Colome Winery & Estancia. A hidden gem in a hidden gem destination.

Text by CLARA BARCIELA, Across South America

During my trip to the Cafayate wine region in the Northern Argentinian province of Salta, I visited a variety of wine producers that provide exceptional wines. But the area has one lesser-known gem that offers superb high-altitude wines: Colomé Winery & Estancia, the oldest winery in Argentina and one of the highest vineyards in the world. 

Bodega Colomé was founded in 1831 and is Argentina’s oldest continually working winery. The historic vineyards were planted some 190 years ago and still produce delicious wines. Nicolás Severo de Isasmendi y Echalar, the last colonial governor in Salta, founded the winery in 1831. His daughter, Ascención, married to José Dávalos, imported Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon vines from France in 1854 and was a true pioneer and visionary who laid the very foundations of their wine enterprise. The Isasmendi-Dávalos families managed the winery until 2001 when Swiss businessmen Donald and Úrsula Hess acquired it. Today, the winery is run by Larissa and Christoph Ehrbar (Ursula Hess’s daughter and son-in-law), the second generation of the Swiss family who works to keep their legacy alive: creating extraordinary high-altitude wines through sustainable viticulture practices.


Estancia Colomé is located near Molinos in northwest Argentina. We took a 2-hour flight from Buenos Aires to Salta to get to Colomé. We then drove almost five hours to cover the 160 miles (260 kilometers) of gorgeous wilderness from Salta to Colomé, passing through Cachi and Molinos. The road from Salta is long but the breathtaking landscapes made the ride worthwhile. We passed through The Cardones National Park and saw thousands of cardon cactuses (cardones) growing upwards like outstretched arms.

You can visit Colome any time of the year but I would recommend avoiding the rain season which goes from December to March. During the rest of the year, the weather is warm and dry during the day and the temperature drops at night. I visited Colome during the Southern Hemisphere autumn and had beautiful weather — around 80 degrees F (27 degrees C) in “autumn” and enjoyed the stunning colors of the vineyards.

We arrived a bit late at the estancia, but our hosts were waiting for us. They welcomed us with a glass of wine and some empanadas “Salteñas” in the library before dinner. After a delightful meal paired with some delicious wines from the vineyard, we retired to our room and lit a fire, and occasionally stepped outside to enjoy the stargazing. It was just perfect!


The Estancia has only nine rooms. Our suite was decorated in elegant hacienda-style design and had a private terrace with spectacular views of the vineyards and the Calchaquíes Valleys. Our room had a half bathroom, and a main bath that was quite luxurious, with his and hers sinks and a bathtub.

The Estancia has a good gym, a nice library/reading room and a beautiful swimming pool overlooking the vineyards. The wifi is a challenge —so it is an ideal place to disconnect from the rest of the world as you only have wifi in the patio and no network service.


Our stay included the winery tour, a wine tasting and a visit to the museum. All activities are highly recommended! The estancia offers different hiking circuits with different difficulties. My husband and I love hiking, so we walked two of the trails. One with gorgeous views of the Calchaquíes Valleys and another one around the oldest vineyards in the winery. After a long morning hiking, we had our lunch at the Estancia restaurant – Provoleta or grilled provolone, cheese soufflé and Colomé Auténtico Malbec wine..after this trip one of my fav wines from Colome!

 

The entire menu at Estancia Colome is based around homegrown, seasonal products from their own organic garden and farm. Even the ice cream, the milk, and the cheese are all made from animals raised in the estancia. They call it a farm-to-table menu. It is a simple but delicious menu made with the local flavors of each season available in the area. Patricia Courtois, winner of the Grand Prix Baron B, is the chef who created a menu specifically for Colomé. Of course, the wine is pretty spectacular too. And all our meals were the perfect blend of wine to pair with our food. The Malbec is wonderful as well as their Torrontés. Try the Special white Misterioso, you will only find it in Colomé as they have a really short production of this wine.


Colomé was completely renovated and revitalized by Donald Hess, who bought the winery in 2021. Its vineyards, at 6,000 to 10,000 feet above sea level, include vines that are 160 years old. They are proud and also “blessed” to still have vines that grow on their original rootstock. Colomé focuses in Argentina’s two traditional varietals, Malbec and Torrontés, producing wines that have received international accolades. The age of the vines, the biodynamic practices and the altitude combine to create these amazing wines.

Lastly, and for me, the main course served in Colome, is the James Turrell Museum. It’s incredible how they have built something like this in this far-away place! Turrell’s works, which are all about light, are captivating – especially the sky space visit which takes place around sunset. A real must-do Zen experience. Read more and see images at bodegacolome.com

The Colomé winery & estancia is a must-visit if you are a wine lover seeking serenity in a stunning setting of extraordinary nature.