Travels through South America

Cari, Domingo and I arrived in Cafayate in darkness to be met by a smiley chap offering discounts at a nearby hostel. Keen to settle, we took him up on his offer (15 pesos a night each) and were pleased to find ourselves in a comfortable, secluded hostel with a lovely courtyard under the shade of grape vines.

We set out to grab a bite to eat and ended up in Cafayate’s most gourmet restaurant, Baco. Rusticly decorated with a wine list longer than the menu, it’s definitely worth a visit and my beef loin in wild mushroom sauce was delectable.

After a refreshingly mosquito-free night’s sleep, I awoke to blue skies and a lovely breakfast provided by Domingo, who had spotted a bakery on our way back to the hostel. Delicious ‘brioches’ scented with either anise or orange peel were a perfect way to start the day and the daily porridge-fest of the previous three weeks became a distant memory.

After breakfast we set out to stroll around the town and check out the tourist infromation. As soon as I set foot outside the hostel I realised the town was surrounded by vineyards which were then surrounded by mountains. The exquisite bakery, copious bodegas (outlets for the local wine producers) and restaurants made me feel instantly at home. If I can find good cakes, wine and food then I am a happy man.

Cafayate is an absolute delight. I cannot recommend it enough. Lovely people, lots to do including horseriding, hiking, cycling and not to mention the wine tasting! We managed to visit 10 different wineries in 3 days. Not bad by my standards. We tasted many delicious reds (Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon), one of which I recommend below… The white Torrontes wine is a revelation though – incredibly fruity yet dry it is in a class of its own and I urge you all to go out and seek some!

We were seriously in need of wine after completing a 50 kilometre bike ride through the Quedabras de las Conchas from Garganta del Diabolo back to Cafayate. At just under 2,000 metres above sea level, it’s definitely a ride to take slowly but well worth the effort.