The wine areas are not only modern but also
fairly sophisticated. The hotels are upscale, the restaurants
are high quality, and the wineries are world class.
But what makes this trip fantastic is not just that the Chileans
and Argentinians clearly have their acts together. It is that
they have their acts together while doing things their way.
Heading for a late dinner in the hip city of Mendoza, engaging
in conversation with a Chilean wine maker, or simply saying
Hola! to the many locals we meet on our activities reminds
you the South Americans seem to have a proper balance to their
lives, with friends, family, and fun co-existing with work.
Our Wine Adventure takes us to several different wine areas
in both Chile and Argentina. In Chile we visit the Maipo,
Apalta, Colchagua, Casablanca, and Aconcagua wine valleys.
Each has its own very distinct microclimate that produces
quite different wines. In Argentina we visit the Luján
de Cuyo and Uco valleys, both in the environs of Mendoza.
We have created some great activities in these wine areas.
We'll do a vineyard walk at the Antiyal Winery outside Santiago
and again in the Apalta area. We'll ride bikes on beautiful
side roads through the vineyards. We have the opportunity
to horseback ride, river raft, and - if you dare - rapel down
a waterfall. Chile and Argentina are beautiful countries and
there is no better way to see them than staying active while
visiting the wine areas.
Itinerary
Day 1: We meet you at 9:00 in the morning
at the Santiago airport after your flight into the country.
We shuttle to the Maipo wine valley and Antiyal Winery,
where we meet the owners, take a walk through their vineyards,
and taste the wines. We head to the Fundacion Origen agricultural
school for a tour of their facilities and lunch on the patio
before shuttling to Santa Cruz and our hotel for the evening.
Day 2: We visit Viña Montes winery
in the Apalta valley in the morning for a vineyard hike,
tasting, and lunch. In the afternoon we visit Viña
Santa Cruz in the Colchagua valley to compare tastes at
these two nearby wine areas. We have a fantastic dinner
that evening at a Chilean-style barbeque restaurant located
right near the wine groves.
Day 3: We head north and then west to the
Casablanca Valley, closer to the coast and thus known more
for white wines. We spend the day biking on back roads,
visiting wineries, and talking with the local vintners.
We can honestly say you'll be swept away by some of the
people, wines, and scenery - we were when we set this tour
up. In the late afternoon, we continue by bus to the coast
and our oceanside hotel.
Day 4: Leaving the coast, we head east for
the mountains and the Aconcagua wine valley, known for heavier
reds such as Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. We check into
our spa hotel, meet our wranglers for a horseback ride in
the hills, and then visit a few of the nearby wineries.
We have time to relax in the evening and make use of the
spa facilities.
Day 5: We make the long but incredibly scenic
drive up and over the Andes mountains into Argentina. On
the way back down, we stop at an "adventure center"
where you have your choice of activities: river rafting,
hiking, or rapelling down a waterfall. After this excursion,
we continue down to the valley floor and into Mendoza, where
we check into the Hotel Villagio, home for the next three
nights.
Day 6: We have set up a unique Vineyard Walk
in the Mendoza area. Starting at the Cavas Wine Lodge, we
walk to the nearby Bodega Landelia for a tour and tasting.
We then walk (or shuttle if you have had enough walking)
back to Cavas for a tasting and lunch in the vineyards.
That evening we have a flight tasting at Vines of Mendoza;
dinner is on your own.
Day 7: We head south from Mendoza for the
Uco Valley, where we will pick up our bicycles and ride
the agricultural roads of this wine area. We'll stop in
several wineries, including Salentein and Andeluna, and
have a great lunch before heading back to Mendoza for our
final dinner.
Day 8: This morning we'll make a switch and
take a group cooking class in the Argentinian style. What
we make we'll eat for lunch and then you'll have the afternoon
free for some final shopping before we say goodbye. Most
of the group will fly out from Mendoza to Santiago that
afternoon to catch evening flights home.
Email
or call 845.485.7221 for more information and to reserve
your space
