Very Visual Vendimia

The aesthetic changes you can see in Mendoza during the Vendimia are abundant and impossible to miss. Attention to detail is uncanny in the small and large changes made in order to make the city as festive as possible. What changes are there? Are they noticeable and worthwhile? We think so!

A friendly taxi driver formally clad for the Vendimia.

Imagine being a tourist in Mendoza during the Vendimia and getting into a random taxi off the street. Like any city in the world you never know what to expect when hailing a cab, but during the Vendimia you can expect atleast one constant; all of the taxi drivers will have a shirt and tie on. In 2009 the provincial government asked its public transport drivers to dress accordingly during the four days of Vendimia celebrations. In order to create an image of welcoming, safe, and high quality hospitality, the drivers agreed and continue to dress up every year.

Another noticeable change is the color of the water in all of the cities fountains. The municipality dyes the water a deep purple. Water in fact runs red like a robust malbec or cabernet franc. The site is seemingly unreal because you truly feel like you´re in the wine center of the world.

Buildings and shops decorate their window fronts and sidewalks with purple, red, and green paraphernalia. Small touches like a fake bunch of grapes or a paper mache statue of wine bottles adorn balconies and street corners.

Like the holiday season in the United States the Vendimia is a special time of year that has its own energy. It´s intangible and difficult to explain in words, but it’s unique in every sense. The frenzy is visible in the decorations and able to be felt all around the city for weeks.

If this unique experience is one you would like to experience for yourself, contact Molly at swirl@uncorkingargentina.com