Departing Santiago at 9:00 a.m. we will drive south along the foothills of the Andes and stop by some exciting new wineries in the Maipo Valley. The valley, the oldest and most famous of Chile’s wine valleys, is home to many of Chile’s famous wineries such as Concha y Toro, Cousino Macul and Santa Rita and it is also famous for its Cabernet Sauvignons.
We will visit the small boutique winery Aquitania where two well-known agronomists and wine makers from Bordeaux, France, Paul Pontallier (of Chateau Margaux) and Bruno Prats (former owner of Cos d'Estournel) are producing delicious wines and still labeling bottles by hand.
After that, an informative and fun experience is in store at our first stop in the small winery of Roberto Muñoz. Aptly named Paseo del Vino (Wine Steps) he passionately describes his artisan winemaking process where everything is done by hand.
We will stop for lunch in the town of Pirque in the eclectic Séptimo Cielo. Finally, Perez Cruz is our next stop. With its ultra-modern architecture, state-of-the art technology and their diverse soil conditions – from clay texture to smooth pebbles & sand – they are producing highly acclaimed Malbec, Carmenere & Cabernet Sauvignon.