Bodega El Esteco

Misleading publicity: we booked the “copas de altura” in which they “invite you to taste 8 of the wines” and although it’s clear you get 1 glass per person, it seems as if you can try any of the 8 possible wines. When we got there, they offered us only 2 from a dispenser (the cheaper ones), and the others were at an additional cost. On top of that, there was no explanation at all (I wasn’t expecting a guided tour but a bit of an explanation to choose from the 2 possible wines) and the person in the entrance and clicking on the dispenser was quite rude, condescending and arrogant. I understand the prices are lower than in Mendoza, but I would expect from a winery a certain experience (some explanation and good manners that make you relate with the brand and the winery), or at least clear publicity to make an informed decision. Apart from that, the place is beautiful. There’s not much to walk around but it’s quite pretty.

We did the magical wine sunset tour and it was absolutely brilliant! Well worth the money. Our guide, Debora, was amazing and made the experience so enjoyable. She was so informative but also such great energy and she was funny, which made the tour very positive and light hearted. The wine tastings were very generous glasses and the presentation was really good. The empanadas were lovely and the evening fire was great! Couldn’t recommend this place more! Out of 5 vineyards we visited in Cafayate, this was the best experience for sure!

We visited this excellent vinyard doing a trip to Cafayate. This place is one of the oldest and largest wine makers in the area. We did their tour and tasting and enjoyed every moment of it. I'd highly recommend adding this one to your list of considerations if you're planning a trip to Cafayate.

Noches Mágicas at Bodega El Esteco was an unforgettable wine experience, made even better by our incredibly knowledgeable host, Debora. Sharing the evening with guests from across South America created a conversational vibe, and the full moon that just happened to be that evening made the night feel genuinely magical. And the constant imbibing of the locally made wines—among the best in their respective categories—was the only way to enjoy the boozy evening.

Beautiful experience here all around. We arrived early, with 15 minutes before the wine tasting was to begin so we could check out the area and take a couple of photos. When we arrived back and asked when the tour would be starting (10 minutes late) the host said she was leading it and she was almost ready. The tour was super informative and the guide herself was sweet and answered all of the questions and had a love for wine that you could see. The wine tasting itself was great -- loved the experience of sharing with other individuals. We chose the higher altitude wine tasting (the more expensive one) and appreciate our choice. Then we went horseback riding.

The only place we have not felt welcome as English speaking tourists during our 5 week trip in South America. Apparently there was a mix up with our booking (we understand these things can happen), however the lady who dealt with us was extremely rude and dismissive and offered no sympathy nor apology. They offered us a “wine tasting” from a refrigerator, which was included free of charge as we stayed in the hotel next door… The kind gentleman who spoke us through the wines was the one redeeming quality of an exceptionally disappointing experience. If you want a welcoming and authentic experience we would suggest visiting Bodega Burbujas de Altura which is 5 minutes down the road.

The staff seemed indifferent, maybe because we were just there to buy wine. But still, they should at least explain what each wine is about — that part was seriously lacking. The place is well-known, and they were running a promotion for four bottles, so we got a good deal. Still, the attitude of the staff left something to be desired.

Great tour given but everyone was confused as to where and when it would start because it was past the starting time and we still hadn’t left. When the tour finished, we went to taste the wines. We got the more expensive wine tasting (extreme altitudes) of 5 wines for $3500 pesos or $12 USD. Then we went horseback riding. This was one of the highlights of the trip for me. We talked to Ricardo who set up the 2 hour tour and met us there at the winery. By the time we finished the wine tour, apparently we were too late to do the full two hour tour (which is strange because they know what time we’ll finish…). So instead we did a loop around the vineyards in about an hour and a half. Our tour guide was super friendly and we loved how he gave us a little freedom to trot with the horses and get to know their processes. We loved being able to see how the baby responded to going out for its first loop with its mom. Because we didn’t do the full tour we only paid $2,500 pesos per person instead of $4,000 each. The lighting was beautiful and made the experience more enjoyable. I wish it could have been during the sunset a bit more. The resort itself looked well done, somewhat modern with traditional influences. We didn’t stay here but the families who were looked to enjoy themselves. Photo taken by @alejandroseveriniph (Instagram)