Not a tasting tour. A field study — run during active fermentation. Night one you eat with José “Pepe” Galante. Day two you're on the sorting table by eight.
March is harvest. Tanks are working, presses are running, and the winemakers you've read about are standing in it. We built the week around that fact — which is why it looks nothing like the itinerary you were sent by the last operator.
Nine estates and three tables, in seven days. Most of these don't take walk-ins.
Every estate on the list receives visitors. Almost none of them do this.
8:00 am at Monte Quieto, a family estate in Agrelo. You follow the grapes through reception, selection, and the first days of fermentation — the moment vineyard decisions become visible in the cellar. Three-course lunch after, facing the Andes.
Adrianna at 8:00 am — arguably the most studied vineyard on earth. Then the Pyramid, a winemaker-led tasting, and a session with a Catena Institute researcher. Then the five component lots of Catena Alta Malbec, on a bench, and you build your own.
Night one is dinner at La Cabrera with José “Pepe” Galante — three decades shaping Argentina's benchmark reds. Day three is lunch at Angélica Cocina Maestra, the Catena family's Michelin red-and-green-starred kitchen. The last night is tango over a 7,000-bottle cellar.
Not a hedge — a decision. The guest leading the Day 2 masterclass is confirmed and will be introduced to the group in Mendoza. Three hours on Argentina's viticultural heritage, its geography from the high-altitude North to Patagonia, the Criolla family, and where the industry is heading — closing with a guided tasting of fourteen wines.
If it helps to calibrate: the person you're having dinner with the night before is José “Pepe” Galante.
Every day has a start time and a name attached to it. Two evenings are deliberately left free — Mendoza in March is worth an unscheduled hour.
Check into Hualta Winery Hotel, a block from the square, the shops and the restaurants. Lush gardens, a fitness centre, and the afternoon to yourself.
The hardest-working day of the week, and the reason it runs in March.
Vineyard, winery, research institute, blending bench, Michelin lunch. One day.
South into the Uco Valley, and the clearest argument in Argentina for site over variety.
A full day in Gualtallary, from an 85-hectare estate to two of the most quietly serious small producers in Argentina.
Two of the most decorated names in Argentine wine, then the week ends the way Argentina ends things — at a long table, late.
Breakfast, then on to the airport — or stay on in Argentina, if you've arranged it yourself. The trip concludes here.
No tasting fees on the day. Every scheduled tasting, lunch and dinner in the itinerary is paid for before you arrive.
Once your place is confirmed we'll send arrival guidance — which airport, and when to land — plus a recommended insurance provider. Booking the flights themselves, and any nights either side of the trip, is up to you. Travelers must be 21 or older.
Seven days from now, this is a corridor you've walked.
Luján de Cuyo · Day 6
You don't have to find the full amount now. A deposit takes a place off the board and holds it in your name. The balance is charged automatically 90 days before departure — December 7, 2026 — and nothing is taken in between.
Local wine expert and the reason the doors open. Kala built the route, knows the producers personally, and knows which cellar will still be pressing on the Monday you arrive.
Co-founder and CEO of NVWA, travelling with the group all week — the through-line back to your WSET studies, and the person making sure the week works as education and not just as a very good holiday.
Confirmed, and introduced to the group in Mendoza. They lead the Day 2 masterclass and the fourteen-wine guided tasting.
Not on the trip, but the person you'll deal with before it — bookings, payment schedule, flights, insurance, and every question you'd rather ask a human.
“Winemakers even took the time to give us private tours in the middle of harvest. The instructors and guides were incredibly knowledgeable, organized, and so much fun to be around. Would do it again in a heartbeat.”
Kendra S. · Argentina“We are not group trip people, but this is another animal. These trips provide a deep dive into a region with the access you otherwise would not have. You usually will have a key figure in the company, if not one of the founders.”
Bryan G.“I'm always hesitant to take group tours, especially to wine regions, because they're rarely tailored to education and people in the industry. Winery visits included long-established producers, small family-owned up-and-coming producers, and a co-op. The entire trip was a remarkable experience — I wouldn't hesitate to go again.”
Reilly B. · PiemonteYou sign the traveler agreement, pay the deposit, and your place comes off the board immediately. You'll get a confirmation with the balance date, the full PDF itinerary, arrival guidance for Mendoza, our recommended travel insurance provider, and a packing note for March in the Andes. Flights and any nights either side of the trip are yours to book.
We're not announcing it. The guest is confirmed and will be introduced to the group in Mendoza — it's part of the trip, not a gap in the planning. What we will tell you is the content: Argentina's viticultural heritage, its geography and climates from the high-altitude North through Cuyo to the Atlantic coast and Patagonia, the old Criolla varietals, terroir expression, current winemaking trends and where the industry goes next — closing with a guided tasting of fourteen wines.
No — but the week is pitched at people already studying. Level 2 through Diploma students get the most from it. If you haven't started formal study, you'll still enjoy it, but you'll get more by doing Level 1 or 2 first. This is preparation and exposure, not a course, and it doesn't count toward any WSET qualification.
Most travelers on our trips come alone. Fourteen people over seven days with shared meals is small enough that the group knits fast. If you book Double we'll match you with another solo traveler of the same gender; if you'd rather not share, choose Single — the $500 single supplement is included in that price.
Because there are only fourteen places, and holding yours means turning someone else away. The deposit is what makes that commitment real on both sides. Beyond the deposit, cancellation follows the schedule in your traveler agreement, keyed to the March 7, 2027 start. Written notice by email to support@napavalleywineacademy.com, and wait for our confirmation of receipt. On or before Dec 6, 2026 you forfeit the deposit only. Dec 7, 2026 – Jan 6, 2027: deposit plus 25% of the remaining balance. Jan 7 – Feb 5, 2027: deposit plus 50%. Feb 6, 2027 onward, or no notice at all: 100% of the trip fees. This is exactly why we require a “cancel for any reason” policy.
Yes — every traveler must be 21 or older. The week is built around tastings, and our operator agreement requires it. You'll confirm your date of birth when you sign the traveler agreement at booking.
Tell us in writing at least 30 days before departure and we'll work on it with the restaurants and wineries. Meals are fixed menus with a fixed set of wines chosen in advance, so the further ahead you tell us, the better the result. We'll make every reasonable effort, but we can't guarantee every venue can accommodate every restriction.
Standard rooms are en-suite with either one double bed or two twin beds — say which you'd prefer and we'll request it. Book Single and you have the room to yourself at both properties. Hotels abroad don't have identical rooms, so final assignments are ours to make, but we'll honor stated preferences wherever we can.
Moderate. Expect a few hours on your feet most days, uneven vineyard ground, and an 8:00 am start on the harvest morning — the only genuinely early one. Gualtallary is high enough that most people notice the sun and the dryness rather than the altitude itself. Tell Jean about any mobility or health needs before you book and we'll be straight with you about fit.
Yes — plenty of travelers do, and Buenos Aires, Salta and Patagonia all pair well with a Mendoza week. One thing to be clear about: we don't arrange or book extensions, pre-trip itineraries, or the flights and hotels around them. Those are yours to organize. Our responsibility starts when you check into Hualta Winery Hotel on Saturday, March 7 and ends after breakfast on Saturday, March 13 — airport transfers at either end aren't included either. Book your own dates accordingly, and give yourself a day's buffer before the trip if you can; a delayed flight into Mendoza costs you the welcome dinner.
A passport valid for the length of your stay, and entry requirements that vary by nationality — check the current rules for your own passport well before you book flights. We'll flag anything we know of for your country once you're confirmed.
Yes, and you'll want to. Several producers ship internationally, and we'll point you to the ones that do it well. Purchases and shipping are on you — budget for it, because Gualtallary is not a place you leave empty-handed.
We can cancel a trip before departure for any reason, including too few travelers. If we do — for anything other than a force majeure event — every dollar you've paid us is refunded, deposit included. We'll tell you as soon as the decision is made. Force majeure is the exception: if a trip has to be interrupted or cancelled for something outside our control, we refund what we can recover from hotels, wineries and suppliers, less costs already committed. Neither case covers your airfare, which is the other reason the insurance requirement isn't a formality.
They can, and some do. Be honest with yourself about it though: the days are long and wine-dense, and there's no separate programme. Partners who like wine have a great week. Partners who don't, have a long one.
Yes. A deposit of $1,500 (Single) or $3,000 (Double) at booking, then the balance charged automatically to the same card on December 7, 2026 — 90 days before departure. No fee, no interest, no credit check. Book inside 90 days of departure and the full amount is due at checkout.
The full day-by-day PDF, the packing and flight notes, and a heads-up when places drop below five. No sequence of pushy emails — we'll tell you what's happening with this trip and nothing else. Or just email Jean; a person answers.
Or join the live info session with Kala and Christian — 30 minutes, questions answered, no pitch.
Harvest happens once a year, and it doesn't wait for the fence-sitters. $1,500 holds your place; the balance follows in December.
Operated by Turicum LLC, dba Napa Valley Wine Academy. Booking requires acceptance of the Study Trip Terms & Conditions, signed at checkout. Travelers must be 21 or older. Trip cancellation, interruption and health insurance is required. Trip fees are quoted in US dollars and are based on double occupancy; the advertised total is guaranteed once your signed agreement and payment are received. Photographs and video taken on the trip may be used in our promotional material — tell us in writing before departure if you'd rather not appear. Governed by California law; disputes are heard in Napa County, California.