♪ ♪ (Rudy Maxa) I'm following the path of turbulent mountain water as it descends from formidable peaks to bring life to one of the world's fastest-growing wine regions-- Mendoza, Argentina.

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♪ ♪ [piano & violins play a tango] ♪ ♪ (Rudy) Under a blazing sun and azure skies, the Rio Mendoza delivers glacial runoff to more than 1200 wineries in Mendoza Province.

Grape vines are everywhere in this arid, irrigated land.

Even the airport grounds have rows of vines laden with ripe, luscious grapes.

Looming high above the valley are the rugged Andes and the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere.

Wine tasting, hiking, river rafting, and long, sweet siestas make up the heady bouquet of a trip to Mendoza.

One of 23 Argentine provinces, the Mendoza region is located in the north central area of the country and shares its western border with Chile.

The beauty of this rugged land is both natural and planned.

The region is ringed by peaks and irritated heavily.

Anchoring the province is the modern, mellow city of Mendoza.

It's a combination of hot days, cool nights, and great terroir, thanks to the glacier that carved out Mendoza's valley, that makes this wine so special.

Add to that, superb quality and low production costs, and you have wines that have other winemakers around the world running scared.

Likened to California's Napa Valley 30 years ago, Mendoza Province has seen unprecedented growth in wine production.

Mendoza has long been a vintner's paradise, but it's the emergence of the Malbec grape in recent years that's behind this burgeoning industry.

A visit to The Vines of Mendoza is a great way to learn about the wines of the region.

This tasting room can suggest the best bodega, or winery, for a meal, a sunset, a barrel tasting, or even stargazing... with wine, of course.

We have different kind of aromas in a wine.

We have primary aromas.

We have secondary aromas and tertiary aromas.

The idea is to try to identify them in the different steps when you are tasting a wine.

(Rudy) So far we have raisins, grapes, ginger, and honey, (woman) This is a perfect way of training your sense of smell.

The first wine is really the white emblematic wine from Argentina.

It's Torrontés.

Torrontés Riojana is the variety.

This is a wine that comes from Salta, from the north of our country, and it's the place where Torrontés are really very well-known.

First, in the nose, you're going to see that it's really, really expressive, just really aromatic.

Mmm, very citrusy.

Ooh.

(woman) Yup, it's very citrusy.

(Rudy) The Vines of Mendoza can educate visitors about the local wine and provide assistance with your wine tour itinerary.

Guided tours and bicycle tours are options, but for less than the price of a bottle of decent wine, I've hired a car and driver for the day to begin my exploration of the Rota de los Vinhos.

Mendoza wineries don't keep regular hours and typically require reservations.

70% of Argentina's wines come from Mendoza Province, and until the 1990s, most of that wine was consumed within its borders.

Recognizing a diamond in the rough, savvy entrepreneurs, both local and international, made the best of the country's 2001 financial crisis, purchasing land and planting thousands of acres of vines.

Since then, Argentine wine exports have continued to soar.

Lovingly designed to blend with their surroundings, each bodega offers its unique architecture and signature wines.

The vintners of Argentina are as complex, robust, and colorful as their fine wines.

One of my favorite aspects of a wine tour in Mendoza is that even when the wineries are alive with activity, vintners still take time to chat about their operations.

And what is the history of winemaking in Argentina?

Has this been here for generations?

Many people don't know that Argentina has more than 500 years of winemaking experience and culture here.

The Catena families are a very prominent family here in Argentina.

It's a family that has more than 100 years of winemaking tradition, and it was really only about 15 years ago, when a gentleman named Nicolas Catena, who was widely recognized as a pioneer here in Argentina for helping to change the way Argentine wine was made, began to produce a different style of vineyard, to manage a different style of vineyard, based on the idea of producing higher quality.

So, did Argentina have to reinvent from A to Z how they made wine?

He had to change the way things were done here.

Nicolas took his inspiration from California.

Impressed by their quality, he came back inspired to make a different style, a different quality level of Argentine wine.

What makes this valley so good for growing grapes, Jeff?

Well, this valley was a glacial valley.

So in ancient times, this whole area was covered by glaciers, and as they receded, they stripped the soil of all of its organic materials, so we have very poor soils here.

(Rudy) Why is poor soil good for growing good grapes?

Well, when the vine struggles, it concentrates more flavors and more aromas in the fruit, and so poor soils are great for viticulture, and the poor soils we have here in Mendoza make for outstanding fruit and high-quality grapes.

Where are we going now?

I'd like to show you a very special cellar of ours.

This cellar is where our top icon wine, Nicolas Catena Zapata, spends its bottle aging time.

This wine will spend 2 years resting in the bottles.

(Rudy) What is the wine doing when it's resting?

Well, when it's resting, the wine needs time for all of the different flavors from the oak aging and from the fruit and from the fermentation process to come together, to harmonize, and so this process of bottle aging is that harmonization process.

If I drank this wine right out of the oak barrel, it might be a little too okay, okay and woody?

Exactly.

But you leave it here for a couple of years in this very cool room, it's ready for the world.

(Jeff) That's right.

(Rudy) It's a lovely story.

(Jeff) Thank you.

(Rudy) Originating in France, the Malbec grape is now the signature grape of Mendoza Province and contributes significantly to making Argentina the 4th largest wine producer in the world.

In France, Malbec was used primarily as a color enhancer, as it has an intensely purple hue.

Today, Malbecs are described as complex, exotic, fruity, and affordable.

In fact, some of these wines are rated as highly as a bottle of fine Bordeaux-- at a fraction of the price.

[acoustic guitar plays flamenco music] The full-bodied flavor of an Argentine wine is the perfect complement to a tasty Argentine asado, a mix of grilled meats.

Cattle were introduced to Argentina in the 1500s and roamed freely on the Pampas where they thrived.

The plentiful cattle spawned a tough breed of nomadic, Latin cowboy known as the gaucho.

Expert horsemen admired for their roundup skills, the gauchos military valor in times of war further cemented their place as Argentine icons.

These gauchos don't mess around.

They generally allot about one pound of meat per person.

Sausage appetizers are passed before the main course, while the steak sizzles on the grill.

If vegetables are offered, it's usually in the form of a salad, which is simply a palate cleanser before your next carnivorous undertaking.

Gracias.

The early gauchos led simple, unencumbered lives spent almost entirely atop their horses.

Their lasso was a boleadoras with 2 or 3 balls at the end of a cord.

It was thrown at the feet of a wandering cow.

Around their waist, the gauchos wore a firm leather belt where they kept their trusty blade tucked away.

As befitting an icon, even the gaucho's tools of the trade had flair.

[speaking Spanish] I like this poncho.

I like this design.

Oh, this is nice.

It'll go with my brown hat.

Exactly.

Okay.

Oh, this is nice.

I think it's me!

Oh boy, they're gonna love this back home in Minnesota!

This is really gonna be stylish!

So this is obligatory.

Muito obrigado.

Muito obrigado.

Okay, we'll take it.

We'll take the hat, take the pants, take the poncho.

Good.

Gracias.

♪ ♪ These princes of a pampas may have traveled light, but they had panache.

Their colorful style, rogue ways, and legendary feats still stir the imagination.

Okay, let's go.

C'mon.

C'mon.

I may not stop till I get to the Andes!

How do you stop the horse again?

I forgot.

[laughs] ♪ ♪ While Mendoza Province is home to more than a million people, the city of Mendoza has the easy feel of a small town.

But don't let the casual vibe fool you.

Argentines are a fiercely passionate people, and their European ancestry is palpable in everything from their architecture to their music.

One of the most popular bands from Mendoza is Parió La Choca, a talented group of musicians who play a blend of rhythms known as reggae tone, a fusion of Latin hip-hop and Jamaican dancehall that emerged in the 1990s.

♪ ♪ [singing in Spanish] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The people of Mendoza are independent and self-sufficient.

With perseverance and hardscrabble ways, their ancestors tamed raging rivers and created an oasis in this arid land.

The complicated irrigation channels date back to the Incas and were further refined by the Huarpe Indians.

They laid the foundation for tree-lined avenues and luscious plazas where the friendly folk of Mendoza town come to picnic, play, and relax.

At Mendoza's Plazas España, murals depict the city's history in colorful detail.

The Huarpe Indian's tranquil and sedentary nature made them an easy target for the Spaniards who conquered this region in 1561.

Named after a Chilean governor, Mendoza served primarily as an outpost for westbound travelers seeking respite and supplies.

Leveled by an earthquake in 1861, Mendoza lost 1/3 of its population.

Undaunted, the citizens rebuilt the city with an eye to the future.

With the arrival of the railroad and an influx of European immigrants, Mendoza began to prosper as a key agricultural center.

The local Museum of Modern Art promotes accomplished artists and emerging ones as well.

Exhibits change monthly, and yet there are enough local artists to ensure that there's always something new to see or someone new to discover.

Touted by locals as the most civilized province in Argentina, Mendoza today is a modern city whose residents appreciate fine art and great food.

From street vendors to world-class restaurants, an abundance of fresh produce means meals throughout Mendoza are consistently delicious and affordable.

♪ ♪ Yerba maté is a small tree in the holly family and from its leaves comes the national drink of Argentina.

The tea has a distinctive bittersweet flavor and is believed to yield many health benefits.

(woman) The herb is called yerba maté.

Do you put hot water in it?

Yes.

(man) If you are very traditionalist, you just do yerba, but with sugar, it's easier to drink.

(woman) It's really good, and it's like a social thing, and we do it when we gather with people.

(man) Yes, it's not just about drinking something.

That's why you share the maté.

I give it back to you?

Back to me.

I'm like the server.

It's a circle.

To the right, um-hum.

♪ ♪ (Rudy) Yerba maté traditions originated in the remote villages of the Guarani Indians, who shared hand carved gourds and hollow sticks.

Today's modern maté can be handsomely bound in leather, or even silver plated and personalized with a matching bombilla.

A very fancy straw.

They say once you've shared maté with someone, you've made new friends.

Your turn, Ed.

(Ed) Thank you.

Leather goods in Mendoza are high quality and inexpensive.

Shoppers from Santiago, Chile, on the other side of the Andes, descend here to shop, taking advantage of the discounted Argentine peso.

♪ ♪ The Chilean border is a day trip, west of Mendoza over the Uspallata Pass, and the drive to the top of the world is something to behold.

The landscape undergoes dramatic change quickly in this semidesert climate.

Winding my way along the Mendoza River, I'm soon climbing the barren foothills of the Andes Mountains.

At 4400 miles long, the Andes is the longest mountain range in the world.

Part of the expansive Pan American Highway, the Uspallata Pass is about 12,500 feet above sea level.

Towering majestically some 23,000 feet, Aconcagua has 3 routes to the summit-- expert, intermediate, and one for the moderately insane.

A Swiss climber is credited with the first ascent in 1897, but Incan relics found on the peak indicate earlier explorers.

A nearby cemetery is a somber reminder of the lives lost each year to the mountain known as "the sentinel of stone".

Annually about 3000 people of all nationalities attempt to climb Aconcagua, and while about 30% actually summit, several die trying.

[loud ruusssh!

of the water] Adventures aren't limited to just the higher altitudes.

(man) Whoo-hoo!

(man) Travel the river!

(all) Whooo!

The glacial runoff from the Andes that nourishes those grapevines down in the valley also provide some watery thrills up here at about 4500 feet.

So you guys ready to go?

(Rudy) Yes sir.

You better be!

♪ ♪ (man) Are you guys ready for more?

(all) Yeah!

♪ ♪ (Rudy) I noticed coming down the river that in the turbulent water, it's brown.

I presume runoff from the Andes.

Suddenly we get here and it's like the Mediterranean out here.

The sediment's snowmelt, once it hits the lake starts to decant.

So you can see the chocolate river eventually decants and you get this beautiful glacial blue water.

(Rudy) What do you do in Mendoza if you're not drinking wine?

(Carolyn) There's a lot of recreation like canopy, horseback riding... (Rudy) What's canopy?

(Carolyn) Zip line, and it's where you actually slide down cables while being attached by a harness, and you enjoy the landscape from an aerial view.

Kind of like flying.

(Rudy) Yeah, right.

(Carolyn) That's the adrenaline run.

(Rudy) Ah, what else?

(Carolyn) We have mountain biking, and there's hiking.

If you like, you can even rappel down a waterfall.

(Rudy) Can visitors come and ride horses?

(Carolyn) They're tame, they're well-trained, and yeah, we love horses.

(Rudy) Adventure by day, gourmet by night, this is the good life in Mendoza.

Not entirely by accident, my trip coincides with the 2nd annual Masters of Food and Wine event hosted by the historical, luxurious Park Hyatt Hotel.

For 4 days, attendees are whisked from lavish dinners to wine tastings and tours of wineries.

Mendoza's talented sommelier play matchmaker with distinguished chefs from all over the world pairing gourmet dishes with the exact wine to gratify even the most distinguished epicure.

What affect is Argentinean wine having on the wine market worldwide and on restaurants?

Well, judging by the wines I've tasted thus far, and quite a number, it's a tremendous influence now 'cause these wines are very well crafted.

They're different-- the Malbec for the red; the Torrontés for the white, and I think this is going to be the next horizon.

The price points are incredibly friendly, especially for us.

Incredibly friendly, and I gotta tell you.

When you drink these wines, I mean, they're world-class.

They are delicious.

(Rudy) After a long day of hiking, river-rafting, and wine-tasting, I abandoned myself to the comforts of the Park Hyatt.

At this 5-star hotel, the staff caters to your every need from reservations at wineries to recommendations for fine dining.

The hotel is conveniently located on the Plaza de la Independencia.

From small family-run bodegas to large corporate producers with state-of-the-art equipment, the Mendoza region has it all.

The next day, I'm back on the wine route in search of a family boutique winery.

My first stop, Bodega Familia Zuccardi, where I'm delighted to meet visionary Don Alberto Zuccardi and his personable grandson Sebastian.

How did the Familia Zuccardi family begin, or how did the vineyard begin?

Okay, my grandfather Alberto, he started the vineyard here.

Alberto began the vineyard?

Yes, here in '63.

The Mendoza is a desert, is a high-altitude desert.

He developed in '63, an irrigation system, and he bought this piece of land only to show how his system worked.

After that, he loved wine, and he started with the winery.

(Rudy) Now, what makes Mendoza a great place to produce grapes?

(Sebastian) That's all in altitude, and we have very big difference between the temperature during the day and the night.

That's good.

This is very interesting for the grape.

And the other thing, it's very dry, and we manage the vines with the irrigation.

So, if we want to control the vigor, we use the water.

It's the key of the life in Mendoza.

Are you tired of wine?

[Sebastian interprets] No.

[speaks Spanish] (Sebastian) The wine has personality, and the same vineyards in another place, they don't produce the same wine.

Yes.

It's a connection.

It's a symbiosis.

(Rudy) So he's not tired of wine.

(Sebastian) No.

No, he's not tired.

Really not tired.

(Rudy) My next stop, the 18-acre boutique winery called Achaval Ferrer located 15 miles outside of Mendoza town at an elevation of 3100 feet.

Santiago Achaval is a self-taught winemaker who set up shop in 1999.

Remarkably, less than 10 years later, he's won awards for producing 3 of the top 10 wines in the world.

You're doing something different with Malbec.

I wouldn't say different, but we are trying to get all interpretations of Malbec.

For example, Malbec is a fruit for densely packed, varietally typical wine.

Another of our wines is-- Malbec is a driver of complexity in a blend, so it's a very balanced, very complex blend with a core of Malbec that makes it uniquely Argentinean.

Good year.

And the 3rd take, or interpretation of Malbec, is Malbec as a translator of the land.

Very special places in Mendoza that have character.

Not every vineyard has it, but these places we found have personality.

And if you take the yields low and really allow these old vines to speak through their roots, you get the personality of the vine.

So all the grape juice in that bottle comes from one vineyard?

One vineyard only.

One vineyard only that's-- then we are able to compare it to other vineyards and see how Malbec expresses itself differently in different places in Mendoza.

♪ ♪ Serious mountaineers come here for the Andes.

Serious foodies come here for Francis Mallmann's Restaurante 1884.

Once a bodega, this internationally acclaimed restaurant is the masterpiece of culinary genius Francis Mallmann.

I really don't believe much in harmony when you eat.

I like the clash in your mouth.

Harmony's a bit boring, so I like to have something wet and something crunchy, and I like the 2 great tastes fighting in the mouth, I love that!

(Rudy) The restaurant offers a new menu every week and only fresh ingredients are used in a creative fusion of Patagonian and French cuisines.

The food, the setting, and the service is, in a word, "exquisite."

In a country that's struggling to regain footing after years of political and financial hardship, Mendoza is thriving.

Signs of growth abound and there's a contagious energy that bears the unmistakable scent of success.

Mendoza is as varied and beautiful as its rock star wines.

Where else in the world can you taste brilliant sunshine, glaciated peaks, and the entrepreneurial spirit of the people in one sip?

Reporting from Mendoza, Argentina, I'm Rudy Maxa.

Salud!

(woman) For information on the places featured in "Rudy Maxa's World," along with other savvy traveling tips, visit... To order DVDs of "Rudy Maxa's World" or the CD of world music from the series, call or visit... ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Cc--Armour Captioning & Twin Cities Public Television ♪ ♪ "Rudy Maxa's World," proudly sponsored by The Leading Hotels of the World.

Quests for travel begin at LHW.com, where you'll discover a collection of nearly 450 unique hotels worldwide, Including the distinctive family of Taj hotels, resorts, and palaces.

Every quest has a beginning, online at LHW.com.

Additional funding for Rudy Maxa's World provided by Medjet.com, medical evacuation membership protection for travelers.

Take trips, not chances.

And by... Yokoso!

Or "Welcome to Japan."

And by Delta--serving hundreds of destinations worldwide.

Information to plan your next trip available at delta.com.

[orchestral fanfare]