Paradise on Earth for Wine Enthusiasts
The Colchagua Valley is the Chilean equivalent of Lujan de Cuyo in Argentina, with a high concentration of prestigious wineries and large expanses of land under vine. Colchagua Valley has perfect growing conditions for certain varieties as it is blessed with a Mediterranean-type climate with less Pacific Ocean cooling than regions closer to Santiago.
We will visit some of the most famous and iconic wineries in the region plus a couple of places you will never have heard of (let us surprise you) – plus you can enjoy cooking classes, blending and treading.
Don’t worry too much about which wineries to visit at this stage – just talk to us about your particular interests and let us suggest the perfect route and itinerary for you.
Colchagua Valley Carmenere is now a real focus for Chile winemakers
This wine region is some three hours drive south from Santiago so we will have you staying overnight down here. One night away gives you a quick look but means lots of driving. Two nights down in Colchagua is much better, but if you have three that would be ideal, much more comfortable and allows you to explore more fully.
In addition to any “curveball” winery visits we throw in you must also experience some of the powerhouses such as Montes, Viu Manent, Santa Cruz, and Casa Silva. Whichever wineries you choose to visit we also highly recommend the blending experience at Mont Gras which ends with you making your own wine, and bottling it. This activity is great fun and quite educational – and if you visit in the correct season we can also have you tread grapes as you see below.
Another winery that we like to include, located firmly on the high-tech, high-investment end of the spectrum, is that of Vik. Driving out to the property is a treat in itself, lovely countryside, plenty of vines and fruit, small villages and farms, watermills and animals all offer photo ops en-route.
Vik is a demonstration of how large investment can pay off quickly, the winery (and hotel) have been built with more cash than most of us can even imagine. The planning and construction work has obviously been impeccable as the hotel is jaw-dropping and the vineyard is producing very high-quality fruit and award-winning wines after a very short period of time.
You can read a detailed description of the Vik winery hotel and vineyard experience by clicking. If you feel like splurging and treating yourself to something very luxurious you could ask us to book you into the Vik Hotel. The incredible hotel is shown in our drone video below – the winery can be seen in the background.
There are a number of options for cooking classes while in the region and our favorite is found at Etiqueta Negra where resident chef Mikhail Sampen will put you through your paces in creating a delicious Chilean dish.
There are several great lodging options in the town of Santa Cruz if you don’t choose an outlying vineyard hotel. This small town serves as a great base for exploring the Colchagua Valley as there are wineries and vineyards a short drive away in any direction. The Terraviña Hotel is a great option among vines and still only a very short distance from the town. The very well-appointed Santa Cruz Plaza is a very popular choice for its facilities and location on the main square in the town.
Another bonus of being a guest at the Santa Cruz Plaza Hotel is easy (and included) access to the superb museum. We didn’t know what to expect from this supposedly small, provincial museum – we were taken aback by how comprehensive and impressive it is.
Particularly moving is the extensive exhibit showing the rescue of the famous trapped miners in 2010 when 33 workers were trapped below ground for a very long time indeed. Enjoy your walk around this museum and it is certain that your wine experiences in the Colchagua Valley will never be forgotten!
