Chile & Argentina Wine Adventure

In the morning, you’ll depart from your hotel to the Pacific coast for today’s Chile tours, making a stop along the way at Bodegas RE in the Casablanca Valley. This cool-climate region in the pre-coastal mountain range is home to Chiles premier white and light-bodied red wines. Bodegas RE is helmed by Pablo Morande, the famed ninth-generation wine maker, and his children who use traditional clay pots to produce fascinating single varietals and uncommon blends.

On reaching the coast, you’ll explore Valparaiso, one of the first port cities of South America founded by the Spanish and now a UNESCO World Heritage site. For lunch, you’ll enjoy Turri Rest (or similar) with a stellar menu of Chilean classics. After lunch, you’ll tour the Concepcion and Alegre neighborhoods on foot and ride the century-old historic hillside ascensors (elevators). Return to Santiago for the evening. (B,L)

Please note: Wineries subject to change without notice. Many wineries are closed on Sundays and holidays.

You’ll being the day in the Maipo Valley, the “cradle of Chilean wine-making.” The oldest and most famous of Chile wine regions, it is home to some of the country’s most traditional wineries as well as many boutique wineries that have opened over the past ten years and produce some of the region’s best premium wines. The first stop of the day is Santa Rita in Maipo Valley. One of the valleys oldest wineries, Santa Rita was founded in 1880 and is one of the most popular Chilean wines on the international market. Featuring a strong lineup of exceptional wines including the ultra-premium Pehun Carmnre, which garnered 91 points from Wine Spectator, Santa Rita cultivates century old wines and utilizes modern techniques to produce true enological masterpieces.

Later you’ll then head south to the Colchagua Valley and visit the family-run Viu Manent. Founded in 1935, this winery has built its reputation around attention to detail, regard for the environment, and respect for tradition while embracing innovation and modernity for continued excellence. Viu Manent wines have won several honors, including Gold Medal distinction at the 2011 Catador W Santiago Wine Awards for its Gran Reserva Malbec (2010), Secreto de Viu Manent Sauvignon Blanc (2011) and Secreto de Viu Manent Syrah (2010). Topping off the Viu Manent tastings, you will enjoy a delicious lunch at the winery. Finish the day at your comfortable Santa Cruz accommodations. (B,L)

Please note: Wineries subject to change without notice. Many wineries are closed on Sundays and holidays.

The Colchagua Valley is emerging as the new center of the universe for Chilean reds, and today’s Chile wine tours will prove that title is well deserved. The day begins with a visit to Neyen de Apalta, which produces one Bordeaux-style blend from 115 year-old Carmnre vines. Neyen is the perfect blend of tradition and modernity, founded by the Rojas family in 2002 on the site of one of the areas pioneering 19th century wineries. Next we visit the Montes winery, founded in 1988 by esteemed Chilean winemaker, Aurelio Montes, and three business partners with years of enological experience. Over the past two decades, Via Montes has played a key role in propelling the Chilean wine industry to the international acclaim it enjoys today. Enjoy lunch at Montes before finishing the day at Vina Clos Apalta, founded in 1994 by Alexandra Marnier-Lapostolle (of the Grand Marnier family). The winery produces some of Chile’s best QPR (quality/price ratio) wines. Since the outstanding debut of its 1997 vintage, Casa Lapostolle’s Clos Apalta has helped to establish Colchagua as a premier red wine region. Owner Marnier-Lapostolle and her team have created a distinctive blend of Carménère, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, utilizing cutting-edge techniques such as hand-de-stemming of the grapes and a gravity-flow winery. The 2005 Clos Apalta received 96 points from the Wine Spectator in 2008. Return to your comfortable Santa Cruz accommodations. (B,L)
Please note: Wineries subject to change without notice. Many wineries are closed on Sundays and holidays.

From your hotel, you’ll be transported to the Santiago International Airport for your flight to begin your Argentina travel. Arriving in Mendoza, you’ll check in at the world-class Park Hyatt Hotel before touring this sophisticated scenic city. (B)

Today’s classic Argentina wine tours take you about 20 miles south of Mendoza to the Lujan de Cuyo wine region. You’ll taste offerings from three exceptional wineries in the Agrelo sub-appellation where Malbec reigns supreme.

Benegas Winery
This traditional winery belonged to the family of Gladys Alurralde Norton, mother of current owner Federico J. Benegas Lynch. Federico was actually born in the properties main house, where he still lives to this day. Throughout his childhood he worked every step of the way, helping his father in the winemaking process. Benegas is focused on quality and celebrating its Finca Libertad terroir. They believe in the judicious use of oak, maintaining it as a background component in the wine. Tannins should be balanced and the finish long. Their total production is only 30,000 cases. Michelle Roland says, Benegas wines have a strong personality which is the result of a very unique terroir for its quality and the combination of French and Argentine traditions. The wines are a reflection of Frederico Benegas Lynchs passion and his constant search for excellence.

Matervinis Winery
This new boutique winery is dedicated to experimental soils. Their founders, however, are not new to the winemaking world: Santiago Achaval and Roberto Chipresso former owners, founder and winemakers of acclaimed Achaval Ferrer. Today, through their new project, they aim to the exploration of the oldest geologies of Pre-Cordillera soils and their impact on wine personality and flavors. With a very limited production of wines and concentrating in high quality, these pioneers are already making a revolution in the industry.

Finca Decero Winery
Once a bare patch of dirt in the foothills of the Andes, Finca Decero is now a one-of-a-kind vineyard, where each vine is nurtured by hand and the winemaking is without compromise. Free from restraint and tradition, the creators of the winery developed an amano, ‘or by hand’, approach that is human, sustainable and sensitive to natural differences. Enjoy a fresh, seasonal lunch designed to perfectly compliment the wine you’ll be tasting. At the end of today’s Argentina tours, travel back to your hotel for a free evening. (B,L)

Please note: Wineries subject to change without notice. Many wineries are closed on Sundays and holidays.

Option 1: Boutique Wineries
This morning you will meet your driver and set out to discover small boutique wineries and those estates that make small lots of hand-crafted wines. We will again be in the famed Lujan de Cuyo wine growing region with a focus on the Maipu sub-appelation.

Maal Wines
Among these gems, Maal Wines stands out distinctly. This winery showcases unique charm as it’s been carefully constructed from repurposed materials. The entire architectural wonder is ingeniously fashioned from reclaimed shipping containers, reflecting sustainable practices. Maal Wines specializes solely in crafting fine Malbecs sourced from diverse vineyards across Mendoza. This focus on the full expression of a single varietal, Argentina’s most famous, will showcase the role that terroir and process play in creating world-class wines. Maal is committed to certifying all their vineyards as organic, reflecting their dedication to premium quality and environmentally conscious methods.

Lamadrid Wines
Heading to Vistalba, Lujan de Cuyo, you’ll find Lamadrid Wines, with a historical connection dating back to the 1930s. Thoughtfully restored, the winery preserves its past with original red brick floors, wooden ceilings, and inviting internal patios, while embracing the future with their wines. Lamadrid Wines goes beyond the norm, inviting you to savor varietals like Bonarda and Cabernet Franc.

Mil Suelos – Visit and Lunch paired with wines
Step into Mil Suelos, translated as “1,000 Soils,” a tribute to visionaries Alejandro Sejanovich and Jeff Mausbach, known for encapsulating terroir essence in every bottle. Mil Suelos is dedicated to diverse appellations, a haven for terroir-focused wine creations. Small-scale, artisanal vinification define their approach, each batch exuding a unique sense of place. Beyond wines, Mil Suelos offers a culinary delight. Set in a century-old olive grove in Chachingo, Mendoza, their open-air restaurant excels at Argentinas famous wood-fired cookery. This culinary experience is complemented by an extensive portfolio of wines crafted on-site. Indulge in a dining experience that fuses tradition, innovation, and vibrant flavors of Mendoza’s high-altitude wine country.

Please note: Wineries subject to change without notice. Many wineries are closed on Sundays and holidays.

Option 2: Mendoza Hiking + Riccitelli Vineyard
Today we will hike in the Andean foothills before enjoying a wine tasting lunch at one of Mendozas premier boutique wineries. Just one hour from the city of Mendoza is La Crucecita Village, a very picturesque village with stone houses. This is a popular hiking trail for locals with several options available to reach a bell tower standing tall upon a stone wall originally built in the 1800s. The hike features rolling terrain of moderate difficulty along a creek with excellent Andean views.

After working up an appetite we will head to Riccitelli Vineyards for a five-course lunch and wine tasting. This small family winery is an expression of the winemakers lifetime of dedication, passion, and hard work. Matias Riccitelli, the winemaker, was born in Cafayate, the northwestern wine growing region, into a family of winemakers. Matias has worked under his fathers wing, a legendary Argentine winemaker in his own right, since the age of 8. After travelling the world studying great wine traditions and cutting his teeth at other notable Argentine wineries Matias opened Richitelli in 2009. Located in Las Compuertas, the highest sub-region of the Lujan de Cuyo, in the Andean foothills, Matias is crafting some of Argentina’s most exciting wines, with scores from 92 to 97 by Tim Atkins, Richitellis wines have definitely reached the top 100 of Argentina. (B, L)

In the morning, you will be transported to the Mendoza airport for your morning flight to Buenos Aires, arriving at mid-day. Your local guide will be waiting to escort you to your hotel. The afternoon is yours to explore the sights of South Americas most cosmopolitan city. Here in the birthplace of tango, this evening you will attend a glamorous Tango show including dinner in one of the capital’s most prestigious tango houses where your VIP seating guarantees a great view. (B,D)

The Four Balconies Tour draws first-time visitors into the stormy past and cosmopolitan pulse of Buenos Aires by highlighting four disparate areas of this magnificent city. Illuminated by our knowledgeable guide who makes these historic places come alive, this stimulating Argentina tour is time well-spent. Since populist President Juan Peron and his legendary wife, Eva, began leading massive rallies from the back balcony of this presidential palace, La Plaza de (25 de) Mayo has symbolized the desire for change. Named to commemorate the city’s declaration of independence from Spain, here dissidents still gather for major political demonstrations. The most famous are Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo (The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo) whose weekly marches have continued for thirty years as they demand answers about the disappearance of their sons during the notorious Dirty War. A few miles away is Parque Lezama, thought to be where the Spanish first put down roots in Buenos Aires and the current site of a popular crafts market. The park’s surroundings are equally impressive, including a late 19th century Russian Orthodox Church, built with materials imported from St. Petersburg, and the massive bronze Canto al Trabajo by late Argentine sculptor, Rogelio Yrurtia. The park sits between two of the city’s oldest and most charming working class neighborhoods, where the tango was born and many artists call home today. La Boca neighborhood’s calling card is el caminito, a street of balconied dwellings originally covered with mismatched leftover paint by Italian immigrants too poor to buy their own. This colorful patchwork tradition has made the area the most oft- photographed of Buenos Aires architecture. The Plaza San Martin and its statues commemorate the bravery of Argentine soldiers against the British, including those who defended the country in the 1807 invasion and those who died in the ill-fated 1982 Falkland Islands war. The plaza’s elegant setting in the posh Retiro neighborhood belies its eclectic past as slave market, bullfighting ring and barracks. The nearby landmark government buildings began as a monastery and the opulent palaces of wealthy ranch owners. It was to their Recoleta summer homes that the elite fled during the 1870’s yellow fever epidemic. Today the Recoleta remains one of Buenos Aires’ most stylish neighborhoods, with wide boulevards, elegant homes, fashionable shops and art museums as well as the city’s most popular tourist attraction, the Recoleta Cemetery. The Four Balconies Tour will orient you to the geography of Buenos Aires, explain some of its idiosyncrasies and make it obvious why this beautiful city is called the Paris of South America. (B)

With so much to see and do, your last free day in Buenos Aires will still leave you wanting more and planning your next Argentina tours. In the evening you will be transported from the hotel to the airport for your flight home or on to your next destination, concluding Southern Explorations’ services. (B) Please note: Wineries subject to change without notice. Many wineries are closed on Sundays and holidays.