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Chile & Argentina Deluxe Wine TourDecember 2-9, 2007 (8 days, 7 nts)
March
9-16, 2008 (8 days, 7 nts)
Led personally by Peter Smith, Leading Chilean Wine Expert
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more information or to reserve your place
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A luxury tour of the very best
Chilean and Argentine vineyards. Enjoy exciting regional cuisine and be
introduced to many excellent wines both famous and some that are not yet
known in the USA. Accommodation in deluxe hotels
in Santiago, Mendoza and the lovely Santa Cruz Plaza hotel in
Colchagua. All private
visits and tastings.
Experience the warmth and hospitality of South America, the splendor of the breathtaking natural
scenery, and unmatched personal
service and attention to detail. |
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For more information or to secure your place Contact us!
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Chile Detailed Itinerary
December 2-9, 2007
March 9-16, 2008
Day 1: Colchagua Valley - Santa Cruz Plaza Hotel
Arrive Santiago, meet your guide at the airport and drive south to Santa Cruz in the Colchagua Valley.
Visit Emiliana Organic Vineyards with Alvaro Espinoza
Alvaro’s arguably Chile’s most exciting winemaker. His own brand, Antiyal is a true boutique wine made in tiny quantities, and he also consults with several other wineries. Vinedos Organicos Emiliana is the most intense organic vineyard in Chile, a project of Santa Emiliana. Alvaro normally only goes down to the vineyards on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but he’s changed his schedule this week so we can meet him.
Check in, then dinner at the hotel – included.
Day 2: Colchagua Valley - Santa Cruz Plaza Hotel
Visit Casa Silva – a lovely estate at El Tambo, near San Fernando, about 20 minutes from Santa Cruz. This is the oldest estate in the Colchagua Valley, owned by the Silva Family.
Lunch with Pedro Grand, one of the original partners of Discover Wines (Montes) who lives on the original estate in Curico. Pedro’s an old friend from the first visits I made to Chile some 8-9 years ago, and it’s a treat to enjoy his home with him for lunch – included.
Return to Santa Cruz. Optional visit to the excellent museum which is owned by, and adjacent to the hotel (open till 19:00, entry approx. $4.50 – not included).
Dinner across the street at the Social Club, a very local experience - not as refined as the hotel, but something different and authentic Chilean! – included.
Day 3: Colchagua Valley - Santa Cruz Plaza Hotel
Visit Vina Sutil – this is a relatively new project, still on the upward road to join the famous brands, who have built a small boutique hotel and restaurant on the estate.
Lunch Vina la Playa, a lovely peaceful setting with great food and wine! - included
Visit Viu Manent – family owned and very good vineyard. We might try to find their new plantation in the hills on the way back from Sutil – it’s not part of the tour, but interesting to see if we can find it.
Visit Montes – VIP visit of this outstanding producer’s fabulous new winery in the Apalta Valley. Montes is the prime example of an all-Chilean successful, large scale winery that is really well run.
Dinner open tonight.
Day 4: Lontue Valley, Rancagua Valley - Hotel Montebianco
Depart to drive south to Curico.
Visit Vina Echeverria, one of Peter’s personal favorites is an excellent family winery that produces, amongst their other fine wines, one of the best dessert wines we’ve found outside of Sauternes.
Drive up to Vina La Rosa in Pelequen and visit Viña La Rosa with lunch – included. If we get there in time we’ll also be able to visit the spectacular Palmeria vineyard as well as tasting their wines, which are rated very highly. They have also very kindly invited us for lunch, for which there may or may not be a charge – Chilean hospitality!
Visit Valle Arriba – This is Chile’s leading olive oil producer, just the other side of the town of Pelequen, We will have a tour of the facilities and taste a variety of the oils that go into the blend to make the final product. This makes for an interesting addition to our wine program.
Continue our drive up to Santiago, check
into the Hotel Montebianco – dinner open.
Day 5: Maipo Valley - Hotel Montebianco
Depart to drive to Viña Aquitania for a 9:30 visit – this is owned by Paul Pontallier of Chateau Margaux, and Bruno Prats, ex-owner of Cos d’Estournet. It should be a very interesting visit as they have been making changes and are doing some exciting new things in the south of Chile.
Visit Depart to Casablanca Valley (west of Santiago) for lunch.
Lunch with Toribio Larrain, one of the owners of Agricola Santa Barbara, with tasting of his organic wines of Viña Quintay – another taste of wonderful Chilean hospitality – included.
Visit Villard Estates – French owned and one of the early Casablanca projects, a smaller property and one of the best in the valley. We may try to add another winery today if time allows, but knowing the way things normally go in Chile we’ll probably run out of time.
Return to Santiago late afternoon.
Dinner at Caramano, one of the most authentic Chilean chefs in Santiago, and practically never frequented by turistas – even most of the hotels don’t know where is it, which is not surprising since it’s entrance is through the back of the garage! Don’t worry, you’ll love it! – included.
Day 6: Mendoza, Argentina - Salentein Winery
08:30 Depart to the airport
10:30 Fly to Mendoza, Argentina
11:20 Arrive Mendoza, meet our driver and drive to our first visit.
Lunch and tasting at Viña Ruca Malen, a beautiful winery owned by Jean Pierre Tibeaut, the ex- manager of Moet Chandon Argentina for 10 years – lunch - included.
Visit and VIP tasting at Catena Zapata, one of the most famous wineries in Argentina and a spectacular place.
Drive to Viña Salentein and check in. Out in the peaceful Uco Valley, we are housed in private apartments in the lovely gardens of this estate with the services of a private cook and caretaker.
Dinner - at Salentein with tasting – included
Day 7: Mendoza, Argentina - Salentein Winery
09:30 Depart Salentein
Visit Clos de los Siete, one of Mendoza’s most exciting new ventures, owned by a group of seven French investors led by world-renowned consultant Michel Rolland.
Visit Agricola with lunch - included. Agricola is one of the most interesting wineries in Mendozza. It doesn’t enjoy the “international” reputation of some of the more visible estates, but does make extremely good value wines from inexpensive to the top line which holds its own very well against its peers. Most interesting is the education in vineyard management and philosophy of Jose Zucchardi, the owner, who is committed to what is now a quite unique method of agriculture and trellising for a modern winery. Also they have the best empanadas for lunch!
Visit Terrazas de los Andes.This is the project of Moët & Chandon, who first came to Argentina in the 1950’s to establish Chandon Argentina, their first venture outside of France. This produced only sparkling wine, until the Terrazas project began in the 1990’s to produce top-quality table wines.
Return to Salentein for dinner - included
Day 8: Departure
09:00 Depart Salentein
Visit Achaval Ferrer. An Argentine/Italian co-venture started in 1998, this is a small winery that produces some of the best wines in Mendoza.
Lunch at Finca Olsina - included
Visit Carmelo Patti – outstanding Malbec and about the best Cabernet in Argentina, to finish off a great week!
Short
stop in Mendoza to shop, before heading to the airport for flight to Santiago on
Lan Express to connect with international flights.
This 8 Day, 7 Night Program
includes:
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7 nights accommodations with breakfast
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Gourmet dinners with premium wines per the itinerary
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Gourmet lunches with premium wines per the itinerary
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Deluxe, air-conditioned transportation
throughout
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All admission fees and guided tours
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All wine estate tours and tastings
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The services of a professional, bilingual gastronomy
and wine guide throughout
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All taxes, porterage and baggage
handling
Price per person, based on a minimum of 6 guests,
double occupancy:
USA: $3245.00
Single Supplement : $850.00
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Optional Southern Chile Lakes Extension:
NOTE: In order to do this particular option, you will need to depart Mendoza earlier on your final day; several other options are available on request.
Day 1: Puerto Varas - Hotel Cabañas del Lago
17:25 You will be met at the airport with a private transfer to the Hotel Cabañas del Lago. You will receive your vouchers for the other activities on arrival.
Evening free to relax and
look around Puerto Varas
Day 2: Puerto Varas - Hotel Cabañas del Lago
For the full day cruise to Peulla you get picked up and dropped off at the Hotel Cabañas del Lago:
08:00 Pick up at your hotel and transfer to Petrohué, driving along the shores of Lake Llanquihue to Ensenada. Just after Ensenada the Vicente Perez Rosales N.P.begins and the road leads us to the famous Petrohué Falls where we stop and take a short walk to admire the nearby waterfalls. Continuing we reach Hotel Petrohué on the shores of Lake Todos Los Santos.
From Petrohué Pier the modern catamaran departs for the crossing of Todos los Santos Lake, also called “Emerald Lake due to its deep green colours. During the navigation you can enjoy the magnificent presence of the Osorno, Puntiagudo and Tronador volcanoes.
Arrival at Peulla, at the eastern end of the lake Todos los Santos. Time for lunch and to explore the beautiful surroundings of Peulla. You can walk to the waterfall “Cascada de la Novia” through the native valdivian rainforest.
In the late afternoon
return by boat to Petrohue and by bus to Puerto Varas or Puerto Montt.
Day 3: Puerto Varas - Hotel Cabañas del Lago
Free day – hiking, cycling, fishing etc. are available
as desired.
Day 4: Departure
Return to Santiago for departure to USA according to your travel itinerary.
Price per person, based on a minimum of 6 guests,
double occupancy:
USA: $2555.00
Single Supplement : $545.00
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Click HERE for photos of Chile and other places we tour
CLICK to READ a report
one of our tours to South America!
This Itinerary is subject to change due to winery schedules. In general, however the visits will be as outlined here.
Note: There are many excellent vineyards in Chile.
We have selected some of the most well-known, a few of the
lesser known, and above all what we think are the most
interesting. If you would like to visit other vineyards
please let us know as the winemakers are very keen to have us
come and see what they're doing.
Aside from this, as with all our tours, this itinerary is
subject to change due to winemakers' schedules, guest
requests or other factors which are inherent in this type of
custom tour.
Chile is an exciting country from the standpoint of wine,
but is also for it's spectacular scenery, culture, history
and friendly people. We are only able to show you a tiny part
of the country's wealth of beauty in this week of wine
tasting, and we encourage you to add on to this tour an
excursion to the desert, the lakes area, the Antarctic fjords
or the many islands (including Easter Island) while you are
in Chile. If you are able to spare the time and would like
details of the many options available, please call us. We will
be happy to help you arrange these add-on trips with our
colleagues in Chile.
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Peter Smith, Avalon Tours, 1996-2008
