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[title]In Mendoza, there is a place where wine transcends its condition as a beverage to become a living artistic expression. Finca Tikal Natural, located in Vista Flores, is not just another winery in Argentina’s wine landscape: it is a symbolic universe where every element tells an ancestral story, where biodynamic agriculture intertwines with pre-Columbian art, and where visitors can experience a unique connection between the earth, the sky, and the fruit of the vine.
Created by Ernesto Catena, brother of Laura Catena—the scientific heart of Argentine wine—Tikal Natural Vineyards is unlike anything else in the world, much like everything the Catena family touches. For those seeking more than a traditional Mendoza experience, this spot offers a sensory and spiritual journey that challenges the conventions of wine tourism. It is a place where wine goes a step further, becoming a vehicle that connects the earth, the cosmos, and oneself.
What it’s like to visit Tikal Natural Vineyards
After about an hour and a half drive from the city of Mendoza to Vista Flores in the Uco Valley, the journey itself becomes a spectacle that foreshadows something extraordinary. Upon arriving at Finca Tikal, a gate welcomes visitors with the motto that defines all of Ernesto Catena’s projects: “Wine is Art!” This simple statement is the philosophy that permeates every inch of the place.
Ernesto Catena, son of Nicolás Catena, created a space where the senses prevail over reason. The sense of wonder begins immediately, as the vehicle travels along a road that opens between vineyards arranged in a vast circle, leading to the imposing entrance. This circular shape is no coincidence: it represents the Earth, in a place where everything is pure cosmic symbolism.
What biodynamic agriculture is and how it’s applied at Tikal
This 50-hectare planted estate is the first biodynamic winery in the Uco Valley open to the public. Biodynamic agriculture is a farming system that goes beyond organic practices, treating the land as a living, balanced ecosystem. At Tikal, the soil is worked without agrochemicals (it has never received any since its inception), strictly following a lunar and solar calendar that determines when natural preparations are applied to the vines and when each agricultural task is carried out.
It is the first biodynamic winery in the Uco Valley open to the public
Animals on the estate: why they’re key to vineyard balance
What sets Tikal Natural Vineyards apart in its biodynamic practice is its holistic approach: llamas, donkeys, horses, sheep, and other animals roam freely throughout the property. They have 20 hectares of forest dedicated exclusively to their well-being, as their natural contributions nourish the soil and help maintain ecosystem balance. While many visitors interpret this as something purely spiritual, at Tikal they clarify that it is fundamentally a biological, chemical, and physical process: agriculture free from agrotoxins that respects natural cycles and seeks total harmony among all elements.
What distinguishes Tikal Natural Vineyards in biodynamic practice is its holistic approach
Mendoza cuisine at Tikal: farm cooking and local products
The experience I took part in was the “farm day,” which starts at noon and lasts four hours. It includes a full tour of the estate while tasting wines produced by Ernesto and his wife, Joanna Foster. There is also a shorter experience at 10 a.m., focused on tasting only, without the complete tour. The entire place pays homage to Mayan tradition, and most of the buildings are inspired by pre-Columbian architecture. As Andrés, our guide, explained, every architectural element and every agricultural decision hides multiple layers of meaning that are gradually revealed throughout the visit.
The entire place honors Mayan tradition, and most of the buildings are inspired by pre-Columbian architecture
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After passing through the main entrance, the first image you encounter is a triangular lake that seems endless, where ducks swim with enviable freedom. A welcome featuring juicy empanadas, provolone cheese, and flatbreads under a pergola overlooking the lake makes for a wonderful start. The menu is Mendoza-style and traditional, changes with the seasons, and works exclusively with local producers. Open-fire grilling, farm food, regional cuisine—nothing extravagant, but everything exquisite.
What to see on the estate: art, free-roaming animals, and Mayan architecture
After this first gastronomic stop, the real journey through Tikal’s cosmos begins. For lovers of walking and nature, this is the perfect plan. The first stop is the estate’s “sun”: a rose garden in full bloom. Here, roses are not just ornamental—they are also natural indicators of the overall health of the property.
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The walk continues among free-roaming llamas and horses, past the beehives where bees are raised respectfully, acknowledging their vital importance. The path leads to the estate’s “shooting star”: the Stella Crinita winery. This architectural gem, designed according to the Fibonacci sequence, forms a perfect spiral visible both from inside and above. Inside, Joanna Foster produces labels that celebrate the fungi world, the pollinating work of bees, and the strength of rural women.
The Malbec labyrinth: a Mayan symbol and sensory journey
The highlight of the tour is the Malbec labyrinth—the largest in the world— inspired by the Cretan legend of the Minotaur, but with a Mayan twist. With different entrances at each corner, the labyrinth leads to a massive Mayan serpent symbolizing life, death, and resurrection. This serpent, which the Mayans at Tikal call the “feathered serpent,” represents kundalini energy, our primary life force.
Above the serpent’s head is a lookout point where tasting wine while admiring a yin-yang formed by Viognier and Cabernet Franc vineyards becomes the perfect final stop.
The estate cultivates 11 varietals, including Barbera, Petit Verdot, Syrah, and Pinot Noir. It’s worth noting that every shape—from the sun to the labyrinth—makes even more sense when seen from above, whether by drone or on Google Maps.
The estate grows 11 varietals, including Barbera, Petit Verdot, Syrah, and Pinot Noir
The complete experience: natural wines and Tika’s menu
Upon returning, a feast awaits: sweetbreads with cabbage salad, ribeye steaks, and Patagonian baby potatoes with a memorable spinach sauce. Everything, of course, is paired with the house’s natural wines. The gastronomic experience is designed to be enjoyed outdoors, under the pergola overlooking the lake, although a space is currently being built for Mendoza’s extreme summer and winter weather.
What makes Tikal Natural Vineyards truly unique is not just its biodynamic certification or its natural wines. It’s the total coherence between philosophy and practice, between art and agriculture, between the ancestral and the contemporary. This space is a work of art in which every visitor becomes part of the experience. For those visiting Mendoza in search of more than a traditional tasting, this biodynamic vineyard at the foot of the Andes offers a truly transformative proposal.
Where: Provincial Route 92, Vista Flores, Mendoza.