Chile & Argentina + Bolivia? 12 Days from US$ 2885
With each passing year, the high altitude wine tour bar (no pun intended!) gets raised even higher. But without a doubt, the highest concentration of high altitude wineries is to be found in South America. More specifically northern Argentina, but also in Bolivia and Chile.
- Arrive in Santiago de Chile – sightseeing if time permits
- Day in the Aconcagua region (extend your time to visit Colchagua?)
- Fly to Mendoza, evening free to stroll the area
- Full day in Lujan de Cuyo
- More Lujan de Cuyo and down to the Uco Valley
- Exploration of the Uco Valley
- Fly to Salta, evening Peña show and dinner
- To Cafayate with tours and tastings – overnight in Cafayate
- Exploration of Cafayate – returning to Salta this evening
- To high altitude Humahuaca – Visit the highest winery in the world
- Fly to Buenos Aires, evening Tango show with dinner
- Leave from Buenos Aires (this could be the previous day)
Gary and Malka will be your hosts while you are here in Chile, from your airport pickups and transfers, through all the tastings, visits and tours they will always be with you.
Bolivia Extension: Three extra days of wine tasting pleasure
- Arrive in Tarija from Salta via Santa Cruz, Bolivia
- Exploring high altitude wine and Singani in the Tarija region
- Another day in remote villages and trying the wine of La Concepcion
- Departure from this extension would be via La Paz or Santa Cruz
Day 1 – Arrive in Santiago de Chile
Upon arrival today we will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your central hotel. What you do today will depend on your arrival time. If you arrive early then we may be able to fit in some sightseeing in the capital.
Early evening we will swing by to take you to your introductory tasting. We work with a number of wine bars and “vinotecas” which are perfect for enjoying your first taste of Chilean wine on native soil. Your wine guide will take you through a flight of regional highlights with some local cheese and bread. We may choose an ancient bush vine Carignan from Itata, a tree-climbing Pais from Maule or a high altitude Carmenere from Aconcagua. You will enjoy 4 or 5 wines that differ in a number of ways and guide you through the geography and terroir that they express.
After the tasting, if you want to continue drinking at the same place or move on then that we can do. There are a large number of eating and drinking options nearby. Tired? If so we will walk back with you and bid you goodnight at your hotel.
Day 2 – Full day in the Aconcagua Valley
Errazuriz Winery and more!
We build our time in the Aconcagua Valley around the Errazuriz winery as a “must-do” and the benchmark for other wines in the area, and around Chile. This particular wine region is very close to Santiago so below we also talk about other visits we recommend while staying in the capital of Chile. We will have you explore the wineries close to the city before venturing further and higher.
Remember: All our high altitude wine tours are tailor-made and customized if you want to visit a certain place or do a particular activity just let us know and we will make it happen.
The prestigious Errazuriz winery was founded way back in 1870 and today garners wine awards on a regular basis, in 2004 it placed ahead of Chateau Lafite and Margaux at a blind tasting in Berlin. The extensive vineyards stretch up into the surrounding hills and from the viewpoint, above the winery, you will appreciate the whole picture. A visit to the cellar and production areas will be made before enjoying a premium tasting.
After enjoying some of the high altitude wines at Errazuriz we will travel the short distance to the Viña San Esteban winery. The “In Situ” vineyards cling to the steep slopes of Mount Paidahuen which provide increased drainage and vine stress while these same fields also benefit from healthy cool breezes and plenty of sunshine at great angles. With the selection and production techniques employed here high-quality fruit is a given.
We will now take you to refuel somewhere nearby, we will choose a place which gives you a taste of local food which you can pair with the high altitude wine which you are getting to like, or even love.
During the short drive back to your hotel, we will fill you in on the delights we have lined up for you tomorrow, whether that we further exploration close to Santiago or a trip down to Colchagua or directly to Mendoza. We will drop you off at your hotel with your time set for pick up in the morning.
Day 3 – Mendoza – delve into Argentine wine
Today you will fly just one hour over the Andes to Mendoza, the center of Argentine wine.
We welcome you to Mendoza upon arrival at the airport, we love traveling the wine regions also so it is great to have the chance to show you around. From the airport, we will give you a chance to change some money and then whisk you to your hotel.
After checking into the wine country posada (see suggestions below), you can have some free time to wander the upscale urban neighborhood of Chacras de Coria, where small cafes, restaurants, and plazas bustle with local living.
Our mid-range favorite in for this tour is Casa de Coria, click this link to take a look at the place. To stay somewhere very exclusive, have a look at this blog – Locked Inside a Winery!
Day 4 – Tours and tastings in Lujan de Cuyo
Following a hearty breakfast, our driver and guide will meet you for the start of your private Lujan de Cuyo wine tour and a day of exploring the area. We will begin at Bodega Benegas where we step back in time, touring a traditional winery owned by Federico Benegas, grandson of one of Mendoza’s most prominent wine industry players, Tiburcio Benegas.
The family relics provide perspective on Mendoza winemaking at the turn of the 20th century, you can also enjoy the impeccable collection of national ponchos showing that Federico is a man of proud of his heritage. The boutique production of bold reds, styled with rich earthy notes will be tasted in the underground cellars. Bodegas are quite tightly grouped in this area so we are driving very short distances between them, giving you maximum time at each.
Next, we suggest a visit to Bodega Kaiken. The owners of Montes winery in Chile decided to extend their reach with a winery in Argentina and bought a winery originally built in 1920 and refitted it to modern standards. The wine is superb and benefits from different estate terroir scattered around Lujan and Uco according to the wishes of the Kaiken winemaker.
Bodega Lamadrid is next on the list. Experience which Bornardas, Cabernets, and Malbecs you like best in an exclusive tasting in the lovely underground cellar. The talented winemakers here blend different styles to capture the hearts and palates of wine enthusiasts looking for clean balanced wines. Either here or en-route we will grab a late lunch or a snack – remember that this tour is private, hence flexible. If you are hungry at any time just let your guide know, there are a great number of options to keep you fueled.
We will then drive west on a scenic drive through the splendid lower Andes, now and during the days with us if you need to stretch your legs we can stop for short walks, and of course photo ops abound. In the early evening, we will drop you at your hotel and leave you free to relax.
Day 5 – High Altitude Wine, Lujan to Uco
Following breakfast, your high altitude wine tour continues with a closer look at diverse Malbec wines through those produced at Matervini. During a technical tasting (or non-technical) led by one of the Matervini sommeliers, you can indulge yourself to the ultra-premium single vineyard Malbecs made in 5 different native soil structures of Argentina’s western slopes of the Andes.
To learn more about this iconic grape we visit Bodega Catena Zapata, a showcase winery designed like a Mayan temple overlooking dramatic views of vineyards and mountains. We’ll learn about one of Argentina’s great winemaking families and how they were catalysts in the paradigm shift to improve the quality of Argentine wines. Taste from the barrels and later taste the same bottled wines with their team of Somms.
We will then head to Bodega Renacer for a delicious three-course wine pairing lunch. In Spanish, Renacer means “to be reborn” and symbolizes the Chilean owner’s rebirth in Argentina’s wine industry. This small winery focuses on modern, juicy, new-world Malbecs. Revel in the warmth and beauty of the landscape as you sip the perfectly paired wine with each course.
We’ll travel farther south following lunch today on your high altitude wine tour, entering the vast expansive high-altitude Uco Valley. The one-hour drive is a perfect way to enjoy the scenic landscapes and anticipate a whole new region tomorrow.
Check into Posada Alpasion – our suggested hotel for this section of the tour – see the video below for a great view of two hotels, the second one being the more expensive Casa de Uco.
Day 6 – The Uco Valley in Detail
Mornings are so magical when you are surrounded by vineyards and orchards! The Uco Valley is known for high-quality grapes as well as tree fruits such as apples, peaches, pears, and plums. We will travel through the dense productive region and then ascend into the newest viticultural section, Vista Flores.
Start your morning tasting wines at Super Uco a small winery and bio-dynamic retreat designed by the Michelini brothers, one of Mendoza´s premier wine-producing families. Enjoy their unique creations such as Chardonnays with the body of red wine and Malbecs with incredible color all with a 360-degree view of the beautiful Uco Valley. Their original approach to winemaking is exemplary of their whimsical character and expertise in the field.
Next, we will be delighted with the wines and hospitality at Bodega Corazon del Sol. This is a small, yet ultra-modern winery. Being his third winery worldwide, owner Dr. Madaiah Revana, has created a place with impeccable Malbec-based wines. Sip through the boutique collection and taste the vigor and uniqueness of his high altitude single vineyards. We will continue on for a traditional lunch of grilled meats for lunch at Gimenez Riili. Enjoy their delicious 5-course menu effortlessly paired with well extracted, high altitude Malbecs and Merlots in the company of the owners. To comprehend the scale of the Uco Valley, we’ll take you to the famous Manzano Historico, a historical landmark where San Martin met his son-in-law following the revolutionary wars. There are regional items, geographic maps, and small hikes to enjoy the unique landscape.
We have plenty of options for high altitude wine in the Uco Valley!
There are added dimensions of art and architecture at three unique high altitude wine tour wineries in the Clos de Los Siete group. If you decide to include these wineries we will start with an introductory tasting in Bodega Cuvelier Los Andes. Next, explore the big diamond inside Bodega Diamandes, a winery owned by a French family, the Bonnies (owners of Château Malartic-Lagravière and Château Gazin Rocquencourt).
This winery elegantly pairs deeply complex wines with state-of-the-art architecture, designed by Bórmida and Yanzon studios. A play on words – Diamond and Andes – the winery celebrates the natural Andean landscape and an ultra-premium Bordeaux style wine. Next, marvel at the architectural masterpiece where old world meets new world in the remarkable winery Bodega Monteviejo. Enjoy a wine pairing lunch where world-famous winemaker Marcelo Pellereti’s unique portfolio of wines can be enjoyed with Chef Nadia Haron’s wonderful fusion dishes.
You will be heading to Salta tomorrow for the highest leg of your high altitude wine tour. At the end of today, we will drive to Mendoza and spend the night in a hotel, re-charging your batteries for the trip in the North.
Day 7 – Fly to Salta – Evening Peña
You say good-bye to Malbec central today and fly North to Salta for some serious high altitude wine. Upon arrival, we will pick you up and take you to your comfy hotel in the center of Salta. Take any time you have free to wander the central square and in the evening we will have reserved you a place at a traditional Peña to eat and enjoy local music and dancing, probably at the place you see below:
Days 8 and 9 – Drive down to explore Cafayate
The greatest concentration of this unique terroir is found in and around the small wine mecca of Cafayate, some 3 hours drive south of Salta. Your high altitude wine tour will show how stunningly lovely this area is and how good the wine is, especially the highly aromatic Torrontes.
On this tour, you will visit six or seven wineries over the two days, with tastings at each. We will tour the production facilities and cellars at several wineries, especially where there is something unusual to see or if the client shows particular interest in the ways things are done at a specific place, at others we may just have tastings.
Cafayate Area Tour Highlights:
- Drive through the lovely Quebrada de la Conchas – with photo stops en route
- Visit Finca las Curtiembres en route – tasting in the winery and vineyard
- El Porvenir winery tour plus private, premium led tasting in the cellar
- Visits to 2 picturesque outlying wineries such as Piatelli and Domingo Molina
- There is an option to taste wine by Michel Rolland at the Yacochuya Winery
- Overnight stay in Cafayate – a free evening to eat in the main square
- Drive to spectacular Finca Las Nubes for a tour and privately led tasting
- Visit two or three more wineries in Cafayate for high altitude wine tastings
- Option for waterfall walk, bike ride or goat farm visit
- If we have time on the way back we will visit the Viña Las Viñas winery
Want to extend? Cafayate, Molinos & Cachi!
Your high altitude wine tour continues with some off-the-beaten-track visits, the (previously) highest wine in the world at Colome and a great deal of spectacular scenery en route. This tour can be extended by a further day if people would like to take the visits at a more leisurely pace or add even more highly recommended visits such as Bodega Tacuil and Humanao which are even more isolated in the mountains and offer yet another experience. If you do not / cannot extend your time in this area you will be back in Salta for the 9th night of your high altitude wine triangle tour.
Day 10 – Day Trip out to Humahuaca
Highest Winery in the World
The world´s highest vineyard is a bone of contention and will probably always be so – although there must be a limit to viable terroir? Enterprising high altitude winemakers will always try to innovate and push boundaries further and in this case, higher. Argentina and Chile have the highest vineyards in the world with Colome Winery near Molinos, Argentina previously recognized as the absolute king.
The highest wine cellar in the world
In the region of Humahuaca in Jujuy, 300 km north of Molinos there is a new player on the scene and we offer the chance to visit the new highest vineyard in the world with what is almost certainly the highest wine cellar in the world also. Not just that but the visit will be made with the owner himself! Gary and Malka are shown below with the charming owner Claudio Zucchino and his lovely family.
Your private driver/guide will take you north from Salta two hours into the region of Jujuy and the stunning UNESCO recognized Humahuaca Canyon. There are only a few wineries that are established in this area as it is the most recent addition to the wine regions of Argentina and is very much a work in progress.
The first visit of your high altitude wine tour today will be to the Dupont winery and vineyards located just outside the striking town of Maimara perched at nearly 2500 meters above sea level (8200 feet). The backdrop to this winery is the famous (famous locally that is!) “Painters Palette” mountain, with its layered rock strata of many different colors, which is beautiful in the right light.
Dupont is the most well-known of the Humahuaca producers, and the most experienced. The bodega has 4 main lines, 3 red blends, and a rosé. The blends are made in varying proportions of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, un-oaked and with one line fermented in oak. These wines have scored highly with Stephen Tanzer and Robert Parker. At the winery, you will tour the vines and production areas, with the owner if we can arrange it, and then enjoy a tasting.
Then we will drive the short distance to the Viñas de Uquia winery, just past the Tropic of Capricorn line (which we can visit). This winery is so new that only 3 vintages have been produced and the results are good and getting even better under the expert eye of winemaker Marcos Etchart, who also consults at other high altitude wine producers in the Humahuaca Canyon and Cafayate.
The label of the highest vineyard in the world currently sits on the “Uraqui” wine bottles produced by Claudio Zucchino. Uraqui means “terroir” in the ancient native language of the area, Aymara. This very deep, intense wine is produced from grapes grown at 3329 meters (some 10,922 feet) in the Moya vineyard. The Moya plot produces Malbec, Syrah, and Merlot – and the Uraqui red blend is composed of 60% Malbec, 30% Syrah and 10% Merlot.
Firstly we look around the winery and hear how this ultra-high altitude wine is produced from the “horse´s mouth” so to speak. Claudio is very proud to have the highest vineyard and we will head up from 2750 meters where the lowest blocks and the winery sit at an oxygen-starved 3329 meters in a 4 x 4 to where the highest vineyards grow.
As with a number of places on your high altitude wine tour, we spend a short time wandering the vines and admiring the tremendous views of the surrounding mountains. Then it is off again, steeply uphill, to the highest wine cellar in the world. Claudio decided that the 3850-meter high ex-Barium Sulfate mine provides the perfect environment for the aging of his high altitude wine with its almost constant 13 degree Celsius. Our Blog will tell you much more about the mine-wine cellar, but suffice to say it will be a very memorable visit. You will enjoy a tasting from a dusty wine bottle taken from the racks in the cellar, plus a selection of cheeses, olives, and bread, with incredible views.
We will jam in a visit to the seven-colored hill of Purmamarca on the way back and then you will probably sleep some of the wine off on the way back to Salta where we will drop you off at your hotel in Salta. What happens tomorrow will depend whether you have elected to take an extension to Bolivia or maybe, sadly you have to leave for home
