The Calchaquí Valleys, located in the high region of
southwest Salta, produce wines of exceptional quality.
Since the 18th century Salta has produced wines of great quality in the area surrounding Cafayate, high in the Calchaqui Valleys.
This region gave birth to the emblematic Torrontés, a strain to be found nowhere but in our province.
THE WINE ROUTE
The Calchaquí Valleys are located in the southwest of Salta. An exceptional wine region is placed in this area where the highest Wine Route of the world goes through, with vineyards over 3,000 metres. You’ll be amazed with incredible landscapes, colours, historic villages, crafts, archeology and local cuisine combined with excellent services and more than 20 wineries to visit during your stay.
TORRONTES WINE
In Salta, vine cultivation began during the 18th century near Cafayate with the Jesuit missionar¬ies. Torrontés is the most distinctive strain of Argentine wines since our country is the only one that produces it. It is a grape with uncertain and discussed origin. It is possible that it is the result of a mutation of some “celaje” arrived in colonial times, accidentally crossed with wild vines, giving rise to what we know today as Torrontés. This condition gives absolute originality. Its development is excellent in the north of our country, especially in the Calchaquí Valley, where it acquires its best expression. Torrontés perfume has floral and vegetable reminiscences. Its intense flavour fills your mouth and is perhaps the only wine with aroma and taste of grapes.
THE VINE AND WINE MUSEUM
In the Calchaqui Valley, a region noted for its viticulture, valleys, mountains and gorges, you will find The Vine and Wine Museum. It is a live space, full of visual and sound effects that are interactive and entertaining, presenting all visitors the chance to learn more about wines. The Museum is dedicated to wines with denomination of origin Cafayate. It is distributed in two rooms containing different exhibitions of labeling, geography, history and other aspects of local wines. It has a central courtyard where homage to water and sun of Cafayate takes place, a permanent exhibition area, a temporary exhibition area and laboratories for scientific study and for conservation. It also has a multipurpose room, a coffee store and a souvenir shop. It has a “virtual guide”, where the visitor is accompanied by a nice character in different strategic points of the route. Magically it appears to guide you through the history of wine in Cafayate.
WINERIES
The best way to appreciate the wines from Salta is traveling to the Calchaqui Valley. Few wine routes in the world combine the beauty and strength of the natural landscapes, the shapes and colours of its mountains, with a rich history and the presence of ancient traditions and customs. The different hotels and the high quality regional cuisine allows you enjoy this perfect environment and visit a different “Wine Route”. Each winery offers a variety of tours of the vineyards with wine tasting, guided by specialists. The wineries are very different: some are large, others are boutique and others are artisan wineries. Some wineries have comfortable hotels that offer an unforgettable stay among the vineyards and others have spa services to relax in the middle of this peaceful setting. They also offer catering services that allows you to accompany the wines with exquisite gastronomy that combines traditional recipes with new gastronomic proposals.