Organic & Biodynamic Wine Adventure in Mendoza

Mendoza’s best wines start in the soil. This eight-hour tour takes you beyond standard cellar visits to Krontiras Winery, Riccitelli Wines, and Wine is Art! by Ernesto Catena, where organic farming, biodynamic methods, art, and careful winemaking shape the day. I like that you visit three distinct wineries rather than spending the whole day at one estate. I also like that lunch is part of the experience, not an afterthought.

The tour includes transportation from Mendoza, tastings, bottled water, lunch, and all listed fees for $258 per person. That is a serious price, though it can make sense if you want a full-day wine outing without arranging drivers, meals, and separate winery bookings yourself. One consideration is the pace: with three stops in eight hours, you will spend much of the day moving between vineyards and scheduled tastings.

Key points at a glance

• Three different wine philosophies: Visit Krontiras, Riccitelli Wines, and Wine is Art! by Ernesto Catena.
• Organic and biodynamic farming: Learn how soil care and low-impact methods influence the wines.
• A full gourmet lunch: The final stop includes food paired with wine, making the last visit the longest.
• A guide in your language: Tours are offered in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
• Rooftop scenery: Wine is Art! includes striking rooftop views alongside its artistic approach.
• Easy city pickup: Mendoza pickup and return are included, with WhatsApp used to coordinate the time.

Why this Mendoza wine day feels different

Mendoza is famous for wine, but not every winery visit looks at the same part of the process. Many tastings focus mainly on what is in your glass. This experience gives equal attention to the earth beneath the vines and to the choices made in the cellar.

At Krontiras, the emphasis is biodynamic farming. At Riccitelli Wines, the focus shifts toward organic soils and the careful work of winemaker Matías Riccitelli. At Wine is Art!, Ernesto Catena and Joanna Foster connect wine with nature, art, and the environment.

That variety matters. You are not simply tasting one producer’s style three times. You are seeing how different winemakers express their ideas through farming, production, design, and hospitality. If you enjoy asking why a wine tastes the way it does, this tour gives you plenty to think about.

The day also has a good rhythm on paper. Two winery visits last about 1.5 hours each, while the final vineyard stop lasts 2.5 hours and includes lunch. That gives the last stop room to feel like a proper meal and not a hurried sandwich between tastings.

First stop: Krontiras and the biodynamic vineyard

Krontiras Winery begins the day with a look at biodynamic viticulture. The visit includes a guided tour and wine tasting, lasting about 1.5 hours.

Biodynamic farming treats the vineyard as a connected living system. The useful point for you is not the label alone. The tour is meant to show how the winery works with its soil, vines, and surrounding environment to produce wine with a clear sense of place.

You can expect the conversation to center on the vineyard as much as the bottle. The supplied details describe Krontiras as an oasis for wine lovers, with wines intended to express the character of the local soil and growing conditions. That makes this a strong opening stop because it establishes the central idea of the day: wine begins long before fermentation.

The tasting should appeal to anyone who prefers a guided explanation rather than a quick pour at a crowded counter. You will have time to connect the winemaking methods with what you taste. The 1.5-hour schedule is long enough for substance, but short enough to keep the day moving.

The main limitation is that the experience does not specify which wines you will taste. Wine selections can vary, so you should treat the tasting as an introduction to Krontiras rather than a guaranteed list of particular bottles. If you are collecting exact vintages or searching for one specific label, confirm that before booking.

Second stop: Riccitelli Wines and careful organic farming

The second visit takes you to Riccitelli Wines, founded by winemaker Matías Riccitelli. This stop also lasts about 1.5 hours and includes a tour and tasting.

Here, the emphasis is on organic soils and close attention to the winemaking process. That gives the day a useful change of angle. Krontiras introduces biodynamic vineyard work, while Riccitelli brings the discussion toward organic farming and the detailed decisions that shape the finished wine.

I would pay close attention to the contrast between the two stops. You may hear familiar terms such as organic and sustainable, but the value comes from learning how each winery puts those ideas into practice. The experience is designed to show that responsible farming is not one single formula.

Riccitelli Wines is also connected to Matías Riccitelli, a recognized Argentine winemaker. His presence in the story of the winery gives this visit a clear human focus. Wine can seem abstract when you only read tasting notes. A named producer and a defined approach make it easier to understand the choices behind the bottle.

The tasting is described as featuring different and unusual wines, which should suit you if you want to move beyond the most familiar Mendoza styles. The available feedback also praised the chance to learn winemaking methods that were new to the people on the tour. That is a useful clue: this is not only a drinking stop. It is intended as a learning experience.

Again, exact wine labels are not provided. You should expect a selection chosen by the wineries rather than a fixed menu promised in advance.

Third stop: Wine is Art! by Ernesto Catena

The final stop is Wine is Art! by Ernesto Catena and Joanna Foster. This is the longest visit, at about 2.5 hours, and includes wine, lunch, and time at the vineyard.

The name gives you a good sense of the mood. This winery connects wine with nature, art, and environmental care, rather than treating the tasting room as a purely technical space. The experience is likely to feel more expressive and personal than a basic cellar tour.

Lunch is the practical highlight here. A full meal gives you time to sit down, slow the pace, and compare the wines with food. That matters after two winery visits. Without a substantial meal, a full day of tastings can become tiring. The supplied feedback specifically praised the lunch as exceeding expectations, so this is one of the strongest parts of the experience.

The rooftop views add another reason to look forward to the final stop. You are not only tasting wine indoors. You also have a scenic setting that gives the meal and closing tasting a sense of occasion. Exact views are not described, so I would not promise a particular mountain panorama, but the rooftop setting is clearly part of the appeal.

This final stop may be the best fit for you if you enjoy design, atmosphere, and storytelling as much as wine technique. It also provides a natural ending to the day: first the soil, then the winemaking process, then a broader expression of wine as art and culture.

What the organic and biodynamic focus means for you

Organic and biodynamic wine can sound like marketing language unless the tour explains how those methods affect the work in the vineyard. This experience gives you a chance to ask practical questions.

You can learn how organic soils support the vines, how biodynamic principles shape vineyard care, and why some producers choose methods that demand close attention to the environment. The benefit is not that one method automatically makes every wine better. Taste remains personal. The benefit is that you gain more context for judging what is in your glass.

The tour also presents Argentine viticulture as a field that continues to change. You will encounter established wine traditions alongside newer approaches to farming, production, and presentation. That combination should appeal to you if you already know classic Mendoza wines and want to see a more experimental side of the region.

Still, this is not a technical farming course. The advertised experience centers on guided visits, tastings, lunch, and conversation. If you want detailed agricultural data or a specialist seminar, you may find the tour more introductory than academic.

The food and wine pairing

Lunch is included, which helps justify the full-day format and the price. The meal is served at Wine is Art! and is paired with wine, giving you a chance to taste in a more relaxed setting.

I like this arrangement because food changes how wine feels. A tasting pour on its own can seem sharp, sweet, earthy, or heavy. With lunch, you get a better sense of how the wine works at the table, which is closer to how most people actually drink it.

The meal is described as gourmet, but no menu is provided. You should not book this expecting a particular dish or a guaranteed accommodation for a specific diet unless you confirm those details directly. The same applies to the exact wine pairings.

The final stop lasts 2.5 hours, so lunch should not feel like a rushed add-on. That extra time also lets you enjoy the setting, talk with the guide, and take in the rooftop views before returning to Mendoza.

Transportation, timing, and the $258 price

The tour lasts eight hours and includes pickup and return in Mendoza. You ride in an air-conditioned vehicle, with bottled water provided. A WhatsApp group is used to coordinate the pickup time, so keep an eye on your messages before the tour.

The starting time is not fixed in the supplied details. You need to check availability for the date you want. Since the day includes three stops and a return to the city, I would keep the rest of your schedule light.

At $258 per person, this is not a budget winery outing. The price is easier to defend if you value convenience and a structured day. You are paying for transportation, a live guide, three winery experiences, multiple tastings, lunch, water, and listed fees. You also avoid the trouble of arranging a driver between separate wineries.

The value is weaker if you only want one quick tasting or if you are comfortable organizing your own transport. It is also worth remembering that the price does not guarantee specific wine labels, vintages, or a particular lunch menu.

Small groups are advertised, with limited spots. No exact group size is given, so do not assume an especially tiny private tour. Still, a limited-capacity format should make it easier to ask questions than on a large coach outing.

Languages, accessibility, and booking flexibility

A live guide is available in English, Portuguese, and Spanish. That broad language choice is useful in Mendoza, where vineyard visits can involve technical terms that are easy to miss if you are not fully comfortable with the language.

The experience is wheelchair accessible. If you need specific details about vineyard surfaces, entrances, or restroom access, contact the provider before booking because those points are not described.

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The reserve-now-and-pay-later option also gives you some flexibility, since you can hold a place without paying at the time of booking. Those policies are useful if your Mendoza plans are still changing.

Who should book this experience

I would recommend this tour to you if you want a full-day Mendoza wine experience with a clear environmental focus. It suits people who enjoy learning how wine is made, not just sampling it.

It is also a good choice if you do not want to rent a car or arrange a private driver. The included pickup, air-conditioned vehicle, lunch, and return make the day simple to manage.

Food lovers should appreciate the final meal, while anyone interested in art and design will likely find Wine is Art! more engaging than a standard winery stop. The unusual wines and explanations of unfamiliar methods also make the tour a good fit for repeat visitors to Mendoza.

I would hesitate to recommend it if you want a very slow day at one estate, a private tasting, or a guaranteed list of famous labels. Three stops create variety, but they also mean a fairly full schedule.

Should you book the organic wine adventure?

Book it if you want to connect Mendoza wine with soil, sustainability, art, and food. The strongest reasons are the three contrasting wineries, the organic and biodynamic focus, the included gourmet lunch, and the rooftop setting at the final stop.

At $258, it is a premium day, but the package includes the main expenses you would otherwise need to arrange yourself. I would choose it for a first visit to Mendoza if you want structure and convenience, or for a return visit if you have already sampled the region’s more traditional wine tours.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin and end?

Pickup and return are provided in Mendoza.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts eight hours.

Which wineries are included?

The tour visits Krontiras Winery, Riccitelli Wines, and Wine is Art! by Ernesto Catena.

How long is the visit at Krontiras Winery?

The Krontiras visit lasts about 1.5 hours and includes a guided tour and wine tasting.

How long is the visit at Riccitelli Wines?

The Riccitelli Wines visit lasts about 1.5 hours and includes a guided tour and wine tasting.

What happens at Wine is Art! by Ernesto Catena?

The final visit takes about 2.5 hours and includes vineyard time, wine tasting, and lunch.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch is included and is served during the final winery visit.

Which languages are available?

The live guide is available in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Is transportation included?

Yes. Pickup, return transportation, an air-conditioned vehicle, and bottled water are included.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.