Day 22, Uco Valley, Easier as a Tourist

Wine making is pretty new to Uco Valley, with the first vineyard dating to the early 1990s. Now there are over 800! Water cascading from the Andes ensured ample supply, but 12 years of drought, higher temperatures, and all of the thirsty vineyard owners have made water a huge deal. And more vineyards being planted. Who knows? We drove all over the valley. Mark was really captivated about vineyards at such high altitudes. If the vines survive, they produce grapes of the most intense flavor, producing the best wine. 🍷 On another note, the economic woes we hear about were made real through a conversation I had today with our server (she has studied English since she was five and it was impeccable - not common). Majoring in graphic design, she will leave Argentina as soon as she graduates. Too few opportunities here, she tells me. Looking to Europe or the US (where her brother is doing medical training). Like so many Argentinians (and Brazilians) we have met, she has a ‘generational’ Italian passport which gives her greater options. When I asked what her parents think, she tells me they say, GO!!! Unfortunately for these countries, it’s often the most ambitious and educated who leave.Read more