Vina Montes

Chilean grapes

Mendoza

Barrels at Salentein

Exploring the vineyards by tractor in Montes

Exploring on horseback in Chile

Aconcagua

Exploring the vineyards by horseback

Chile, Argentina & Uruguay

9 - 21 February 2010, 7 - 19 February 2011

This outstanding and unique South American Wine Tour tour visits the vineyards of Chile, Argentina and Uruguay which are in spectacular locations. All three have made advances in wine quality and this has firmly established them on the world wine scene. Chile is the best known, but Argentina has huge potential and Uruguay is a big surprise!

We begin in Chile, which is 2690 miles long and only 56 miles wide at its narrowest point. Nestled between the Pacific and the Andes, the proximity of the Andes has been a key to Chile's success. They moderate climate and act as a natural barrier against the pest phylloxera.

We recommend a night in Chile's capital, Santiago, before the start of the tour, (which we will be pleased to arrange for you). From here we head south to the small, traditional town of Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz allows easy access to the Apalta Valley wine region. Our visits include Montes, where we have our first winery lunch in their fabulous new winery designed along feng shui principles and Emiliano Organico, the first large scale organic estate in Chile. The dynamic Alvaro Espinoza is the head winemaker and an expert in biodymanic wines, which he produces to perfection. Finally we enjoy a tasting lunch at the estate of Luis Felipe Edwards, stunningly set in the Tinguirica valley.

We then head North to the Maipo Valley, dropping in en route for lunch at the forward looking Cono Sur estate in Colchagua. Their charismatic winemaker, Adolfo Hurtado, sources grapes from all over Chile, from Elqui to the north to Bio Bio in the south.

Staying at a lovely private vineyard in the Maipo for the next few days is a highlight of this tour. Here you can relax by the pool, play tennis or golf, visit the wine museum or explore the vineyards by carriage or horse! This is not open to the public, but is available to Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tours as friends of this highly regarded estate. Our visits include Tarapaca, Casa Marin, Matetic and De Martino. We have included a day relaxing at the estate, which is surrounded by the Maipo river, the Andes and Coastal range mountains.

The Andes and Argentina beckon and our spectacular route takes us through a gorge between the snow-capped mountains. We may well see condors soaring against the peak of Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Andes. We set out on our day long journey, stopping for a picnic (with wines of course!) at the border and to view Aconcagua on the way.

As we travel away from Chile's plains there is a dramatic change as green, tropical crops and lush vegetation give way to bare, dramatic mountains and desert scrub of cacti and acacia.

Argentina is the fifth largest wine producer in the world, and vines were first planted in the 16th Century. However it was not until the arrival of Italian immigrants that serious wine production began. With a strong domestic market Argentina was slower than Chile in grasping overseas markets, but that is changing.

We stay at a comfortable 4* hotel in the university city of Mendoza and from here we travel out to the vineyards each day. We taste and lunch or dine as private guests at leading wine estates including Cassone, Familia Zuccardi, Lurton, Catena Zapata and Bodegas O Fournier.
We fly on to Argentina's vibrant capital, Buenos Aires, which is a colourful, buzzing city - great for shopping and for Tango dancing! We have a guided tour on arrival and spend a night here in a traditional, central 4* hotel.

Next morning we catch the fast ferry (one hour) crossing over the River Plate to the beautiful old colonial town of Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay. On, to Montevideo situated on the mouth of the River Plate. The city is a bit down at heel, but in a charming, elegant way. We stay in a good 4* hotel in the city centre, and will take you on a guided tour.

As for the wine visits with its powerful tannat grapes and exuberant welcome from the wineries, Uruguay is fabulous! A lunchtime spent with Daniel Pisano is an experience not to be missed and the wines are superb too. Juanico, where we have dinner, is a pristine 600 hectare estate with a lovely old villa, and even its own railway station, producing again fabulous wines.

On our last day we catch the ferry directly from Montevideo to Buenos Aires.

Join us for a great journey of wine discovery that takes you to three South American countries with winter sunshine, great wines and fantastic hospitality!

Extend your holiday

For 2011 this tour makes a superb extension to our Galapagos Islands and South American Wine Cruise

Should you wish to just do the Chile & Argentina part of the tour, the tour ends therefore in Mendoza and there is a £475 per person reduction.