Chile has been making wine since the 1600s, but it's been the last decade that has seen substantial jumps in both quality and quantity. Today Chile enjoys a stellar reputation for producing good wine at fair prices and has entered the field of high end wines while steadily experimenting with grape varieties, beyond Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere and Sauvignon Blanc. As the country has gained ground in production efforts, they've also expanded their wine tourism sector. With plenty of hands-on, adventure packed wine tours available throughout the nation's popular wine-growing regions.
De Martino Winery Blending Session
S. Slinkard
If you've ever wanted to try your hand at blending several grape varieties together to make your own red blend, then Chile's De Martino Winery has the hands-on winemakers session designed just for you. Located about an hour outside of Santiago in the Maipo Valley, De Martino offers several wine enthusiast attractions. From bilingual estate tours (including organic vineyards, fermentation cellars and barrel room), to several options for wine tastings, and outdoor lunch reservations overlooking their gorgeous grounds to the hands-on wine blending session, there are plenty of opportunities to gain a better understanding of Chilean wines and vines at the Tuscan-styled De Martino Winery.
De Martino is open Monday through Saturday, call ahead to set up appointment.
Contact Information:
Phone: 56-2-8192062
Email: wineshop@demartino.cl
Vina Tarapaca Winery
S. Slinkard
Vina Tarapaca is located outside of Santiago in the Maipo Valley. The center of the estate boasts a grand 19 room Tuscan-style guesthouse ($170-250/night), full winery tours with tastings included ($25-65 depending on the level of wines you'd like to try) and vineyard adventures via horse-drawn carriage or horseback riding. Their Gran Reserva wines offer good quality wines in the $15-20 price range, those that wish to turn up their tasting experience can check out Tarapaca's limited production Cabernet Sauvignon dominated blend, Tara-Pakay.
Appointments are encouraged.
Contact Information:
Phone: +56 2 819 27 85
Email: cldiaz@vspt.cl
Neyen Winery
S. Slinkard
Located in Chile's Colchagua Valley, the Neyen Estate (now owned by Veramonte) is dedicated to Carmenère and Cabernet Sauvignon vines. The winery and some of the vines are over a hundred years old. Outstanding limited production blends with Cab to Carmenere ratios changing from year to year are Neyen's forte. Visitors may hike or horseback ride to a shaded, outdoor tasting area through the Apalta Natural Reserve or opt for the vineyard walk, winery tour and cellar tasting.
At least a day's advance notice is requested for tastings and tours.
Contact Information:
Phone: +56 2 240 63 00
Email: jaime@neyen.cl
Viu Manent Winery
S. Slinkard
First-rate Chilean wines and outstanding wine tourism opportunities await visitors at Chile's Viu Manent Winery. From horse-drawn carriage rides and horseback vineyard excursions, to hands-on grape harvesting experiences, and winemaking sessions that give participants a glimpse of the vinification process and wrap up with blending their own wine, Viu Manent has several engaging wine tourism programs to woo wine enthusiasts of all interest. Traditional winery tours are also available that include the estate's rich history, vinification process and philosophy, cellars (with barrel tastings) and end with a reserve wine tasting experience at the visitor's center. Viu Manent's onsite restaurant and outdoor cafe seating in full view of the vineyards and equestrian arena offer delicious, seasonally-inspired menus that make for a perfect lunch stop along the Colchagua Valley wine trail.
Contact Information
Phone: +56 72 328428
Email: turismo@viumanent.cl
Vina Las Ninas
S. Slinkard
Las Ninas meaning "the girls" in Spanish, is a winery owned and operated by eight French women representing three generations of family and friends. Inspired by the Colchagua Valley's terroir, the winery was established in the late 1990s with close to 400 acres planted with Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Mourvedre, Merlot and Chardonnay. The estate itself sits in a sub-region of the Colchagua Valley, Apalta, and is surrounded on two sides by protective foothills. These foothills provide ample inspiration for hiking and mountain biking, both of which can be enjoyed while visiting the Las Ninas winery. Winery tours, tastings, mountain bike excursions and wine country picnic sites are all part of the perks one can enjoy with a visit to Chile's Las Ninas Winery.
Contact Information
Phone: +56 72 321 600
Email: info@vinalasninas.cl
Emiliana
Emiliana
Emiliana is one of Chile's premier organic and biodynamic wine estates located in the Casablanca Valley. Immerse yourself in the organic vineyard vocabulary of biological corridors, cover crops, composting, mobile chicken coops, biodynamic calendars and much more through an educational vineyard tour covering the concepts and philosophies of biodynamic farming at Emiliana. Offering three unique tiers of wines: biodynamic, organic and integrated management wines - many of which are available for onsite tastings, Emiliana takes pride in its well-sustained soil used to nurture high quality grapes. Tourists with large groups can indulge in one of Emiliana's wine country luncheons, generally served outdoors amidst the idyllic garden setting or visitors can opt for a hand-packed organic picnic basket for two to settle in and enjoy the ivy-laden trees, lavish gardens and vineyard views. Traditional tastings along with unique food-pairing experiences are yours to try at Emiliana, with wine and organic chocolate pairings, wine and organic cheese pairings as well as a blind wine tasting experience to test your palate prowess.
Contact Information
Phone +56 2 353 9130
Email: info@emiliana.cl
Enotours
Enotour
If you are looking for ways to simplify and streamline your Chilean wine country travel plans, then Enotours is your boots on the ground full-service, wine country tourism agency. From spending a day visiting wineries in one of Chile's diverse wine regions, to discovering Chile's "own" grape Carmenere in a variety of bottlings, and opportunities to taste the wines side-by-side with the winemakers, to fully customized itineraries that will make the most of your time in Chile's wine regions, Enotours has the wine industry relationships and experience to design the right itinerary for you.
Prefer not to drive your own itinerary? They've got cars, buses and drivers happy to chauffeur you around the region's top wineries, wine bars, Santiago city tours and more.
Contact Information:
Phone: +56 2 481 4081
Email: reservas@enotourchile.com
