Arrive in Santiago and expedited check in on Club Level at the elegant Ritz Carlton Santiago, located in the posh area known as El Golf. Unwind after the long journey in the hotel’s spa with a rejuvenating massage. After lunch, venture out with your personal guide to get your bearings in Santiago, connecting with its history and vibe. Starting in the heart of the downtown, the Plaza de Armas, walk the city’s bustling pedestrian center to the government palace, La Moneda. Stop in at one of the classic “Café with Legs” where barmaids serve strong espressos in minidresses.
Continuing west towards the Santa Lucía hill, check out the hipster Fine Arts neighborhood where cafés, art galleries, swanky restaurants, and cultural life are teeming. Pop in for a visit at the city’s best new contemporary art gallery where the owner shares his collection. Just a block away is Santiago’s favorite artisan ice cream. Order a cone of the sticky-sweet milk caramel or nutty native fruit lucuma. Head out to bask in the tranquility of Santiago’s main park, Parque Forestal.
Return to the Ritz for a relaxing afternoon. Dine tonight in splendor at Astrid & Gastón, one of Santiago’s finest restaurants, blending new world flavors with European technique.
Day 2
Set out this morning into the countryside to the outskirts of Santiago to witness a unique tradition in central Chile: the Cuasimodo. Steeped in the country’s Catholic tradition, this festival, held the Sunday after Easter, dates back to colonial times. Priests, and their caravan, still make the colorful rural journey in costume and by horseback to visit the sick that were unable to attend Easter mass. Beautiful and folkloric.
Lunch is in the country village of Pirque at a non-profit organic farm, high school, and 19th century villa for a private al fresco intimate lunch. Under the shade of craggy oaks and Chilean monkey puzzle trees, savor a homegrown meal: from the fresh chevre-style goat cheese to the crunchy arugula, or native araucano chicken. Meet the charismatic owner as she shares her story of this inspiring project came to fruition.
Before heading back to the hotel, climb abroad a helicopter for a stunning aerial tour of the Andean Cordillera east of Santiago. Cruise by the ski resorts of Valle Nevado, past the jagged peaks, millennium glaciers, Mt. Aconcagua, and touch down briefly by an emerald lagoon for an impromptu toast to the beginning of your unforgettable vacation.
Return to the Ritz. Have dinner tonight at Liz Caskey’s private home overlooking Parque Forestal with Liz and her husband Francisco. They love to entertain and share their favorite local wines from their cellar with guests. Salud!
Day 3
Check out from the Ritz and depart south to explore the Central Valley’s wineries. Harvest is in full swing in April for red wines such as Carménère, Cabernet Sauvignon, and the first batches of Syrah. Begin the day with a fascinating visit to the most important barrel cooperage in Chile. Learn about this ancient art from artisans who adeptly assemble the staves and toast the barrels.
Visit the personal project of Chile’s pioneer organic and biodynamic winemaker. A “garage” winery producing a few thousand cases each year, learn about their sustainable philosophy with the passionate owner. Savor these authentic, robust wines overlooking their lovely property dotted with wild flowers, almond trees and horses plowing the vineyards.
Continue south over the Cachapoal River into the foothills of the Andes to a cutting-edge winery that melds into the Andean landscape. The terroir of the Alto “High” Cachapoal and its stony soils produce outstanding Cabernet with velvety tannins and bright acidity. Tour the winery followed by a special vertical tasting of their spectacular 2003 and 2004 vintages. Relish the view with a scenic private lunch from their outdoor quincho. The simple, country fare accompanies their wines beautifully.
Arrive shortly after to the Colchagua Valley and the luxurious Casa Lapostolle Residences. These handsomely appointed private casitas on the Clos Apalta winery estate boast astounding views of the valley and vineyards below.
Have dinner at our friends’ house in the charming colonial town of Santa Cruz. As their guests, they also love to share how they make their liquors, a country tradition, with natural fruits, herbs, and spices. Drink up the good vibes, company, food, and cocktails in the lush garden of their restored 19th century country home.
Day 4
This morning, set off to explore the Colchagua Valley, Chile’s most prominent wine valley. Your first visit is the horseshoe-shaped micro-valley known as Apalta, where many of the country’s best reds are born. Discover one of the valley’s newest and most prestigious boutique wineries. With only a handful of bottled vintages from 115-year old vines, they make a single Cabernet-Carménère blend with remarkable finesse and balance. Visit the terrain and restored colonial cellar with the winemaker. Also try the components from the barrel followed by a comparative tasting of the 2003 and 2005 vintages.
Next door, get to know Chile’s biggest wine success story. The winery is the vision of winemaker Aurelio Montes, who joined with founding partners almost twenty years ago to make the first premium wines for export. The rest is history. Understand their wine philosophy with a brief visit followed by a professional-style tasting of their ultra-premium wines.
Lunch is down the road under a shady arbor amid Casa Lapostolle’s vineyards. As workers hum away picking perfect grapes, savor a sumptuous lunch paired with their wines including Clos Apalta, the 2008 Wine Spectator wine of the year. After lunch, return to the Residences. Journey down to the winery for a private tour of this opulent structure buried deep into the hillside. Rest of the afternoon is free to relax by the infinity pool or sip life away on your terrace.
Dinner tonight is an education in art of the Chilean asado (barbeque). The pit masters at a favorite local restaurant show off their succulent grilled meats, including Patagonian lamb slow-roasted over a spit.
Day 5
Heading west towards the coast, the destination is the Chilean “brother” of Bordeaux First Growth Chateau Lafite Rothschild. They excel at Cabernet Sauvignon due to the cool influences of the Pacific Ocean to the west. Tour this impressive operation with the winemaker and sit down to a full tasting of their entire line, including the iconic Le Dix.
Lunch is at our friend Patricia’s dairy farm in Marchigue. Patricia is a passionate artisan cheese maker and gifted cook. She invites you to see how her addictive manjar (milk caramel), jams, and exquisite fresh and mature cheeses are hand made every day. You can even feed the baby calves with a bottle! Connect with her family in a casual lunch sampling the cheeses and her favorite rustic cuisine.
On the way back to Clos Apalta, drop in to a traditional hacienda for afternoon tea, known as onces, brought to Chile by the English in the 19th century. A bakery producing colonial-style pastries; let the elegant owner tempt you with her mouthwatering sweets and country charm.
Dine this evening at a relaxed yet sophisticated bistro serving up Colchagua’s most refined fare paired with a tasting of more valley wines. Cheers to Chile’s wine country!
Day 6
Late check out this morning from the Residences. Your helicopter is ready to take you on a scenic one hour flight over the beautiful central valley, rippled with coastal mountains, eucalyptus forests, azure lakes, and the shimmering Pacific and the Andes as your backdrop.
Land in the coastal appellation of San Antonio at a family-run, biodynamic winery owned by a prosperous Chilean businessman. The winery is located in its own valley with the wine stars being an earthy, cherry-laden Pinot Noir, peppery Syrah, and crisp Sauvignon Blanc. Private visit and full tasting of wines with the resident sommelier including their ethereal raw sheep’s milk cheese. Lunch is in their stylish restaurant at the “other” end of the valley.
Their gracious staff awaits you to arrive at the winery’s intimate, colonial guest house. Enjoy the quiet—or saddle up and head into the hills for a view at sunset. Private dinner with wine at the guest house.
Day 7
Awake refreshed and welcomed by a hearty country-style breakfast in the master dining area. Drive to the nearby valley named Casablanca, renowned for its excellent whites and Pinot Noir. Stop to visit a family-owned American-Chilean enterprise making a limited amount of lip-smacking Sauvignon Blanc, satiny Pinot Noir, and electric Syrah. Tap into their passion and talent with the winemaker who will show you the vineyards, teeny winery, followed by an interactive barrel and bottle tasting.
Continue 30 minutes west to land’s end—the port of Valparaíso and sister city of Viña del Mar. Have lunch at a favorite porteño spot known for its succulent rock fish and creamy crab pie. Afterwards, get to know this funky city with a bohemian and vintage feel. Let your guide walk you through the maze of turn-of-the-century hills on a historical walking tour taking in the café culture, mom-and-pop stores, and riding the city’s emblematic elevators. On your walk, stop by the studio one of Valparaíso’s best known artists.
Stay at the gorgeous boutique hotel, Casa Higueras, in the heart of Cerro Alegre. Sip a lemony pisco sour from your private veranda overlooking the port and entire coastline.
Toast the end of your trip over a celebratory dinner at the hotel’s gourmet restaurant with stunning views of the city which seem to twinkle at night. Dig into a custom made menu created specifically for your tastes.
Day 8
After breakfast, set out to explore the colorful Cardonal Market. Get a sense of the abundance of seasonal, whole foods in Chile—and a hearty dose of local characters too. A quick jaunt up the coast to sister city Viña del Mar, an affluent seaside resort with sandy, golden beaches. Stop along the promenade for a classic cortado, espresso cut with frothy milk.
With juice for the road, the adventure continues on the road to the tiny fishing village of Quintay. Snaking down a windy mountain path through a pine forest, hairpin turns slowly reveal the cliffs and turquoise waters of Chile’s rugged coastline below. At road’s end, a colorful jamble of clapboard houses cling to the rocks overlooking the wild Pacific. Welcome to Quintay, where artisan fishing is a way of life. Lunch is across the sand and past the fishing boats at a simple restaurant overlooking the ocean. Run by an extraordinary woman, Zuni, the house specialty is über-fresh seafood. Join her sons in the kitchen as they share the art of cooking in greda, clay pots to prepare exquisite dishes like classic razor clams, fresh abalones, or seared grouper. The meal includes a sampling of our favorite coastal wines. Heaven.
Drive to Santiago for your connecting flight back home.
Inclusions:
• Round-trip luxury ground transportation with professional driver throughout duration of tour
• Helicopter aerial tours as per itinerary
• English-speaking wine-specialized host throughout duration of tour
• 2 nights in Ritz Carlton Santiago Club Level
• 3 nights in Clos Apalta Residences
• 1 night in Matetic Guest House
• 1 night in Casa Higueras suite
• All private winery visits and tastings as per itinerary
• Other activities and visits as per itinerary: city tours, market visits, cheese making, barrel cooper
• Gourmet a la carte meals with wines and gratuity: 8 lunches, 7 dinners, daily breakfast at hotel
