カファジャテCafayate
Photo: Aaron Epstein / CC BY 2.0
Cafayate is located 183km from Salta, the capital, at a height of 1600m above sea level. The village is also well known as the largest producer of quality wines after Mendoza. One of the other highlights of the village is the colonial churchサルタ都市部から183kmに位置する標高1600mの村。アルゼンチンの中でメンドーサに次ぐワインの産地である。椰子の木と杉が美しい中心広場に建つコロニアル調の教会も一つの見所。また、カファジャテからサルタまでのルート68号線沿いに聳え立つカファジャテ渓谷（ラス・コンチャス渓谷）を一周するガイドツアーも村内から可能になっている。
カファジャテの一つの醍醐味はボデガ見学。村中にある複数のボデガ（ワイナリー）では試飲、見学が可能で、販売も行っている。カファジャテ産のワインで有名なのはトロンテスと呼ばれる白ワインの品種。世界一標高の高いワイン産地カファジャテは昼夜の気温差が大きく、葡萄作りに適している。
市街地で一際モダンな外観が目を引くのが「ボデガ・エル・トランジト」。同じ通りにある「ボデガ・ナンニ」から独立したワイナリー。 当ワイナリーの代表的なワイン「Pietro Marini」のマルベック、カベルネ、トロンテスが試飲可能。他にも村を代表するワイナリーに、「ボデガ・ドミンゴ・エルマノス」、「ボデガ・エチャル」などがある。
カファジャテ渓谷は岩が水と風によって削られて出来た壮大な自然の産物。白、茶、赤、緑、黄、黒、灰色などの様々や色の岩の断面が圧巻の景色。世界遺産のウマワカ渓谷に次ぐ魅力を放っている。
Text: Mami Goda situated at the central square which is richly decorated by palm and cypress trees. All along the Route 68, we see the Cafayate Valley (Las Conchas Valley) rising into the sky. To visit the valley area, some tour guide services are available from the village.
The most recommended part of Cafayate is visit of wineries, many of which offer wine tasting, tour and sale. The most famous wine variety is white wine called “Torrontes”. Cafayate Valley has some of the world’s highest-elevation vineyards where the extreme temperature variations between day and night are suited to the wine production.
El Transito winery attracts people by its modern style appearance which spun off from the parent company Bodega Nanni which is also located on the same street. The former winery offers their famous “Pietro Marini” line (Malbec, Cabernet, Torrontes). There are also several other famous wineries such as Bodega Domingo Hermanos, Bodega Etchart.
Cafayate Valley is a magnificent series of the peculiar rock formations which, due to the effect of wind and water. The profile naturally decorated by various colors like white, brown, red, green, yellow, black, gray overwhelmingly impresses the visitors. The incontrovertible charm of Cafayate Valley is considered second to Humahuaca Valley which was declared a World Heritage.
Text: Mami Goda
