This was a long day of traveling, but I'm here in Mendoza now and I can report that the efforts were well worth it. After making the last leg of our trip from Santiago, Chile to Mendoza, we took a little time to relax before meeting our hosts for dinner.

As I walk around the grounds of my awesome home for the next week (Casa Zolo Ranch House and Spa), I am struck by how much it's like my home state of New Mexico. The nearby mountains, the blue sky with puffy white clouds, the rocky soil, the warm and dry air, and there are birds everywhere. I'm loving it!

Owners and winemakers from the Vino Del Sol family of wines met us for dinner where we sampled through some terrific wine under the clear star-studded sky. The standout was the La Madrid Grand Reserve Malbec, by Hector Durigutti, who attended the dinner.

Mendoza is the center of "Planet Malbec" in a beautiful valley snug up against the Andes Mountains and just a short plane ride from Chile. The challenge I see and want to talk to my hosts about is how to take Argentina to the next level? How can they extend the Malbec frenzy to the equally wonderful, exciting and delicious Torrontes? How can they entice their very happy consumers to try their great Cabernets and Chardonnays? You can’t stay a one-trick pony for very long-just ask the winemakers in Australia and New Zealand.

I'll spend the next several days visiting and touring each of these outstanding wineries, walking their vineyards with the winemakers, and trying to find a hidden gem that I can sneak back home for you.