There are dozens of wineries in the Mendoza area that are open to visitors. The easiest way to visit bodegas is on a tour organized by an agency in Mendoza. A typical half-day trip visits two or three bodegas, while a full day visits five or six and includes lunch; full-day trips are better value.
If you’re going under your own steam, call ahead to check times, to book a visit and to ask for an English-speaking guide, if necessary. The bodegas are concentrated in Guaymallén, in Maipú and in Luján de Cuyo.
Some visits and tastings are free, but you’re pointedly steered to a sales area at the end (cash only; surcharge for the best tipples). Try and see different kinds of wineries, ranging from the old-fashioned, traditional bodegas to the highly mechanized, ultramodern producers; at the former you’re more likely to receive personal attention and get a chance to taste finer wines. Best of all is staying the night at one of the several wineries offering accommodation – some of it highly luxurious.