Day
1 - Exploring the Aconcagua Valley and Chile's Best Carmeneres
Carmenere,
praised in ancient Rome and then as one of the original six
Bordeaux varietals, is now produced almost exclusively in Chile.
Arriving in the mid-19th century, when Chilean winery owners
were busy copying everything French, the Carmenere vines were
mistaken for Merlot and never harvested as a distinct varietal.
It wasn't until 1994 that Carmenere was discovered (by a Frenchman)
to be alive and well in Chile. Today, Carmenere is known as
the "lost grape of Bordeaux" and is considered Chile's
emblematic varietal.
Our exclusive
Carmenere tasting tour will take you an hour north of Santiago
to the Aconcagua Valley. The valley is named
for the the stunning peak of Aconcagua which you can see on
clear days. At 22,830 feet (6959 meters) it is the highest point
in the Western and Southern hemisphere. The Aconcagua Valley
is Chile’s smallest wine valley, but very well known for
its Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and award-winning Carménère
production.
Moving
toward the mountainous eastern edge of the valley we will visit
the San Esteban Winery one of Chile’s
first hillside wineries. This land was home to an earlier civilization
that has left enigmatic remnants of their culture in the form
of rock petroglyphs full of symbolism and mystery. A producer
of some very impressive reds we will have a unique tasting—
a three-year vertical of Winemaker’s Reserve Carménère.
Next you will visit Errazuriz Winery, one of
the largest, oldest wineries in Chile and considered one of
the most beautiful. Founded in 1870, it is in the forefront
of producing upscale, quality wines. Here we will taste: three
different Carménères including single vineyard
and premium Kai (Robert Parker 96 points). Continuing our quest
to truly “know” Carménère wine, we
travel to Von Siebenthal Winery, a small boutique
winery of international fame. Founded by Swiss lawyer, Mauro
Von Siebenthal, the winery is now producing globally-recognized
red wines and in 2004 their premium Montelig wine won best red
wine in the world at the Brussels Wine Expo. Their wines have
only flourished since this well-deserved recognition. Your tasting
will include their Carménères for which Von Siebenthal
is recognized as a leading producer.
You will
enjoy a very nice end to our day as you are the invited guests
of Mr. Von Siebenthal in his guest house for the night.
Day
2 - Relax & Enjoy the Beauty of Chile
After starting
the day with a delicious Chilean breakfast you can plan the
day's events with your guide. From the Aconcagua Valley there
are many options to explore the mountains and coast of the central
Valley including a visit to Zapallar beach resort on the Pacific
coast, a drive into the Andes Mountains to the Portillo Ski
center surrounded by Andean peaks and the turquoise blue Inca
Lake, or a hike in the La Campana National park just a half
hour from the vineyard.
In the
evening after another exciting day in Chile you will return
to Santiago.
