MICHELIN RECOMMENDS: QUIMERA BISTRO, MENDOZA

 


Located 28 kilometres from Mendoza City, in Mendoza province's Luján de Cuyo region of sunkissed, high-altitude vineyards, Bodega Achával Ferrer is a sanctuary for the oenophile elite and home to the Michelin Guide-recommended Quimera Bistro. This winery doesn’t just produce wine, it curates an experience so exclusive, it feels like stepping into a vinous fairy tale. Since its founding in 1998 by Santiago Achaval and a cadre of visionary winemakers, Achaval Ferrer quickly ascended to cult status amongst oenophiles and vinophiles alike, with their less is more philosophy. Here, the wines are aged patiently, blended instinctively and result in varietals that not only perform, but converse with the palate. 


At Bodega Achával Ferrer, luxury is defined not by extravagance, but by essence, taking the road less traveled that champions minimal intervention, low yields, and the expressive power of ungrafted, centenarian vines. With a reputation firmly built on integrity and innovation, the winery focuses on producing wines that translate terroir into taste, and emotion into experience inspired by their vineyards in Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, including legendary plots like Finca Altamira and Finca Mirador. Every bottle produced is a reflection of place: high-altitude breezes, gravel soils, glacial meltwater, and blazing sun. But beyond the technical, there is something deeply human to acknowledge, a reverence for the vines that lead to harvests determined by taste, not by schedules. 


Quimera Bistró, a restaurant unlike any other in Mendoza, features in part a glassed-floor dining room that sits directly above the wooden barrels used for ageing wine located below on the ground floor. The culinary team, according to Michelin, don't merely serve food and wine; ‘they guard a legacy’, which unfolds in a rustic-cum-contemporary space that immerses visitors in a visual and sensory theatre. Bathed in natural light and curated with intention, raw wood along with Argentine textiles combine to express a minimalism softened by warmth. It’s the kind of dining room that encourages long lunches and lingering conversations with a wine-paired menu that reveals a symphony of flavours designed to satisfy. 


It is this gastronomic experience that has rightfully placed Bodega Achaval Ferrer amongst Argentina’s most sought-after viticultural estates. Each dish is poetry: an artful composition of textures and memories that tell a story with every plate paying tribute to the land as well as those who tend it. It’s not just food that is being served, but rather a continuation of the wine’s narrative, where every detail whispers exclusivity, especially for those seeking authenticity.


Bodega Achával Ferrer’s portfolio wines embody the winery’s philosophy of providing vintages that are elegant with wild ambition, where every glass is like a symphony. Crafted from centenarian vines, some planted as far back as 1921, these wines represent the very best among Argentina’s world -renowned wine offerings. As guardian of the terroir, their collection represents the winemaking heritage and tradition of the province, highlighting the richness and diversity of each area, through the creation of a fascinating array of styles that reflect its four main vineyards: the opulence of Finca Mirador, the tension of Finca Nazarenas, the elegance of Finca Bella Vista and the minerality of Finca Altamira.


Anetza Concierge takes Thursday Food on a journey through the vines, as it explores four of this wineries best wines for summer enjoyment:


Quimerino Blanco is made up of 90 percent Sauvignon Blanc and 10 percent Roussanne Marsanne from vineyards in Los Chacayes, Uco Valley, Mendoza. This white blend offers a vibrant and aromatic expression on the nose that features citrus and tropical fruit. This is complemented by a rounder, fuller palate thanks to the Marsanne and Roussanne, resulting in a wine known for its lively acidity, crispness, and elegant, gastronomic style. 


Quimera Blanco, another white blend, is characterized by its elegant and fresh profile, crafted from a combination of 63 percent Chardonnay, 10 percent Viognier, 23 percent Semillón and 4 percent Sauvignon Blanc grapes. The Chardonnay contributes complexity and elegance, the Viognier adds a velvety texture and tannins, while the Semillón provides freshness and intensity. It exhibits aromatic intensity, with notes of apple, honey, peach, and herbs on the nose. In the mouth, it has a balanced palate, featuring a creamy texture, vibrant acidity, and a long, fruity finish. 


Singular Chardonnay is a 100 percent varietal that is made using grapes in equal parts harvested from two locations: San José and Gualtallary in the  Tupungato region of Valle de Uco. The wine has rich aromatics offering powerful fruit expressions with notes of white flowers and fruit, balanced by a lingering fruity finish. This oak-aged Chardonnay expresses a textural palate with good oak integration, richness, and a fresh, delicious aftertaste. 


Singular Pinot Noir, made from vineyards located in Los Chacayes, Tupungato, is made using 100 percent Pinot Noir grapes and features aromatic notes of decayed roses, savory berries, dried red cherries, licorice, and cloves. It also exhibits grapefruit and fresh herbs, in addition to being  tense, textured, and firm on the palate. This Pinot Noir is produced in extremely rare batches in numbered bottles, making it a most unique varietal expression.  


To dine at Quimera, or to walk through Bodega Achával Ferrer’s storied vineyards, or to swirl its wines in your glass is to enjoy an experience where craftsmanship is sacred and where excellence is pursued in every bottle and in every bite. Bodega Achával Ferrer is a journey for the wine wanderer who craves not only to taste, but to feel and be reminded that the best things in life are not things, but sensations that come from savouring that which is truly extraordinary. Salud!





CREDITS:

PUBLISHED IN THE DAILY OBSERVER - THURSDAY JULY 17, 2025
ANDRE' WAYNE REID, A JAMAICAN IN ARGENTINA
NOVIA McDONALD-WHYTE, SENIOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR, LIFESTYLE & SOCIAL CONTENT
RORIE ATKINSON, ART DIRECTOR


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