pril 11, 2025 Lunch - Hacienda El Molina, El Molina, Argentina. Dinner - Aura Restaurant at Piatelli Wine Resort

April 11, 2025 Lunch - Hacienda El Molina, El Molina, Argentina. Dinner - Aura Restaurant at Piatelli Wine Resort 

We went to the dining room for breakfast at 7:30 and I ate a fried egg with a slice of cheese and ham and a media Luna and a sweet fruit filled cake covered in cream cheese. Then Suzette and I walked to the hot tub which was as rustic as any I hav ever seen hidden behind a cactus topped Adobe wall at the “Spa”. When we arrived the concreted tub was filled with bubble bath foam. The attendant turned on the water that seemed to be around 101 degrees and filled tub to a level above the jets and removed about half the foam and helped us down the steps into the tub. The temperature of the concrete was cool against our backs and soon the water temperature fell to a very comfortable body temperature of around 98 degrees. Elaine took pictures of us and after 40 minutes the attendant returned and helped us out of the tub.  Suzette and I wiggled our arms and legs in the water, so after the soak we felt refreshed and our joints did not hurt.

We returned to the room and dressed and another helper took our bags down to the car and Elaine loaded the grips into the car and we left for Cafayute at 10:00. It took a few minutes to find the gas station and gas up and then we drove the dirt road to El Molina for lunch. It took 4 1/2 hours to go 55 km.s with a diversion through an artisanal goods village where they make textile such as ponchos and serapes and scarves of sheep and llama wool and a diversion for a washout in the road,p. 

The dining area at the Hacienda was outside in a courtyard dominated by a tree. Billy ordered a Sirloin steak with fried potato wedges and caramelized onions and pimientos cooked to rare that had a great flavor. Suzette and I split a beef tenderloin that was also cooked to rare served with a round shape of  smashed potatoes and a ramekin shape of toasted seasoned corn mush of the type used to stuff humitas that had been baked to the texture of baked polenta. Elaine ordered pasta with a fresh tomato sauce with goat cheese and lots of shredded mozzarella.  We shared a bottle of Colome’ Reserva Malbec for $35.

The tomato fumet with olive oil appetizer was really delicious on the slices of baguette and we splurged and ordered a volcano chocolate torte for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Everyone’s food was good today and we were in good spirits when we resumed our trip on Route 40 at 3:00. The road, although still dirt and gravel  got better especially through some dazzling uplifted rock formations such as the Garganta de Diablo.

We were able to increase our speed, especially with Suzette and Elaine driving and covered the final 110 km. (69 miles) in three hours even with frequent stops to take photos; arriving at Piatelli Wine Resort at 6:00 with the help of the last 30 km. being paved.

We checked in and unpacked and met in the bar for our free welcome glass of wine at 7:30.  Elaine and I ordered a glass of Torrontes, Billy ordered a Cabernet Sauvignon, and Suzette ordered a glass of rose’ of Malbec. There were no bad wines as was the Torrontes last night at Essasmendi. In fact the Torrontes was among the best I have ever tasted, fresh and fragrant with the light floral notes I love in a good Torrontes.

I had only eaten 1/2 of my breakfast and shared my lunch with Suzette so I was hungry for dinner. So at 8:30 Suzette and I moved to a table in the main dining room named Aura that is located just beside the bar dominated with a large open kitchen.

I picked a dish of Pork Belly with and apple foam and fresh granny smith apples that had been lightly glacéd. Billy joined us and soon our waitress served us a round of fresh baked foccacia topped with a tomato and sprigs of baby rosemary baked into the bread with a small bowl of cream fraiche.

We loved the warm bread that tasted better than any foccacia I have ever tasted, perhaps due to the use of incredibly fresh unscented olive oil in the batter.

We ordered a glass of Piatelli Malbec to share and I sipped the remaining 1/2 glass of Torrontes that was fabulous with the tart apples and delicate apple foam.

The. Pork belly was some of the thickest I have ever tasted and Suzette gladly took one of the two squares of grill pork belly and half of the sauce and cubed apples.

It was just enough to satisfy my hunger and Billy tasted a bit of the pork belly and Malbec and ate a quarter of the foccacia with creme fraiche.

We signed the check and said goodnight and walked back to our room at 9:30 after an amazing day of sightseeing and hard traveling on the road from Cachi to Cafayute and two good meals, happy to be back in the lap of luxury.

To give you an idea of the rapid inflation in Argentina, we were required to prepay for our stay at the resort in January or early February at the rate of $250 per night when the exchange rate was about 1050 pesos to one US $1.00.  When we arrived at the resort today the posted rate was $320.00 per night and yesterday we paid $46.00 at Bodega Puna for lunch for two and buy three 11800 peso bottles of excellent wine to take with us at an exchange rate of 1345 pesos to one US $1.00. My impression is it takes a financial wizard to live in such a rapidly escalating price structure, unless of course you secure payment in a hard currency that is gaining in value at the same rate as the Argentine peso’s rate of devaluation, such as US$ dollars. In fact Piatelli may be playing the same exchange game we are by demanding payment in US  dollars for the room and at the restaurant while paying their expenses in Argentine pesos. I may ask what exchange rate we would get if we wanted to pay in pesos tomorrow.

Bon Appetit