The high altitude and dry climate of the Calchaqui Valley make it ideal for growing grapes, especially the Torrentés, a unique Argentine variety.  The white Torrontés wine is called ¨the liar¨ because it smells sweet like a rose but tastes dry.

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We stayed in Cafayate,  the biggest town, at Rusty K Hostal run by a lovely young couple.  It has a vine covered courtyard where we joined the other guests for the weekly asado.  At the heladería we enjoyed the Torrontés and Cabernet ice cream.

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A few kilometres north is the Quebrada de las Conchas with stunning coloured rock formations and to the south are the ruins of Quilmes where the local villagers resisted the Spanish for more than 130 years.

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