Wine Country Excursions to Santiago, Chile

and Mendoza, Argentina

VIP Chilean Wine Country, Mendoza and Uco Valley Wine Country -

10 Days / 9 nights

The Cost: $4,195 per person double for this VIP package

Arrival Day - Day One: (If you are arriving from the United States, the flights usually arrive in Santiago early morning.)
You will be greeted by your bilingual host at the Santiago de Chile International Airport, and then transferred to your hotel, the Hotel Orly, located in Providencia, close to the financial and cultural districts, and near the Metropolitano Park. This small stylish hotel combines all the amenities of luxury with an especially friendly, helpful staff, and a posh location.
The host will assist with check-in, and then you'll have time to relax and rest. Your host will return to take you on a city tour in the afternoon, and this can include lunch or snacks. (Please Note: Instead of a city tour you may choose to visit a winery for a tour and tasting.) After the tour of historic sites you will be dropped off at the hotel for an evening on your own**. We will make recommendations for restaurants, clubs, and sightseeing. Overnight at the Orly.
Day Two: After breakfast at the hotel, your host will pick you up (with a private car and driver) for a full day drive through the wine country, with the day ending in Santa Cruz in the Colchagua Valley. First, you will visit the renowned wineries of Concha Y Toro and Almaviva in the Maipo region. Concha Y Toro was founded in 1883 by the Spanish nobleman Don Melchor de Concha Y Toro. Here you'll learn about each step in intricate winemaking process, followed by a tasting. Then on to Vina Almaviva, a boutique fine wine maker that is a joint venture between Concha Y Toro and Baron Philippe de Rothschild. Enjoy a tour and tasting, followed by lunch. Afterwards you'll drive through the splendid Maipo Canyon, and then down through the wine country to Santa Cruz in the Colchagua Valley. Check-in at the Hotel Santa Cruz Plaza. This is a charming old-world-style hotel with all the new world amenities. Relax, take a swim or a sauna, then enjoy a fine meal in the hotel's restaurant along with a sampling of marvelous regional wines. Overnight at Santa Cruz.
Day Three: After breakfast, enjoy a day of wine touring through the magnificent Colchagua Valley, with visits and tastings at Vina Bisquertt, Vinas Pueblo Antiguo, and Vinas La Posada. From the winemakers you will have the chance to learn about special processes that make Chilean wines unique, and to taste some of their best wines, wines they do not export. A delicious regional lunch will be included with a continued discussion of the temperature and soil qualities that make the finest wines possible. Wind up the day with a tour of the private museum, the Museum of Colchagua. Relax at the hotel, dinner, and overnight at Santa Cruz.
Day Four: After breakfast, a day of wine touring through the verdant Curico Valley. Visit the wineries of Miguel Torres and Los Robles, the two most sophisticated fine wine producers in the valley. Both wineries are steeped in history and tradition, yet they have progressed to become world leaders in exporting fine wines today. Sample their award-winning wines. (Please note: Horseback riding and an asado lunch can be arranged as an option.) After lunch, drive back to Santiago to the Orly Hotel, spend the late afternoon and evening relaxing, strolling around the city, and have a delightful dinner on your own**. Overnight at the Orly.
Day Five: After breakfast, you will be picked up at your hotel and transferred to the airport for your flight to Mendoza. This is a short jet flight, about 45 minutes. You will arrive in Mendoza around 10 AM. You will be greeted by your bilingual host in the VIP lounge at the Mendoza airport, then driven (about fifteen minutes) by private car to your hotel, the Mendoza Park Hyatt. The Hyatt is a deluxe European-style hotel ideally located in the heart of the city across from Independencia Plaza. After freshening up, your host and driver will take you into the nearby wine country for a visit to Familia Zuccardi Winery for lunch, followed by a tour and tasting.
Afterwards, you'll have the option of visiting another winery, La Rural and their wine museum, for example, or returning to town for an orientation city tour and afternoon coffee or tea. Your host will leave you at the hotel to relax. Spa treatments can be arranged. Your host will pick you up at the hotel and take you out for cocktails and a fine dinner in one of Mendoza's best restaurants. Here you can sample a variety of wines with the various courses of your meal. We can also arrange for a distinguished winery owner to join you. Overnight at Park Hyatt.
Day Six: Breakfast at the hotel, then a beautiful drive to Terrazas de los Andes Winery. Located in the district of Pedriel, this area is considered of the best pedigree in terms of wine growing quality. Terrazas is the fine wines division of Moet & Chandon. You will be greeted by the Terrazas winemakers who will give you a tour of the winery, followed by a tasting. (For those who want to visit as many wineries as possible in a day, we could stop off on the way to Terrazas at wineries that could include LaGarde, Alta Vista, Vina Amalia, or others.)
A short drive to the Chandon Winery. An orientation presentation and sparkling wine tasting, followed by a sumptuous private lunch. After lunch you will drive to Chacras de Coria Inn, a delightful Mediterranean inn in the chic neighborhood of Chacras de Coria. Take a siesta, lounge by the pool, or schedule an in-room massage.
Tapas at the Inn in the wine bar, followed by a parrilla dinner outdoors on the Inn patio. Overnight at Chacras.
Day Seven: After breakfast, a short drive to the Catena Zapata Winery. This is one of the most beautiful and striking wineries in the world; designed as a replica of a Mayan pyramid. You will take a tour of the winery and enjoy a private tasting session in the elegant tasting room.
A short drive to the Dolium Winery. This is a small boutique winery owned by Mario Giadorou. Mario is a successful engineer and has built this winery with some radical concepts. For example, the entire winery is built underground to maintain ideal temperature controls. Tour the winery and tasting, followed by a private lunch on the top floor terrace overlooking the vineyards and the Andes.
Late afternoon drive to the Septima Winery. Septima is nestled into the foothills of the Andes, a relatively new winery owned by the Spanish group, Codorniu. Tour and tasting. As an option, instead of visiting Septima, we can arrange horseback riding, hiking, rafting, golf, shopping, or a relaxing massage. This evening your host will take you to dinner at "1884", the historic Francis Mallman restaurant located in the historic Escorihuela Winery. Overnight at Chacras.
Day Eight: After breakfast, a drive through the countryside to the splendid Uco Valley. This is a rural area close to the Andes and ninety kilometers south of Mendoza City. Your destination is Estancia "Los Chulengos", where you will ride horseback into the foothills to take in the awe-inspiring scenery.
After the ride, you'll enjoy a typical Argentine asado (barbecue) with the snow-capped peaks of the Andes looking over your shoulder. The asado will include roasted lamb, various prime cuts of Argentine beef, a variety of sausages, empanadas, fresh salads and bread, and of course, a splendid selection of hearty wines.
After lunch-A short drive to the Salentein Winery, one of the most famous in Valle de Uco. Orientation tour and private tasting. Then a short drive down the valley's tree-canopied roads to Postales del Plata, a lush finca and casually elegant colonial inn. Check in to your suite, then relax, walk through the vineyards, take a swim, or enjoy a massage. Later you'll savor oven-fresh hors d'oeuvres, followed by a scrumptious dinner with a fine selection of wines. (For those interested, our executive chef is happy to give lessons or classes in the cooking styles of Mendoza.) Overnight at Postales.
Day Nine: After breakfast you'll drive out through the foothill countryside to visit the Clos de Los Siete complex in Vista Flores, and the Monteviejo winery. This is one of Mendoza's most storied winery projects. Here you will enjoy an orientation tour and private lunch at Monteviejo; in their fourth floor dining room that literally overlooks the entire valley and the Cordon del Plata glaciers. After lunch you'll continue south through the Uco Valley to the Finca La Celia winery for a tour and tasting. If you would like some exercise, La Celia has a wonderful stable for horseback riding through their vineyards and up to their private reservoir. The scenery is awe-inspiring with the Andes as your backdrop. (Note: For those who would like to experience another valley winery, J&F Lurton is an option we recommend.)
Relax back at Postales. After dinner, enjoy an evening of local music on the verandahs around the pool. If you would like tango lessons, just ask. Overnight at Postales.
Day Ten - Departure Day: After breakfast, you'll have time to relax on the finca, take a hike through the vineyards, or just enjoy the view of the Andes by the pool. Your host will pick you for the drive back to Mendoza. Depending on your flight departure time, you might have time to visit another winery or two, or do some shopping in Mendoza City. If you would like to buy wine, this would be an ideal time. You can take the wine with you, or we can arrange to have wine shipped to your home.
Your host will escort you back to Mendoza airport and help you with your VIP check-in for your departure. Gracias por todo, y buen viaje!

The Cost: $4,195 per person double for this VIP package, or your customized version of it. (**Note: Guests are on their own for dinners the two nights in Santiago. We will make recommendations for restaurants, sightseeing, clubs, and other activities. All airline flights are additional.)
(Note: This itinerary can also be customized with more moderate, or more luxurious, options. Prices for substantially different itineraries will be quoted based on the options you choose. International arrivals and/or departures are available through Buenos Aires.)

Of course you can choose to continue your wine and adventure tour by traveling south with us to San Rafael, Argentina, another valley oasis rich with vineyards, fruit orchards, and a variety of activities ranging from fly-fishing for trout, to horseback riding, whitewater rafting, wing-shooting, and skiing at Las Lenas Ski Resort (late-June to early October).

Additional adventure options we often arrange for our guests include wing-shooting in Cordoba and Corrientes, golden dorado fishing in Corrientes, fly-fishing trout in Patagonia or sea-run browns in Tierra del Fuego, plus a number of city tour options are available in Buenos Aires and Santiago.