4* & 5* The Chile Wine Tour

Sunday: Santiago - Winetasting at the Wine House
You will be met by your English-speaking driver guide at the Santiago airport. After a transfer to your hotel in the heart of the city,

Monday: The Wineries in Casablanca Valley
After Breakfast head on the route 68 in direction of Valparaíso to Casablanca Valley. Its weather conditions, specially the shelter offered by the valley and the sea breeze, allow the production of white premium chilean wines.
After about 1 hour we reach the vineyard Veramonte, one of the biggest in Chile. On over 350 ha of vineyards, the grapes have similar microclimatological conditions like in California, in the Napa Valley and in the Carneros wine areas.

Modern technology and progressive methods are used, to produce outstanding wines like Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and the premium wine Primus. The guests are welcome 365 days in a year and can enjoy an interesting tour through the vineyard. In this opportunity they will know about the history of Wine production and the vineyards. In three different stages you will get information about the wine casks and the big wine tanks, then about the Fermentation process and the wine production. Afterwards you can taste the wines of the Veramonte vineyard. Later, arrival to Indomita Winery, located on the top of a hill, with a panoramic view of Casablanca Valley. Walk around the corridors on the upper part of the cellar. Access to the storage room to taste some red wine. Later arrival to Casas del Bosque Winery, where an enologist will guide the visit to the elaboration room and cellars. Wine tasting and visit to the wine-shop. Lunch at the winery's restaurant accompanied with the local wine. Both the winery and the restaurant resemble a castle, being the only ones presenting this type of architecture.

After Lunch: excursion to Valparaíso, the oldest port in Chile. Today, while it is not the largest port it retains tremendous historical significance as well as being home to the Chilean House of Assembly and Senate. In 1989 when democracy, and thus the National Assembly, was re-established it was transferred here from Santiago. During our city tour we shall visit the new government houses, the Plaza Sotomayor, the Plaza Victoria, the cathedral and the harbor area. High above the city there is a fantastic agglomeration of brightly painted homes. The upper and lower parts of the city are connected with 16 funicular railways constructed around the turn of the century when the city experienced tremendous growth.

From Valparaíso we shall continue along the coast to the beautiful beaches of Viña del Mar, the Garden city, named for its many parks and green spaces. We shall take some time in one of the most attractive the Parque Quinta Vergara with an amphitheater and the Museo de Bellas Artes. An International Music Festival is held here every year. Viña del Mar is a lively city with attractive beaches, modern hotels, high-end restaurants and fashionable bars. The casino, built in 1932 and set amidst beautiful gardens, is a well kept Chilean tradition of elegance. Return to Santiago.

Tuesday: Concha y Toro
In the morning we drive to Concha y Toro, the biggest and perhaps the most important wine exporter in Chile. We shall visit the oldest of their bodegas located south of Santiago in the Maipo Valley. Founded in 1883 it sits amidst a beautiful park next to the old family mansion "La Chascona", which dates back to before the turn of the century.

Our visit to the vineyard includes a tour of the facilities and the historical museum. The best-known brands made by Concha y Toro are Don Melchor, Marquéz de Casa Concha and Casillero del Diablo. Afterwards we continue on to the nearby village of Pirque, where we lunch at "La Vaquita Echa" well known for its traditional Chilean Country-Cooking. In the afternoon we shall proceed up the beautiful Maipo river Valley into the Andes on to the town of San José de Maipo. San Jose is a country village laid out in the traditional chessboard grid pattern with the plaza de Armas in the center. Lots of adobe architecture lends it a colonial air. After enjoying the beauty of this typical Chilean countryside and the pure mountain air of the Andes we shall return to Santiago.

Wednesday: Santa Rita Winery
Visit to Santa Rita winery with wine tasting included. Domingo Fernández Concha founded the Viña Santa Rita cellars in 1880. French technology was imported for their construction. The company currently has a total of four cellars for the wine producing process located in Alto Jahuel, Los Lirios, Palmilla and Lontué. French and American oak barrels are used in the aging cellars, where wine acquires complexity and body, with a woody flavor and a soft and delicate aroma.

One of Chile's oldest aging cellars is located in Alto Jahuel (Buin.) Viña Santa Rita's best wines, like Casa Real and Medalla Real Cabernet Sauvignon for export are aged in the cave of this storehouse. This cellar was built with stone masonry by French architects and has been declared a National Monument. After visit transfer to Santa Cruz. Dinner and overnight in the Hotel Plaza**** Santa Cruz.

Thursday: Three more wineries on the Valle de Colchagua
We will visit for the day 3 wineries. Each winery to be visited has its own history and individual charm, many of which have a long family tradition, together with the latest technology incorporated for the production of their fine wines, which you will have the chance to taste and acquire at special prices.

This circuit has been highly acclaimed internationally, as an exceptional tourist destination (highlighted among the 25 most interesting destinations in the magazine Travel & Leisure, January 2000, USA). The visitors are accompanied by our guides who speak Spanish, English, French and/ or German, and with great warmth will show the wineries, explaining each process which finally produce magnificent wines in this highly reputed valley, finishing off with a tasting of some of those wines. The visitor will be able to discover the reasons behind why Chile’s best wines are born here. Each of the aforementioned factors makes each tour with the Ruta del Vino of Colchagua, a discovery, a learning process, and without doubt, highly entertaining. Wine tastin, lunch & dinner included

Friday: Colchagua Valley museum

Morning free. We suggest a visit to Colchagua Valley museum (Fundación Cardoen). The Museo de Colchagua was planned with the concept to go through the past of the planet and the Universal man’s History from our American reality. The visitors can get an illustrations abouth themes on Paleonthology, archaelogy and Pre Columbian Art of Chile and America, History of the Conquest, Colony and the Independence of Chile and America till the Republican period. Besides it includes thematic pavilions about Modernity, History and Development of Arms, Coaches and carriages, agricultural machinery and the Railway Pavillion. All this outliners it as the biggest and most varied and diverse museum in Latin America. Transfer from Hotel in Santa Cruz to Santiago. Overnight in Hotel Torremayor**** or Hotel Radisson*****

Saturday:

Day free - or - full day optional tour to Chile's premier Andean ski resort Portillo. Dinner tonight at Restaurant El Parron.

Sunday: Fly home or to continue on an other deluxe tour:

See Patagonia the Southern Andes and Buenos Aires on our The Very Best of Argentina tour or continue on the very popular Tango, Samba, Waterfalls tour and see Buenos Aires, Iguassu Falls, the Atlantic Rainforest and Rio de Janeiro.

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