Chile Wine Tours
Winiries in Chile
por
Jun 2, 2005, 14:47

The wineries in the valley below Santiago are some of the oldest in Chile. Here you'll find most of the biggest and best-known vineyards in the country. For years tourists were virtually ignored by these wineries, but they are finally getting attention. Now many wineries are throwing their doors open to visitors for the first time, often letting them see behind-the-scenes activities like harvesting and pressing.

Valle de Maipo

One of the most recognizable of Chile's wine appellations is the Valle de Maipo, an area that stretches south from Santiago. Viña Santa Rita is the only vineyard in the area with a restaurant, and it's a good one. Others worth a visit are Viña Concha y Toro, the country's largest wine maker; Viña Undurraga, known for its lovely grounds; and Viña Cousiño-Macul, which has been making wine in the region since 1856.

Chile's largest wine maker, Viña Concha y Toro produces 11 million cases annually. Some of its table wines -- identifiable by the short, stout bottles -- are sold domestically for about $2. The best bottles, however, fetch sky-high prices abroad. This is one of the oldest wineries in the region. Melchor de Concha y Toro, who once served as Chile's minister of finance, built the casona, or main house, in 1875. He imported vines from Europe, significantly improving the quality of the wines he was able to produce. Hour-long tours begin with an introductory video, a stroll through the vineyards and the century-old gardens, a look at the modern facilities, and a tasting. Reserve a week ahead for Saturday tours. Virginia Subercaseaux 210, Pirque, Chile. PHONE: 2/821-7069. www.conchaytoro.cl. COST: Tour: 3,000 pesos. OPEN: Weekdays 10:30-6, Sat. 10-12. English tours weekdays 11:30-3, Sat. 11 AM.

Residential development keeps creeping closer to Viña Cousiño-Macul, a 625-acre estate where grapes have been grown since the mid-16th century. For the moment the venerable vineyard has managed to hang on. The Cousiño family home, set next to a beautiful 110-acre park, isn't open to the public, but you can visit the rest of the facilities. Especially interesting is the vaulted brick cellar, built in 1872, which can store more than 1 million bottles. Av. Quilín 7100, Peñalolén, Santiago, Chile. PHONE: 2/284-1011. COST: Free. OPEN: Tours: Mon.-Sat. at 11 AM.

Chile's third-largest winery, Viña Santa Rita, played an important historical role in Chile's battle for independence. In 1814, 120 soldiers led by revolutionary hero Bernardo O'Higgins hid here in the cellars. Paula Jaraquemada, who ran the estate, refused to let the Spanish enter, saving the soldiers. (Santa Rita's 120 label commemorates the event.) At the center of Santa Rita's Maipo Valley estate half an hour south of Santiago, the lovely colonial hacienda now serves as the winery's headquarters. Its restaurant, La Casa de Doña Paula, is a delightful place to have a bite after the tour.

Tours take you down into the winery's musty cellars, which are worthy of Edgar Allen Poe. Built by French engineers in 1875 using a lime-and-stone technique called cal y canto, the fan-vault cellars have been named a national monument. The wine was once aged in the barrels you'll see, which are more than 120 years old and are made of raulí wood; today the wine is aged in stainless-steel towers. Unfortunately, the wonderful gardens and the original proprietor's house, with its chapel steeple peeking out from behind a thick canopy of trees, are not part of the tour. Note that you must reserve ahead for these tours. Camino Padre Hurtado 695, Alto Jahuel-Buín, Chile. PHONE: 56-45-443965 COST: Tours: 3,000 pesos; tastings cost extra. OPEN: Bilingual tours (English and Spanish): Tues.-Fri. at 10:30, 11:30, 12:15, 3, 4; weekends at 12:30 and 3:30.

Don Francisco Undurraga Vicuña founded Viña Undurraga in 1885 in the town of Talagante, 34 km (21 mi) southwest of Santiago. The opulent mansion he built here has hosted various visiting dignitaries, from the queen of Denmark to the king of Norway. Today you can tour the house and the gardens -- designed by Pierre Dubois, who planned Santiago's Parque Forestal -- take a look at the facilities, and enjoy a tasting. Reserve ahead for a spot on the tour. Camino a Melipilla Km 34, Talagante, Chile. PHONE: 56-45-443965 COST: Free. OPEN: Tours: weekdays 9:30-4, Sat. 10-3.

Where to Eat

La Casa de Doña Paula. A two-century-old colonial hacienda with thick adobe walls houses Viña Santa Rita's restaurant. Under a peaked wood ceiling, the restaurant is decorated with old religious sculptures and portraits, including one of Paula Jaraquemada, who once ran the estate. If you plan to lunch here, it's a good idea to arrange to take the winery's 12:15 tour. Locally raised meats are the draw here; try the delicious costillar de cerdo (pork ribs). For dessert, the house specialty is ponderación, a crisp swirl of fried dough atop vanilla ice cream and caramel syrup. Viña Santa Rita, Camino Padre Hurtado 695, Alto Jahuel-Buín, Chile. PHONE: 56-45-443965. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Mon. No dinner.


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