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Published: 09-09-2021
Chile is now world renowned as a top-class wine destination. Considered a “new world” wine producer, Chile actually has long history of viticulture dating back to the European vines which were originally brought to South America by Jesuit missionaries during the 1700s. Wine tasting in Chile today, is an experience rooted in the 21st century. You can find a wide range of modern wineries, many of which are within a few hours’ drive from Santiago. Some of the wineries actually boast five-star hotels and restaurants where you can relax and soak up every last drop of the impressive vineyard vistas.
Wine cellar in Santiago
Casa Silva
Casa Silva is Chile’s award-winning winery and offers the perfect introduction to the country’s native grape- carménère. Found in the northern part of Chile’s premiere red wine region, the Colchagua Valley, this winery is the oldest in the area and run by the second and third generations of the Bouchon family. A tour will begin at the terracotta roofed winery, followed by a tasting and lunch at their impeccable restaurant, The Polo Club House. You may dine on their rooftop terrace that overlooks the polo field where members of the family practice their art on horseback.
Colchagua Valley
Viu Manent
Heading east from Santa Cruz in the Colchagua Valley, The Viu Manent winery is home to delectable wines from 150 year old vines and their award-winning secret range of carménère and cabernet sauvignon. With orderly lines of vines through the estate’s vineyards providing the ideal backdrop, for the best photo opportunities, there is no better way to explore the vineyard than from the comfort of a horse-drawn carriage ride, which passes by their wine cellar for a seven-pour tasting. Don’t forget to visit their shop for bargain bottles of your favourite tipple, before heading over to the in-house Winery Café to sample their latest vintages in the warm sunshine.
Viu Manet vineyard
Cousiño Macul
Founded in 1856, Cousiño Macul is the only 19th century winery in Chile that remains in the hands of the original founding family. Based in the Maipo Valley, just south of Santiago, Cousiño Macul produces a wide range of varietal and blended wines from international grape varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Shiraz. The majority of the estate's production takes place in the Maipo Valley. The original vineyards are located in Macul, a community east of Santiago. The calcareous soils here are perfect for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot production and Cousiño-Macul's top “Finis Terrae” wines are made from grapes sourced from this site.
Cousiño Macul wine sellection
Montes
The most unique of the Colchagua wineries is the pioneering Montes. Its modern winery with a feng shui design and amphitheatre-shaped cellar, is where the wine is gently aged, accompanied by Gregorian chants. This winery makes its own rules! This is represented in the quality of the wine, with their cabernet sauvignon, carménère, and shiraz, impressing the viticulture world on a regular basis. Their on-site restaurant, called Fuegos de Apalta, is worth every peso, but make sure you are accompanied on your visit with a good appetite! The Argentine chef, Francis Mallman, serves up the juiciest steaks outside of Argentina and are cooked over their wood-fire grill.
Grape varieties
Clos Apalta
Another of the Colchagua Valley’s most eclectic wineries, Clos Apalta is 100% organic and biodynamic. Its signature blend, Clos Apata, was ranked among the 100 best wines in the world. This vineyard attracts oenophiles and architecture lovers alike and the winery is housed in a striking, barrel-like building embedded into the hillside of the Colchagua Valley. You can take a tour or simply appreciate the spectacular views over their 150 acres from its rooftop restaurant, which is often booked out during the summer months. Inside the vineyard, their Relais & Chateaux boutique refuges offer luxurious comfort if you sample a little too much of their produce 😊
Colchagua vineyard
Santa Carolina
If you are short on time, head out for an afternoon’s tasting, to the city’s southern suburbs. The vineyards of Santa Carolina were first planted here in 1875 and while the city may have swallowed them up, the vines were moved to different parts of the country in the 1970s. The picturesque, terracotta-roofed buildings of the original winery still remain, however. Take a tour of the crumbling wine cellar that has survived a number of earthquakes over the past century, so feel free to calm the nerves with their rich, full bodied cabernet sauvignon.
wine cellar, santiago
Bouchon
For a more classic wine tasting, the vast vineyards of the Bouchon estate grow carignan and cabernet sauvignon vines dating back to the 19th century. The wild país varietal grown organically here, is a singular fusion of classic grapes with a more modern touch. Take a tour of their adobe brick winery or stay in their exclusive hotel, The Casa Buchon, which fuses the old and the modern once more.
Boutique vineyard
Emiliana
Alpacas feed on the surrounding grassy areas at this organic winery, which was the first in the entire continent to be certified as biodynamic. This enormous vineyard, is the largest organic winery in the world and can be found set amid the patchwork landscape of the Casablanca Valley. The Emiliana vineyard specializes in chardonnay, as well as deep shiraz blends, which you can generally sample on a visit to this unique winery.
Emiliana vineyard
Attilio and Mochi
Brazil is not a renowned classic wine destination, however the Brazilian owners of this boutique winery in the San Antonio Valley have other ideas. Since opening in 2011, they have established a name for themselves, producing cool-climate wines that include cabernet franc, malbec, pinot noir, and the valley’s first grenache. Tours and tastings are only available by appointment; however, the friendly owners are more than happy to show you around for a truly unique and authentic visit.
Reds and whites
Matetic
The Matetic winery is built into a hillside in the Rosario Valley, making it perfectly camouflaged within its lush vine surroundings. This vineyard is also a working farm, where the biodynamic Matetic impresses with its crisp sauvignon Blancs and chardonnays. Sample these wonderful whites with a wine tour or at their” Equilibrio” restaurant, specializing in classical Chilean cuisine and using local organic produce. Their luxurious hotel, La Casona, offers horse riding or hiking across its 150 hectare estate to appreciate the magnificent surround countryside.
Chardonnay
Casa Marin
Just 4 kilometres from the Pacific Ocean, this small, family-run vineyard is owned by the country’s first female winemaker, María Luz Marín. Her small piece of land, produces a dazzling array of cool-climate, single-vineyard wines such as their elegant sauvignon Blanc, pinot noir and the delicate boutique sauvignon gris, are award winning varieties across the globe. Sample the wines in the tasting room before wandering across the road to the Cipreses Wine bar for fine-dining yet reasonably-priced lunch.
