Chilean Wines

You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel in Santiago. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Today is a day you will experience and feel Santiago like a true "Santiaguino".

Your guide will pick you up at your hotel and together will board one of the most efficient and clean subways in the world, Santiago's Metro. In it, you will reach the classic and most important subway station in Town, Universidad de Chile where gigantic murals of local artists are displayed showing a piece of Chile's reach urban culture.

Upon exiting the station you will find yourself in the middle of Santiago's busy downtown. Walk to the Stock Exchange via the classic streets of downtown Santiago, partaking in a Santiago classic coffee experience in one of the many coffee shops called "Cafe con Pierna" or "Coffee with Legs"... you will see first hand why it is named as such!

Continue to the Paseo Ahumada, arriving at the main square, Plaza de Armas, which is a meeting point of several immigrant influences from neighboring Latin countries. After visiting the main Cathedral, walk Puente Street to Mercado Central (local fish Market) where you will see the many varied types of fish and shellfish that the Pacific Ocean has to offer, and that make up the many menu choices in the Santiago region.

In this market you will have lunch at one of the restaurants where locals eat and where tourists usually do not show up. Your guide will be with you at all times explaining local culture and helping you interact with shop tenders, waiters and everyone you want to meet. After lunch walk across the Mapocho river to visit the Vega Central (local food market) here you will see the different fruits and vegetables that the fertile lands of Chile offer.

After the visit walk through the Bellavista district, also known as the bohemian district where you will enter a local bar to try out a refreshing local drink called "The Terremoto" (earthquake). After this stop continue to the San Cristobal Hill where you will get to the top in the traditional funicular. You will have a great view of Santiago and will be able to track the places you visited during the day. Here, a vehicle will be waiting to take you back to the hotel after a day of exploring Santiago and being a true "Santiaguino".

Head out towards Santa Cruz located in Colchagua valley. The wines coming from this region, about an hour and a half south of Santiago, differ remarkably from those produced in the north of the capital. Upon arrival in Colchagua valley, you will be able to visit the facilities of Vie Manent winery where you will see and learn about the winemaking processes of some of the most highly recognized wines in the Colchagua Valley. You will also be able to enjoy a tasting of the different varieties of wines produced by the winery. Lunch will be at Viu Manent. Then, enjoy the Colchagua museum located in a large adobe manor built in 1850.

In the afternoon, you have a wine tour at Santa Cruz winery: This vineyard is located 25km south of Santa Cruz, on the road to Lolol, a new wine project aimed at producing wine grapes for the production of very high quality wines. At the winery you will be able to taste the highly awarded wine, Chaman, the tour includes a visit to the Indigenous Village that has been built next to the vineyard. This village consists of reproductions of Mapuche, Rapa Nui, and Aymara tribal dwellings.

In the morning, the trip continues towards Rosario valley, close to Casablanca valley, where the Matetic vineyard is located:

The story of the Matetic Winery begins in 1999 when the Matetic family decided to diversify their business ventures and enter the world of wine, confident in the virtues of the climate and soils in the Rosario Valley. With a firm conviction in the vital importance of maintaining a strong professional team to guide every step of the project to ensure that Matetic wines achieve the highest quality. The new Matetic vineyards winery, designed by the Vina Matetic team in cooperation with architect Lawrence Odfjell, is a state-of-the-art winemaking facility, constructed so as to complement its glorious setting. In other words, harmony has been reached between the winery's organic agricultural practices and the natural landscape of the valley. This winery, which has a 300 thousand-litre capacity, relies on a gravitational-flow design that optimizes management of the grapes brought in from the nearby vineyards. After lunch, transfer to the cellar. During a tour, visitors can learn about the different phases of wine production while appreciating stunning views of the vineyards and the beautiful Rosario Valley.

Today there is a morning half day tour to William Cole winery and the afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the facilities of Casona Matetic.

The William Cole winery lies in a flat valley ringed by hills reminiscent of parts of the Mediterranean or of Napa Valley, California. Since these hills are nearby, the valley soils, though varied, are alluvial in nature, and ideal for the growing of wine grapes of certain types. This soil, combined with the proximity to the cold waters of the Pacific's Humboldt Current which arrives from the Antarctic, results in an exceptional environment for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

For their vines they use only the most modern technologies to ensure a consistent production of quality grapes. All 130 planted hectares are served by drip irrigation and water aspersion frost control systems. The trellising is Vertical Shoot Positioning with dual fruiting wires. Each spring, new canes are tied by hand to the wires so that the grape clusters will hang free to minimize possible damage from disease. Since William Cole Vineyards is an estate, all of the grapes are grown in one contiguous plantation adjacent to the winery. This proximity to their winery allows them to pick their grapes in the cool mornings and have them ready for processing within minutes after the harvest. The wine tour includes a visit to the winery, the vineyard and a wine tasting.

Then, enjoy an afternoon at Matetic Winery Casona Lodge. La Casona Hotel at Matetic Vineyards is a colonial styled boutique hotel offering exclusive services. Lunch is included. Return to your hotel.

Today you will have a full day Vina del Mar and Valparaiso tour including a " Like a Native" day tour with lunch included.

After breakfast, transfer back to Santiago Airport for your onward journey.