Cafayate

Cafayate is the centre of winemaking in the Calchaquí Valleys, a low-slung town of adobe and brick at around 1,700 metres where the sun is fierce, the air is dry and vineyards run right to the edge of the streets. Its signature is Torrontés, an aromatic white grape that finds its finest expression here, floral on the nose and dry on the palate, alongside deep, high-altitude Malbec and Cabernet. Many bodegas, from century-old family estates to modern boutique wineries, are within walking or cycling distance of the plaza, and tasting rooms are informal and inexpensive by international standards. The town itself is pleasantly slow: a shaded square, an ice cream shop famous for its wine-flavoured scoops, a wine museum, and craft stalls selling ponchos and ceramics from the surrounding valleys.

History

Before the Spanish arrived the Calchaquí Valleys were home to the Cafayates, a Diaguita-Calchaquí people who spoke Cacán and who, like other Diaguita groups, had recently come under Inca influence after a long resistance, and who later fiercely resisted the Spaniards; the name is thought to mean grave of sorrows in Cacán. Manuel Fernando de Aramburu founded the town in 1840 on the site of a mission, and in 1863 it became the capital of the new Cafayate Department (Wikipedia, Cafayate).

Highlights

• The bodegas - historic and boutique wineries within reach of the plaza on foot or bike.
• Torrontés tastings - the aromatic high-altitude white the valley is known for.
• The shaded plaza - the town's slow centre with craft stalls and cafes.
• The wine ice cream - the local Torrontés and Cabernet scoops beside the square.

When to go

April to November is dry and mild; February and March bring the grape harvest and its festivals, along with heat and afternoon storms. The town is at its busiest during Argentine holidays. Days are hot even in winter, nights cool sharply.

Things to know

Cafayate is small and low-key, and two days is enough; travellers expecting Mendoza's scale or polish will find it modest. Some bodegas require booking, and tasting rooms can close early or over the long lunch. Summer heat is severe, and the drive in is long.

Nearby

The Quebrada de las Conchas runs north toward Salta; Molinos and Cachi lie north up the valley.

Key facts