Bodega Susana Balbo — Attraction in Mendoza

We had half a day to experience a winery while driving from Mendoza to San Rafael. We were a little put off by all the Mendoza area winery reviews that said you needed reservations, lunch or dinner pairings or that gates would be closed and not available for walk-in tastings.

We were so happy to find Susana Balbo! We arrived without reservations and was met outside by Florencia (I hope we remembered the name correctly). She asked us if we were there for a tour, for tasting, for a lunch/wine pairing, etc. We said we just wanted to order some glasses of wine and enjoy the beautiful view.

She explained the options, walked us to an outdoor sofa and brought us a menu with all their wines by the glass/bottle. We sampled 5 different wines by the glass. The prices were extremely reasonable and the pours were generous. We were also pleasantly surprised that they had a large variety of white and rose wines (we’re not huge red wine fans) in addition to the normal Malbec. It was the perfect chill way to spend a few hours enjoying good wine and a great view.

I highly recommend you give Susana Balbo a try if you’re in the area, especially if you don’t need a tour and just want to plan your own inexpensive, relaxed, casual tasting. They were just getting the grill going as we were leaving and the food smelled awesome. I have no doubt their food/wine pairings are great too. I wish we had time to make a longer day out of our visit and have lunch or dinner. We also saw several people sitting around the property with a picnic basket prepared by the staff. Looked...

I had the pleasure of visiting Susana Balbo for a wine tasting and tour, and I must say it was one of the best vineyard experiences I've had! From start to finish, the entire experience was well-organized and truly memorable, but what made it even more special was our guide, Florencia (Flor).

Flor was an absolute delight — her warmth, humor, and infectious enthusiasm set the tone for the entire tour. She shared so much insight about the wines, the vineyard’s history, and the winemaking process in a way that felt both informative and personal. You could tell she genuinely loves what she does, and her passion made the experience feel engaging rather than just another guided tour. She answered all our questions with ease, and her storytelling added a personal touch that made the whole visit feel much more intimate.

The vineyard itself is beautiful, with stunning views that only added to the charm. Flor took us through the grounds with such a relaxed and friendly vibe, making us feel like we were part of the process rather than just visitors. The wine tasting was fantastic, offering a perfect mix of wines that highlighted the vineyard’s craftsmanship. We even got to taste a few limited editions, which was an added bonus!

I left the vineyard with a deeper appreciation for both the art of winemaking and the people who make it happen. If you're planning to visit, I highly recommend taking the tour and, if possible, asking for Flor. She truly made the day unforgettable, and I can’t...

Another incredible experience in Mendoza, a must. We came to Susana Balbo for the Espacio Crios experience where there is a tasting menu of an Asado. Literally, everything, sausage, blood sausage, provoleta, ribs, pork, everything. They have multiple wines you try during the experience (torrontes, malbec and at the end one for desert). Camila was our server who was absolutely wonderful, we all gave Sergio the "asador" a customary (yet WELL deserved) round of applause, and the show was stolen by none other than Florencia the sommelier, who made us laugh throughout the lunch with her carisma, and the info she provided about the wines.

If you're wondering if you should come or not, don't :)

Here is our entire 4 day itinerary in chronological order in case it helps you pick for your trip. I will also leave reviews in those places: Fogon Lagarde - lunch Azafran - dinner SuperUco - tasting Casa de Uco - Private Asado Abrasado - dinner Susana Balbo - experiencia Crios asado Catena Zapata - blending games tasting and tour Pizza Bigalia - dinner Durigutti - Tasting and...