TRAVEL AND TOURS

Wineries with their mansion houses and lush vineyards are a few of the obligatory wayside stops along this trail overflowing with tradition and good spirits, flavours and bouquets. Here one learns, at every step, the fragrant secrets and refined mysteries of the world-class Chilean wines.
The fact is that ever since wine was harvested in the Copiapo vineyards, planted by conquistador Francisco Aguirre in the 16th century, large amounts of excellent quality wine have flowed to be scattered over the valleys around Santiago, whose fertile soil and generous weather are ideal for growing grapevines.

The capital city is the centre of the wine producing region. Visiting its valleys one not only learns about the wine manufacturing process but teases one's palate with the exquisite "reds and whites", and learns about the traditional Chilean rural customs while visiting the elegant mansions built by the vineyard owners in the early 20th century.
This is an "intoxicating" fun experience that displays the development of the Chilean wine industry, which has wisely combined the fertility of its valleys (sown with fine European varietals) with applied French technology and the expertise of renowned oenologists. The result of this combination of factors is a wine of indisputable high quality and well-earned international prestige.
The Maipo valley, with the huge vineyards of Cousiño Macul (the oldest in the country), of Concha y Toro, a main exporter, and Undurraga, a traditional family-run vineyard, is the favorite trail for wine enthusiasts, although there are other ones; Santiago offers much more.
This is a a real tour for your taste buds. Merlot, Cabernet, Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay? - You choose - they all expect you to enjoy them, as any other "pilgrim" on the wine trail.

The carménere grape has an interesting story. This grape disappeared from Europe in the 16th century because of a blight, and only its description and name survived in the chronicles of the time. But it happened that some 20 years ago one of the more famous wineries was growing a grape that would not ferment at the required point for the wine it was producing. I can't say whether the wine involved was a cabernet or some other variety. After several unsuccessful attempts to decipher the mystery, they brought an enologist from France who, after a series of analyses informed his employers: "My dear sir, you will never be able to obtain a Cabernet from this grape, it is a Carménere". This is how this kind of grape appeared again in these regions after having disappeared from Europe hundreds of years ago. It was probably brought during the conquest of America.