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Highway 40 Tour & the Finca Colome: luxury, great wines and fabulous art Around the world, the Argentine wines are being recognized, tried and enjoyed more by the minute. This "new" discovery for the wine lovers around the globe dates in our country of over two centuries; but it wasn't till recent years that Argentina's wines began to play a central role in the Wine world of abroad. Mainly known by its outstanding Mendoza vineyards and wineries, its fine Malbec, the world of Argentine wine is far broader than the Cuyo Region. Towards the northern frontier, as the green valleys began to turn red and sandy, the humidity turns into a dryer and hotter weather, there's another winemaking region of outstanding quality that hasn't yet been truly appreciated to it's highest extend by wine lovers from around the globe. The province of Salta, and more specifically the area around the town Cafayate, is the heart of this new unexplored fabulous wine. High Altitude Grapes & Vine Yards only found in Argentina. Pioneers in the area were southern Spanish and Italian descendants who brought to our nation their winemaking techniques and found a very similar weather-geography-geology in this region. The area wines are stronger, featuring fuller bodies, mainly due to the climate and soil. Something not every winemaker is capable of appreciating and promoting to a sophisticated extent. Those with the sharp eye, the adventurous heart and the sensible palate to create superlative wines out of those grapes have the key to a wonderful world of senses, emotions and an unexplored market. Donald Hess, of the Hess Collection, the Swiss magnate, owner of some of the world's finest vineyards -among many other successful projects- has recently discovered the majesty of the Calchaqui Valleys' wines, geography and special sweetness in the air. He decided this was the place for his next venture. It will soon become not only a venture but a life meaning path. But Hess does nothing less than spectacular, none of his projects or visions is the sure thing, the trail everybody is going thru. So he picked upon the growing interest in Argentine wines, and developed a boutique top notch quality concept, miles away from the ever-growing Mendoza. Hess went directly for a Calchaqui Valley vineyard. But, yet again not just any vineyard. Colome is the oldest and highest vineyard in Argentina, and one of the highest placed ones in the whole world…………. Some 20 kilometres from Highway 40. Highway 40 in the high mountains of North west Argentina. Press here for photo gallery of the last Highway 40 Tour: Highway 40 from San Juan all the way up North West Argentina. …….156 km north from the delighting and gorgeous town of Cachi, and 4 hours away from Salta capital city of the prvince of the same name, is Finca Colome, the oldest vineyard of our country. Following the shadow of Highway 40, traced by provincial route 53 leaving the small town of Molinos and heading 20 km more into the heart of the northern Puna is Colome. Colome was back in the 19th century grapevines farm, featuring a main house-ranch, surrounding cultivating lands and a couple of houses for the workers. According to specialists the old Colome winery was founded in 1831, by the last Spanish governor of Salta, Nicolas Severo de Isasmendi y Echalar. In 1854, his daughter Ascension, married Jose Benjamin Davalos, and introduced pre-phylloxera Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon vines to Colome that were specially brought from France. Three vineyards dating from this time still produce grapes and stupendous wines thanks to the sharp eye and palate of Hess' sommelier. The winery and vineyards remained in the Davalos family until 2001, when Raul Davalos sells the Finca to Donald Hess. The 96,371 acres at 2,300 meters over the sea level, facing the stupendous Cachi snowed peaks are the perfect complement to the superlative colonial central house. Designed and decorated in tune with the local Andes geography, highlighting the earthy colours. Each of the nine rooms is spectacular and extremely pleasant to be in. Visitants are pampered and every detail is taken care of wonderfully. From a superlative gaucho bar, a meditation area, fireplace living room areas, putting green and an outstanding pool, the Finca was successfully transformed from an old colonial building to a gorgeous boutique hotel that will soon feature its own Art Gallery hosing Hess' private collection of American and international artists.