I’d come across a couple of blogs online that mentioned being able to take a public bus from Mendoza to Maipu, rent a bike and spend a day cycling round the wineries in the region – so decided to give that a go.

I managed to locate the correct bus stop and told the driver I wanted to go to Maipu – he asked which part and, having no real idea, I just responded “centro”, figuring the bike hire shops must be in the centre. But I was tracking our journey on Google maps and we were still a couple of kilometres away from the centre when I spotted Maipu Bikes, so pressed the button to get out at the next stop and walked back to the shop.

I walked in, said I’d like to hire a bike and was immediately invited to sit down while a young man produced a map and proceeded to explain to me – in English thankfully – the very simple route to the various wineries, and the costs of the different tasting options at each. The shop shuts at 6pm, so bikes have to be back by then, but I was encouraged to arrive back by 5pm to enjoy happy hour with wine and empanadas!

I was handed a bike, which looked okay, picked a helmet, tried to cycle off – only to find the chain wasn’t actually attached! I handed the bike back, expecting the young man to simply put the chain back on, but instead he just pulled out a different bike and told me to try that. This one was operational so I cycled away, though soon noticed just how sluggish and heavy it was. The gears wouldn’t shift at all, and I’ve never come across a bike that has so little momentum; thankfully the roads are all flat around Maipu because even cycling on the flat was a real effort. The 4 kilometres along the main road, to the turnoff to the first winery, felt interminable.

The road to the winery is lovely – bordered by trees and irrigation channels (common throughout Mendoza), with a cycle path to the left.

It’s not far at all from this point to the first winery, Tempus Alba, where one can do a free self-guided tour and then there is the option to do a tasting of 3 wines in the restaurant upstairs – but I didn’t fancy this so instead took a seat in the garden and had an early lunch (it was 12pm at this stage) of empanadas and a glass of Malbec.

On to the next winery where I chose not to stop for a tasting, heading on to number 3, Vino el Cerno, instead. Here I did choose to do a tasting, and the waitress rushed off to set up a table and chair for me, overlooking the vineyards.

There is a strong emphasis on red wine at all the wineries in Mendoza – you may get a white or a rose to start but Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and various other red varietals and blends will make up the bulk of any wine tasting. So it proved here – I was given a Malbec rose to start (which was slightly sweet, and delicious) followed by a young Malbec (okay but nothing special) and then a reserve Malbec (very pleasant indeed).

I then got back on the bike and headed back to the main road, heading towards the fourth stop (La Melesca) which the guy at the bike shop had explained offers an olive oil tasting (with wine accompaniment) rather than the traditional wine tasting. I wasn’t that bothered about doing an olive oil tasting but when I arrived at the restaurant, it just looked so appealing – and I was a bit hungry at this point – that I went in and asked for a table, figuring even if I didn’t do the olive oil tasting, I could order something to eat.

I was seated at a lovely table on the patio next to the garden, and when the waitress asked if I’d like to try the olive oil tasting I said yes. She brought me a delicious glass of Malbec – the best I’d had so far – and then brought over a dish with 6 mini bread rolls and some tapas, and poured some extra virgin olive oil onto a plate, indicating that I should try the oil with the bread. I tried it – it was delicious- and she then poured some balsamic onto the plate and indicated I should try this. Once again, delicious. I was then invited to mix the two and pass judgement on which was better – the oil alone or the mixture. I said I preferred the mixture, she seemed happy with that pronouncement, and then left me with both bottles to finish the rest of the bread and the tapas at my leisure.

There was a fair-skinned couple sat at a table nearby in the garden, and I’d been wondering if they were English-speaking, when she came over to say hello. She had heard me speaking English to the waiter who had come over to check how I was doing – it turned out she was Scottish, and her partner American, and they were also on bikes, but they had cycled all the way from Mendoza! It’s not actually very far – only about 10 kilometres – but there is no way I could have cycled to and from Mendoza on the dreadful bike I was riding! Their bikes did look a bit better than mine, though. She told me they had been stopped by the police on their way to Maipu and warned that the area they were cycling through was not safe and they were at risk of being robbed – the police apparently insisted on escorting them, blue lights flashing. to a safer road! She told the story with great amusement and relish at having such an adventure in her 60s!

I was tempted to have a second glass of wine but knew I needed to pace myself so reluctantly settled the bill and got back on the bike, heading off in search of the remaining wineries. I had planned to do one final tasting at the last winery, Domiciana, but when I arrived I was turned away as I hadn’t made a reservation! Probably a good thing, really – I was starting to feel extremely thirsty and more than a little sunburned by this stage, so cycled back to a restaurant that I’d spotted on the main road, where I slowly worked my way through a large jug of lemonade with ginger and mint – very refreshing. Then, as it was 5pm by this stage, rode the short distance back to Maipu Bikes to return the bike and drink yet another glass of Malbec. Though the empanadas, sadly, never materialised.

I got chatting to a Canadian lady, Rohanna, who agreed with me that the bikes were dreadful – I suppose the owners of the store don’t have any real motivation to provide decent bikes as, if they were to do so, there would be more chance of people deciding to venture further afield, as well as potentially more chance of the bikes being stolen. I had asked when I first took out the bike, if I needed a lock to keep it secure at the wineries – and had been assured that theft from the wineries was never an issue. I now understand why – apart from the clear branding on the bike being a deterrent to theft, who would want to steal such a sluggish beast?

Overall a very enjoyable day though – and this time, despite aching legs from the cycling, I didn’t feel quite so finished off as I had done the previous day. Rohanna had booked a taxi back to Mendoza and offered me a lift which I happily accepted, offering to split the cost with her – and was delighted to find we were back in Mendoza within less than 15 minutes (the bus journey had gone via various suburbs and taken 45 minutes!) The taxi fare was really cheap, too – had I known just how little a taxi costs I wouldn’t have bothered with the bus in the first place.

I still opted for a light meal in the evening though – and with no further wine as I needed to be up early in the morning for my flight to Salta. After various to-ing and fro-ing I seem to have secured a reservation for a hire car in Salta, which I’ll pick up from the town centre the day after I arrive. Fingers crossed!