Description:
Most of the famous vineyards are situated within a 50 km radius around Santiago. Thus one can stay comfortably in Santiago and enjoy the many excellent restaurants and nightlife the capital has to offer while visiting and tasting during the day.
Activites:
Cultural Exploration
Itinerary:
Day 1: Santiago / Winetasting at the Wine House
You will be met by your English-speaking guide at the Santiago Airport. After a transfer to your hotel in the heart of the city we will pick you up in the afternoon and drive up to Cerro San Cristobal, where you will enjoy a marvelous view of the Andes which surround Santiago. While up here we will visit a small wine museum at the Enoteca restaurant and you will get your first impression of the Chilean wine producers and their wines. Later our first formal tasting will be arranged especially for you at the Wine House, the most well-known and diversified dealer of boutique wines in Chile. Accommodation at the Hotel Plaza San Francisco.
Day 2: Vineyard Cousiño Macul and Concha y Toro
Morning excursion to the famous Viña Cousiño Macul. A formal tasting will follow and afterwards we will drive to the village Pirque, where we can have an (optional) lunch at the La Vaquita Echa, a restaurant famous for its traditional Chilean country cooking. We then follow the valley of the River Maipo to Viña Concha y Toro, perhaps the best-known and biggest of all the Chilean wineries. We will visit the oldest of their wine production facilities and the historic museum. Founded in 1883, the vineyard is situated in the middle of a lovely park near the old family mansion La Chascona, which was built before the turn of the century. The most famous wines of Concha y Toro are Don Melchor, Marquéz de Casa Concha and Casillero del Diablo. Return to Santiago, accommodation in the Hotel Plaza San Francisco.
Day 3: Cuvée Mum and Santa Rita
We leave to visit Viña Cuvée Mum, which became famous because of its excellent champagne. Then we continue our excursion to Viña Santa Rita, which has won a clutch of gold medals in international competitions in England, Spain and the U.S. In 1880 Santa Rita was founded in the Maipo Valley, where already a century before vineyards had been established. The wine cellar of these early times is one of the oldest still used. Today the historic family residence is a tastefully decorated hotel and restaurant. We take a guided tour through the winery and the enormous park. Afterwards we'll have the opportunity to taste some of their most exquisite wines. In the afternoon return to Santiago and spend the night in the Hotel Plaza San Francisco.
Day 4: Santiago
Transfer to the airport for your connecting flight.