By Amanda Barnes for The Mendoza Sun.Architecture has limited appeal for some but when you combine it with art, meditation, food and wine, few can turn a blind eye. The Uco Valley winery Bodegas Salentein has the feeling of one man’s dream run slightly wild. The dream was that of the Dutch owner who decided, after setting up a succesful fruit farm in Uco, to start another retirement project, this time with a vineyard. But rather than just a vineyard, his vision has transpired into, not one, but two bodegas, two restaurants, a pousada, a swimming pool, an art gallery and even a chapel. A visit to Salentein is designed to last more than a couple of hours...
Let’s start with the wine. The bodega to visit is Bodega Salentein which produces Salentein’s top lines and is designed as a sort of modern, wine palace with natural colours and specifically shaped peaks to reflect the Andes summits which frame it from behind. Inside the bodega the building takes on a rather more spiritual feel with its so-called ‘wine cathedral’ on the lower level: a greek ampitheatre-style cross structure of atmospheric wine cellars and pillars all facing a central shaft of sun light that illuminates the stone compass ‘rosa de los vientos’ (rose of the winds’). The idea of the bodega is that it is a place to honour the jesuits who lived in Argentina in the 16th century and were some of the first to cultivate vines before being expelled by the King.
The other idea of the bodega is, of course, to make good wine. As you move into the tasting rooms – long, gently lit and silent chambers with ceremonial thick marbel tables - you feel as though you could be walking in to take communion. The wine, fortunately, is nothing like customarily sweet communion wine. With nine established variatals under their belt, you can more or less pick what you want at Salentein but the best ones to go for are: the well accomplished Pinot Noirs (the top line Primus is beautifully ripe with cherries), their herby and sprightly Sauvignon Blancs and the smooth and oaky Numina blend (Malbec and Merlot).
And now onto the rest... The most natural pairing with wine is clearly food. The Salentein Killka restaurant offers well-matched ‘a la carte’ Argentine cuisine while the pousada restaurant offers some slightly more fusion-style Argentine dishes as well as a Sunday ‘fire show’ with an all-out asado. Killka creates some rustic yet sumptuous dishes such as Malbec-soaked, roasted kid goat, and the Dulce de Leche Volcano is just as dangerously good as it sounds.
The restaurant is one wing of the visitor’s centre, Killka, which is an unusual Bormida & Yanzon-designed glass and concrete structure of cubes which opens up into an interesting interplay of light, space and sky on the inside. The restaurant has floor to ceiling windows overlooking the sculpture garden and mountains. Opposite the restaurant is the art gallery which houses one of Mendoza’s most impressive displays of art. The international collection represents the marraige of Dutch and Argentine – boasting a good selection of Dutch paintings and an adventurous and varied collection of modern Argentine art and sculpture. Well worth a visit.
Killka lies equidistant inbetween the winery and chapel. The chapel is a simple adobe (mud brick) construction that was requested by the owner in order to thank the Deity for nature’s abundance. Although originally hoped to be multi-faith, the chapel eventually became Catholic with weekly services. However, unlike many Catholic churches, this chapel remains a very humble place. Constructed with natural materials and fitted with wooden pews, it fits in well with the barren Uco Valley setting. Outside the chapel are two metal sculptures of two bible scenes. Fittingly they depict The Last Supper and Jesus’ miracle of turning water into wine. Salentein is a wholly unforgetable experience.
To visit Salentein contact info "at" bodegasalentein.com or visit www.bodegasalentein.com
Amanda Barnes is a freelance writer currently living in Mendoza.
For more information, visit www.amandabarnes.co.uk or click here to see her profile.
The Mendoza Sun
