to keep us going all day.
There was homemade bread, criollitos, pan con grasa, medialunas, vanilla pound cake with chocolate chips, ham, cheese, avocado, dulce de leche, and a variety of jams and marmalades.
Aside from this, we were also handed menus to choose how we wanted our eggs done: scrambled, soft-boiled, hard-boiled, poached, omelette – you name it. And if eggs weren’t of interest, there were also waffles and pancakes.
All of this was accompanied by cafe con leche, tea and orange juice. The perfect start to the morning.
A winery tour at Bodega Furlotti
So what to do you do after a meal like that?!
Well, when you stay at a wine hotel in Mendoza, there are typically winery and vineyard visits to enjoy.
Finca Adalgisa can organize a wide range of activities from horse riding excursions and day trips to the base of Aconcagua, to biking tours and spa treatments, however, we were in the mood for wine.
We had already done a few wine tours prior to our stay, but we decided to do one more at Finca Adalgisa’s sister winery: Bodega Furlotti. (If you’ve been paying attention, you should recognize this name from one of the founding families!)
This is a working bodega so the tastings were straight from the tanks. We sampled 3 wines at various stages of the winemaking process ranging from young and fruity to mature and full-bodied. It was a fun experience and lucky for us, we’d be enjoying some of Bodega Furlotti’s wines back at the finca for dinner that evening.
One thing to note is that this winery visit must be arranged ahead of time. You can’t just show up and join a tour, but this can be easily arranged at the finca.
Plenty of room to relax
After that wine tour, we returned to Finca Adalgisa ready to nap…because that’s pretty much what a few glasses of wine will do to us. We had a pretty relaxing afternoon mostly lounging in the sun.
One really cool thing about this property is that they have a lot of different areas for the guests to enjoy. There was a study with leather couches and a wall covered in books, a sunroom with arched windows and enough plants to make it feel like a greenhouse, and the pool area was lined with palm trees, sun beds, and a pergola for anyone needing a bit of shade.
Aside from that, all the rooms had an outdoor area featuring either wicker chairs or hammocks, so it was easy to just find a quiet spot and relax outdoors.
Rustic yet comfortable rooms
What can you expect in terms of accommodations when staying at a wine hotel in Mendoza?
Well, that varies from one place to the next, but Finca Adalgisa did rustic-chic very well. There was a lot of wood furniture, exposed wooden-beams, raw-hide carpets and leather couches, but there was also a softer element with floral wallpaper and all white linens.
Meanwhile, my dad got upgraded to the Suite, which meant he had a two-level abode all to himself. On the bottom floor, he had a sitting area with a fireplace, exposed stone walls, leather couches and a kitchenette. Then, upstairs he had a master bedroom with even more seating, a King-sized bed, windows all around, and a bathroom larger than many studios!
It was a level of comfort none of us will soon forget.
An asado with fellow guests
On our last night at Finca Adalgisa, there was an asado taking place – the quintessential Argentine experience! After taking part in wine o’clock (like we’d miss that!), we made our way over to the dining area where there was a communal table set up.
This turned out to be a really fun opportunity to get to know our fellow guests at the property. Fuelled by wine (several rounds of a 2014 Malbec from Bodega Furlotti!) we got chatting with our group of Brits, Americans, Canadians and Argentines. And imagine our surprise when halfway through dinner one of the couples at our table revealed that they watch our YouTube videos – what a small world!
That night, we enjoyed a mix of Argentine cuts like chorizo, morcilla, colita de cuadril, vacio, entraña and more. Each cut of meat was taken off the grill as it was ready, cut into individual portions, and then brought to the table.
The meat was paired with potatoes and sweet potatoes in a honey mustard sauce, a leafy greens salad, and a delightful spread of grilled vegetables – similar to what we’d had for tapas the previous night.
Two hours flew by and before we knew it, dessert was being served. We had panqueques with dulce de leche (similar to crêpes with a caramel spread) and then we were offered Fernet Branca. This is technically an Italian drink, but it’s very popular in Argentina, especially in the province of Cordoba where people drink it with coke. It’s a bitter herbal digestive that tastes like medicine (at least to my tastebuds) so it was amusing watching people sample it for the first time. A few brave ones even drank it straight…you can imagine the grimacing faces at the table!
I rolled out of that party and into bed around 11 pm, but Sam ended up staying out with the gang until 2 am. I only wish we’d had this asado on the first night because it was a great way to bring all the guests together and meet a fun group of people adventuring across Argentina.
This was the perfect end to our stay at an iconic wine hotel in Mendoza.
Thank you Finca Adalgisa for inviting us to experience your wines and hospitality!
Nice wine with nice garden !
Found you a while ago but had no time to really watch your videos until the quarantine. My Dad was Austrian and Mom Italian from Buenos Aires. I messaged you both on youtube. We are so impressed with your videos of Argentina and Canada. Have not had time yet to watch all the other ones. You are impressive young people. So proud of you. Relearning our past is so much fun. Please your Papa and Mama we love them on the videos. You bring back the old days of family and togetherness. WE are relearning about Argentinian wines. You have become like family to us both. We watch you during dinner time. It it is really fun! God bless you both Samuel and Audrey and family. Quidence! Dios los Bendiga!