Picnic amid the vines of Argentina

Transport yourself to the award-winning visitor centre amidst the vines at Familia Zuccardi’s winery, 40km east of Mendoza city in Argentina, in the foothills of the Andes. Right now it’s summer – so collect a picnic hamper and drift off to the sunny gardens.

In the shade of the poplars and olive trees, enjoy a picnic of local delicacies, bread home-baked in the clay ovens, cheeses, home-made varietal olive oils, sandwiches filled with salad and meats, then tarts and seasonal fruits – and of course Zuccardi wines, both still and sparkling…

Picnic hampers are this year’s new alternative to the Zuccardis’ gourmet restaurant. They may be ordered any day of the week. A four-person hamper costs $210 (around £33), a two-person hamper $160 (£25).

Familia Zuccardi’s Visitor Centre was recently declared best ‘Innovative Wine Tourism Experience’ in the international 2008 Best of Wine Tourism awards. Half an hour’s drive out of Mendoza City, in the heart of the Maipú vineyards, the centre opened in 2004 and already attracts around 45,000 visitors each year. Visitors can tour the vineyard and winery, taste the wines and/or a range of single varietal olive oils made by young Miguel Zuccardi. There’s an art gallery, and evenings of readings by poets and authors, as well as cookery demonstrations by some of Argentina’s top chefs.

Friskier visitors can opt (Wednesday mornings only) for the Vineyard Bicycle Tour along the vineyard trails, enjoying incredible views over the vineyards and mountains, observing farm and vineyard activities at close quarters, and learning about the different varieties of vine. There are various pit stops for wine tastings beneath the lush green vine arches, finishing up with cheeses and cold meats. Wednesdays from 10am to 12.30, $145 per person (£23).

From February 15th to April 15th, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, you can book for a full-day ‘Join in the harvest’ programme (‘Vení a cosechar’). Tourists are transported from their hotels to the Familia Zuccardi’s farm in Santa Rosa, 80km east of the city of Mendoza, where breakfast awaits. They are then are tooled up for a stint picking grapes, under expert supervision.

After a spell in the vineyard, they are driven to Maipú – 40 km from both Santa Rosa and the city of Mendoza – to visit the winery and see how the grapes they picked are turned into wine. The day finishes with a late regional lunch in the Visitor Centre restaurant, opposite the winery in the midst of the vines. The day costs $220 (£35) per person, including transport to and from hotels.

For more information, visit Familiazuccardi.com.