Wine Routes in Santiago

The Chilean wine is the icon product of Chile. The “terroir”, great climate conditions have made the Chilean wine enjoy great national and international recognition for its quality, antioxidants features and great taste.

The grapevine was introduced in Chile by the Spanish conquerors with the purpose of producing the necessary wine for the celebration of Eucharist in the catholic mass.

Just in 1851 the first Wine industry by Don Silvestre Ochagavía was founded, that concerned French stocks and brought to French sommelier M. Benard. This example immediately was imitated not only by prosperous agriculturists, but also by industrialists of the mining, in the north, who made great investments in the land. They knew the technology the earthwork in the “Decoville trains”, with which they constructed channels, they watered the barren deserts of the Central Valley and planted vineyards.

Among them Maximiano Errázuriz in Panquehue excels (Valley of the Aconcagua), Jose Tomás Urmeneta in Limache and Valdés in Cunaco (Valley of the Tinguiririca). But the greatest and famous vineyards stood in Pirque and Cajón del Maipo areas. Therefore the Matías Cousiño and Francisco Subercaseaux vine arises, prosperous miners of the Small North.

Grape growing is considered the queen of the agrarian arts. For that reason, its owners baptized the vines with their last names. Others considered a feminine art, by the gentleness of its elaboration, and preferred to baptize the vines with names of patronymic saints of their spouses, vine Santa Carolina, remembers Doña Carolina Iñíguez, wife of the founder.

“Valley of the Maipo” equals quality, therefore is used in all the wines produced in the area. The enologists maintain that the waters of the Maipo River drag a great lime content, which grants to wines a strong coloration, consistency and that unmistakable flavor “fumée”. Nevertheless, these lands are not good producers in volume, reason why the great vines have invaded other regions for the varietals production stocks and are reserving the broths produced in the valley of the Maipo for premium wines.

To visit these vines of long tradition is fascinating. Some allow to the access to their warehouses filled with barrels of oak and oak, where the wine mature in the dark. Also the parks and old country houses are very interesting.

The month of March is time of grape harvest, during which the harvest takes place. The grape is transported in great colossuses to be drained in the presses, in the middle of a febrile activity and the classic sweet scent of the young broth. Some vines have the sale stand to the public, so, you will be able to make a small “cava”

Guide of Vineyards in Santiago,Chile.

Cousiño Macul Wineries

The Vine Cousiño Macul is the older vineyards plantation of Chile. It belonged to Juan Jufré, companion of Pedro de Valdivia that received it in favor in 1546 by payment to his services during Conquest. In 1550 it already exported wines to Peru.

In 1856, it was acquired by Matías Cousiño, proprietor of the carboniferous mineral of Lota and powerful industrialist. His only son, Don Luis, next to his wife, Isidora Goyenechea, imposed its present character, importing noble stocks and contracting European oenologist. They constructed the imposing warehouses made of lime and eggs, one of the greater attractiveness of the visit.

The park that surrounds the country houses – regretfully not open for visitors- is one of the most singular of Chile. Its flora, by more of a century, has freely developed and its trees extend its branches at level ground in a spectacle never seen in gardening. It was designed by the French Gustave Renner and later remodeled in 1926 by the English landscape architect Brydon.

Access the vineyard taking Av. Américo Vespucio Sur, in the Quilin roundhouse, to take the Quilin Av. course to the mountain range. The warehouse is behind the park (tour guided in English and Spanish 11 and 16 hours of Monday to Friday; Saturday at 11 hours, only in Spanish. The old warehouses of guard and aging are crossed and the productive processes are explained. There is a room of Sale, with schedule: Monday to Friday, 9 to 13 hours and 14 to 18 hours, Saturday of 9 to 13 hours; in February the Saturday is not opened. There it will be able to taste or to acquire wines of normal or special production.

Aquitania Vine

The Aquitania Vine is a small and modern vine where the technology with artisan processes is mixed, like the labeled made it by hand. It was created by a society of agronomists and oenologist, three French and one Chilean, which acquire, in 1990, 44,48 acres of land in the Gorge of Macul.

The first plantations are made with vines of bórdeles origin, presents in Chile from ends of XIX century. Tour begins in the tower viewpoint of the warehouse constructed in 1993, with magnificent a panoramic of the vineyards, soon cross the warehouse of wine store, rooms of pools and barrels, warehouse of guard and labeled sector. The tour Finalizes with a tasting of a Reserve wine and a Great Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

In order to arrive at the Aquitania Vine, to follow by the Américo Vespucio South Av., in the Quilín round, to take the Quilín Av, Course to the mountain range until Consistorial Av. 5090 (tour guided in English or Spanish from Monday to Friday from 9 to 12:30 and from 15 to 17:30 hours.

Vine Santa Carolina

The Vine Santa Carolina was founded in 1875 by Don Luis Pereira Cotapos in territories of the present commune of Macul. The name put in tribute to patronymic saint of his wife, Doña Carolina Iñíguez. Following with the tradition of the time imported vines from Bordeaux and it brought French consultant’s office, between which it emphasizes the winery Germain Bachelet, for the elaboration of his famous wines and the construction of his warehouses today declared National Monument. The property had a beautiful country house of the Colony time, in where the main offices work now. The construction of the warehouse conserves, in great part, the stone and brick foundations, the mud and strews walls of 3,28 feet of thickness and the original iron fused gates in its windows. In its beginnings (1877) was made up of three naves in U form, plus a subterranean; in one second stage (1888), they constructed two floors on the central patio and a new subterranean. Ten years later, French architect Emile Dóyere had to his position the modernization of the Facilities, being constructed among other things the facade of neoclassic aspect. The vineyards were planted behind the present National Stadium and with time they were displaced by the growth of the city and transferred to main vine valleys. The old warehouses can be visited (declared national monument),(still conserve fudres of oak of more than one hundred years of antiquity), and the country house.

The warehouses of the Vine Santa Carolina are in Rodrigo de Araya street 1431, Macul. The visits and tasting must be programmed and the value depends on the number of people. It has a hall, the Central Warehouse and its Park to the accomplishment of events.

Santa Rita Vine

The Santa Rita Vine was founded in 1880 by Don Domingo Fernandez Concha in its property of Jahuel Alto, is placed in the foots of the hills that close the valley towards Paine, in excellent lands for vines to be “sunny of the west and hidden of the east”. The property was worked from the Colony and is to the side of the old way of Santiago towards the south.

The visit to the Santa Rita Vine shows the productive process and the guard in the Lime and eggs warehouses, declared national monument. Finishes in the Paula Jaraquemada’s house, declared National monument, is one old colonial large house – where today the restaurant “the House of Doña Paula” is placed and the wine store – where Bernardo O’Higgins took refuge after the “disaster of Rancagua”, with 120 patriots. This historical fact is commemorated in the label “120″, the most popular wine of this vine.

In order to arrive at the Santa Rita Vine, from Santiago it takes the Pan-American South Highway to Buin (km 42); there turn to the left by a way of 3,11 miles until Jahuel Alto. The vine is to 765,53 yards to the north of Jahuel Alto. There are tours with lunch from Tuesday to Friday, to 12:15 and 15 hours, Saturday and Sunday to 12 and 15:30 hours, only for those who have lunch in the restaurant. The schedule of the restaurant is Tuesday to Sunday, from 12:30 to 15:30 hours.

Perez Cruz Vine

The history of the Perez Cruz Vine begins in the middle of the last century, with the acquisition of the Liguai ranch, in Maipo Alto, by Don Pablo Perez Zañartu. To the death of Don Pablo, and in his memory, his wife and children created this project. Considering the excellent conditions of the soil and the favorable climate conditions, they planted the first vineyards of red vine in 1994. Later the warehouse, beautiful building of modern design, constructed in laminated wood was constructed and projected by the architect Jose Ovalle Cruz. It is implemented with high technology to develop the vine process.

The building is located in front of a water mirror formed by a lagoon and its vines are surrounded by perimeter walls more than 15,53 miles.

In order to arrive at the Perez Cruz Vine, from Alto Jahuel, advance 8,08 miles towards the south to the locality of Huelquén and continue by 1,24 miles more to the Liguai ranch. There are tours and tasting Monday to Friday, previous reserve.

Concha y Toro Vine

The Concha y Toro Vine was founded in Pirque in 1883 by Don Melchor Concha y Toro; its development begins with the import of new vine of the region of Bordeaux, France, and the construction of the great warehouses. From the same time it dates the great park, designed by the French landscape architect Gustave Renner, and the magnificent rustic, illustrated in the labels of his wines and today well-known mansion like the large house of Pirque.

Concha and Toro are today the greater vine society of Chile, with a patrimony of extensive vineyards in the Maipo, Casablanca, Rancagua, San Fernando, Curicó, San Javier and Lirnares zones, and the position of the main wine exporter in Latin America, with presence in more than 110 countries.

In Pirque they conserve the beautiful country house, the park, the vineyards and the warehouses, among them the famous Casillero of the Devil, where Don Melchor kept his more appraised wines.

The Tour, that includes three tasting, begins in the Don Melchor Square. Then it crosses the park of the country house, the vineyards and the warehouses of guard and aging are visited, including the legendary “Casillero of the Devil”. It finalizes with the store of wines and souvenirs, with sale and tasting of products.

In order to arrive at the Concha y Toro Vine, from Puente Alto, cross a Maipo river to Pirque in Virginia Subercaseaux 210 Av Is the entrance. There is a Spanish tour in of Monday to Saturday to 10:30, 11 and 16 hours. English Tour of Monday to Saturday to 10, 11:30, 12 and 15 hours. Reserves with 4 days anticipation.

Undurraga vine

The Undurraga Vine was founded in 1885 by Don Francisco Undurraga Vicuña, in his property of Santa Ana de Talagante. Like pioneer of the wine culture, Undurraga brought from Germany the Riesling vine and,
from France, the Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Pínot Noír vine, under supervision of Frank M. Pressac, technician of the Quinta Normal, took place the first plantations. Also had special preoccupation in the vessel manufacture, made by a French guy who last name was Perranau with American oak of Kentucky and oak of Bosnia.

The Undurraga Vine was one of the first exporting Chilean wine companies, in 1903 became the first boarding to United States. At the moment, its modern facilities and well-taken care processes have made possible to commercialize its production in more than seventy countries. Diverse celebrities, like Carlos de Borbon, Fernando de Baviera and the Prince of Wales, have visited the centennial warehouse and the beautiful park of the country house, designed by the French landscape architect Pierre Dubois.

In the tour it visits the modern plant of wine factories, the underground warehouses and the beautiful park. There is a room of sale wine and souvenirs.

In order to arrive at the Undurraga Vine, the access is by the old way to Melipilla, 21,13 miles of Santiago, after Malloco, and is signalized. The Visits are with previous reservation. Schedules: Monday to Friday, to 10, 11:30, 14 and 15:30 hours; Saturday to 10, 11:30, 13 hours, Sunday and festive to 10:30, 11:45 and 13 hours

Other Wine Routes

At the moment several groups of vines have been associated to offer tourist circuits that visit the vines, with its processes of elaboration, and the attractiveness of the environs; these are:

Casablanca Valley Wine Route (see Wine day tours in Central Valley)

Cachapoal Valley Wine Route

Colchagua Valley Wine Route

Curicó Valley Wine Route

Maule Valley Wine Route

** Information related to Hours, Rates and Dates might change without any previous notice **