Salentein Bodega and Posada Review
Sunny weather, vineyards everywhere, great food and of course lots of wine. Mendoza is the biggest wine province in Argentina, with thousands of wineries spread across the three main wine regions of Maipu, Valle de Uco, and Lujan de Cuyo, and we were lucky enough to visit each of the regions in our one week trip to Mendoza.
Located in the serene Cuyo valley, surrounded by beautiful Andean mountains, green landscape and vineyards Salentein Bodegas and Posada was our first stop and a sweet welcome to this beautiful region.
Salentein Bodegas and Posada has a long history, with vineyards dating back to the 17th century. The wineries on site produce Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc, and feature a stunning underground cellar, a gallery, a tasting room that is made from local stone, and a Primus room (a winery within a winery). Saltentein embraces its Argentinian and European winemaking traditions together with modern advanced design and technology, it really is one of a kind.
The Posada
Just a few minutes from the Salentein wineries and Killka restaurant lies the Salentein posada. The traditional Argentinian building has 16 rooms, each named after a type of wine they make.
We arrives on a chillly day in October, although it is usually warmer this time of year.
We stayed in the Petit Verdot superior room, which was extremely spacious and had all the modern amenities, including a large TV, a cosy bed, and a heated floor. It was incredible to wake up to spectacular views of the amazing green landscape that surrounds the posada, too.
When we arrived in the room there was a complimentary bottle of Salentien Malbec and our stay included a wine tour, wine tasting and a private visit to the Killka Art Gallery, all of which are on site.
The grounds are so large that the stay also included transportation around the Salentien premises, including the option to take bikes.
The breakfast buffet the next morning at Posada’s restaurant had a delicious and varied selection of cereals and fresh and local jams and bread.
Full, happy and ready to explore the large grounds we took bikes from the posada, past the vineyards and to the Salentien winery.
The ride was beautiful, with breathtaking views of the valley and vineyards, there is also the option to get the free shuttle bus offered by the posada if you don’t fancy cycling (although I highly recommend it).
After a glorious wine tour and tasting session, which you can read more about below, we enjoyed a delicious meal at the posada’s restaurant. Using only local produce, the cosy dining space has a beautiful fireplace with views of the Merlot and Pinot Noir vineyards.
They serve up regional and international brasserie dishes cooked on wood and on a plow disk, or you can opt for the three-course menu. As soon as we walked in we were presented with a complimentary glass of wine and a local appetizer, while being greeted with polite and welcoming staff, and the rest of the meal was as lovely.
Wine tour & tasting
The tour of the large wineries and vineyards was extremely informative and fun. It started with an introductory video about the basics of viticulture and enology.
We also learnt a lot about the vineyards as we walked through them, thanks to our very knowledgeable tour guide who explained the processes of maintaining and pruning the vineyards year after year.
The tour takes you through the impressive cellar, with its large French oak fermentation tanks and state of the art winemaking technology. The buildings, gardens and views are a highlight, and then came the wine tasting.
We found the tasting guides to be extremely passionate about wine and very personable, which really made the experience a special one, plus the wine was fantastic. The Malbec Roble was one of our favorites, and we found most of the wines to be well-priced considering their very high quality.
Killka restaurant & gallery
On our first day we had lunch at the Killka restaurant.
The Killka building is a stunning, modern structure that sits amid the natural Mendoza landscape inspired by 19th and 20th century Argentinian and Dutch art.
It’s a beautiful cultural centre where wine and fine art sit side-by-side, a very unique concept that is definitely one of the highlights of a visit to Salentein.
The restaurant and wine bar has the same modern feel as the building’s exterior, it fits perfectly into the natural landscape around it.
We sat by the window and the view was breathtaking! There are also outdoor balconies (which can seat up to 40 people), which would be fantastic in warm weather.
I had the gizzard to start and a perfectly cooked Argentinian steak for my main course, the food was perfectly cooked and served.
On our second day we decided to tour the Killka gallery. Opened in 2006, the gallery displays work from local, national and even international artists and with every season comes a new exhibition.
It added to our experience to see local art made by the local people of the region, it was something we would never have expected to do and definitely enhanced our stay.
We also visited the Killka collection – a permanent collection of 19th and 20th century Dutch and Argentinian art that celebrates the long-existing ties between Holland and Argentina. The special and unique collection is beautiful and inspiring.
More Images from Salentein & Killka:
