Months in lockdown have made us all see our homes with fresh eyes, and if we are to work, relax and exercise at home, we need more space. Isn’t the idea of a bigger house with a beautiful backyard, surrounded by nature more appealing now than ever?

This option can be a reality at Algodon Wine Estates in San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina, a small rural city in the heart of the nation’s wine country, where the cost of living is about three-fifths (or about 60%) that of the U.S. average.

One of the many lifechanging effects of the pandemic has been a huge surge in the number of Americans working from home for what may be a long lasting, or permanent, basis. Whilst there is no question that the challenges caused by COVID-19 are unprecedented, and that the pandemic has created an environment of uncertainty among all of us, there’s never been a better time to examine the opportunities that this could bring us and look at the future with new eyes.

Located in the southern heart of Argentina’s scenic wine country, Algodon Wine Estates is a world-class wine, wellness, culinary and sport lifestyle resort and residential development. This award-winning rural community can provide many of these new work-from-home employees, as well as retirees or those simply seeking a second home for a seasonal retreat, the safe space and way of life they are looking for during these days. Farms growing some of Argentina's best-known grapes populate the region and have lured many expatriates already from the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

Algodon Wine Estates is much more than a vacation spot for a week. It’s a 4,138 acre (1,675 ha) self-sustained resort that produces olives, pears, apricots, quinces, plums, and walnuts, just a 90 minute flight from Buenos Aires. The estate is very walkable, an easy place to find your way around, offering countless trails to trek by foot and horseback. Bring your bicycle with you to explore the estate, as well as the local wineries and farms cultivating some of the best grapes in Argentina. In additional to its hundreds of acres of pristine vineyards, Algodon Wine Estates also cultivates fruits and vegetables for your table providing you with a healthful lifestyle difficult to find anywhere else except perhaps Napa Valley, or Tuscany in Italy. Many lots offer preexisting vineyards, olive groves, and fruit or nut orchards, or you can custom design your dream landscape. Residential vineyard estates can be managed year-round by expert agro engineers to create custom wines for you, and a land management program ensures the daily care of your crops or gardens.