Argentina

Birds & Wine

20 November to 3 December 2010

Leaders: Luis Segura and Mike Witherick

Maximum of 12 clients (two leaders with more than six clients).

Cost £4,199 single room supplement £340

This is the next in our series of "Birds and Wine tours" and we have chosen Argentina as our port of call. It has the two main elements that we look for in such a tour, rich birdlife and an interesting selection of wines. The main wine growing areas are in the north-west of the country and area is also rich in a variety of different habitats and birdlife. Around Buenos Aires we visit some lakes and a small area of Pampa and dry woodland. We then take a flight north-westwards to Tucuman to the Andean chain, covered with areas of Yungas Cloudforest. The Yungas supports one of the greatest biological diversities in the Neotropics, with a wide variety of forest and woodland types, each hosting its own and unique community of flora and fauna. Here we shall find some endemic bird species as well as a large variety of other south American families, including seedsnipes, tinamous, canasteros, miners and earthcreepers. We also visit the Chaco (dry woodland) as well as the high Andean Puna in search of Andean specialties, including three species of flamingo.

The Argentine wine industry is the fifth leading producer of wine in the world. Argentine wine, as with some aspects of Argentine cuisine, of course has its roots in Spain. Argentina produces a wide variety of grapes, which were originally brought into the country by different groups of immigrants. The French for instance, brought Auxerrois, known nowadays as Malbec, one of Argentina's best known wines. The Torrontes is another classic Argentine grape and is mostly found in the provinces of La Rioja, San Juan, and Salta. This grape produces fruity and aromatic white wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Chardonnay are also some of the most popular grapes rapidly spreading throughout wineries along the country in recent years. We shall make sure we sample both Malbec and Torrontes while on this tour and there is wine included with dinner each evening.

Travel with Luis and Mike on this fascinating tour to sample both the avifauna and viticulture of this lovely country.