Argentina’s Vendimia Festival

If you’re yearning for a weeklong wine harvest festival, pack your bags for Mendoza, Argentina. Here, in the foothills of the Andes, the first week of March is the annual Vendimia Festival, which lures wine lovers from around the world.

Held since 1936, the festival celebrates winemaking in the heart of Argentina’s wine country. The star of the show is Malbec, the premier wine from Argentina, however there are plenty of varieties—from Torrontés to Syrah to Tempranillo. Don’t worry, there will be time to taste them all and find a favorite.

The festival kicks off at the end of February with a sunset blessing of the grapes and vineyards by the Archbishop of Mendoza (Feb. 27, 2011). The week progresses with a variety of parades. The Via Blanca de las Reinas (March 4, 2011) is a procession of flowery carnival floats that features 17 regional harvest festival queens—the luckiest of which will be crowned Vendimia Queen at the end of the festival. The next morning brings a parade of gauchos in traditional dress showing off their horsemanship.

It’s a mix of provincial traditions and over-the-top extravaganza culminating in a huge theatrical event complete with folk music, dancing, fireworks and the crowning of the Vendimia Queen (March 5, 2011). Don’t forget the wine, though. That’s the reason for the celebration, and you should spend some time devoted to tasting the best of the region.

Posted by | Comments (1)  | February 10, 2011
Category: Food and Drink, Languages and Culture, South America


One Response to “Argentina’s Vendimia Festival”

  1. Sarah S Says:

    hi, I’m new on here and looking forward to being a part of the conversation