Tour Duration : 8 Nights And 9 Days

Destinations Covered: Santiago - Santa Cruz

Package Inclusions:

• All transfers on private basis

• 8 Nights accommodation including breakfast and taxes

• Tours, sightseeing, and wine tastings as per itinerary on private

• HD Santiago City tour , with entrance fees to Pre• Columbian Museum and San Cristobal Hill

• Local English speaking guide

• Meals as indicated in the itinerary

Package Exclusions:

• Personal expenses, tips and gratuities

• Domestic air tickets

• Optional tours

DAY 01 SANTIAGO

On arrival in Santiago de Chile, transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Santiago

DAY 02 SANTIAGO

European-influenced Santiago de Chile is a city of significant contrast where the colonial past collides with the ultra-modern high rise buildings of the financial center. Today’s city tour allows you to enjoy this eclectic mix first hand. The tour commences through the downtown area passing by Club Hípico, one of the most beautiful horseracing tracks in South America. From here, the tour heads alongside the Parque O’Higgins and the architectural gem that is the Cousiño Palace, built between 1870 and 1878 for the wealthy Cousiño family. Next the tour wends its way along the famous Alameda, the colourful main artery of Santiago, and the heart of the city. From here you can see the Chilean University, San Francisco Church and the Santa Lucia Hill, site of Santiago’s foundation in 1541. No visit to Santiago is complete without a stop for a photo in its magnificent Plaza de Armas. Here you can visit the Plaza de Armas and the Pre-Columbian Art Museum. Here you can view one of the most complete collections of ceramics, a rainbow of ancient textiles and the relics of American culture (closed Mondays). The tour stops by the Central Market, a bustling hub for Chileans looking to buy their daily fish and seafood. A metallic construction, the building was constructed in London and transported by sea to Chile. The tour continues by crossing the Mapoche River to reach the bohemian Bellavista district with its quaint architecture. The tour continues up the San Cristóbal Hill, from which you will gasp at the fine views of Santiago and the surrounding Andes. Finally, the tour ends by passing through modern residential areas with their daring architecture, and finally reaching the busy Providencia shopping zone. Overnight in Santiago.

DAY 03 SANTIAGO

Full day excursion to the Maipo Valley. Maipo Valley is unique because it is the world’s only wine region with vineyards set within the urban limit of a capital city of more than 5.5 million residents. With very close proximity to Santiago, the Mediterranean climate in this region is stable with clearly delineated seasons and low rainfall in the harvest period. This creates the ideal conditions for wine growing and production. Here are the largest numbers of wineries in Chile, a number of which have a long tradition in the wine industry and feature delightful 19th century cellars. These include Cousiño Macul, Concha Y Toro, Undurraga, Santa Rita, and more. The vineyards sit in the foothills of the Andes to the central plane. Here, some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon of the country is produced. Overnight in Santiago.

DAY 04 SANTIAGO – SANTA CRUZ

Full day Excursion to the Colchagua Valley. Today you leave Santiago in the morning and drive approximately 120km south of Santiago along the course of the Tinguiririca River and no longer in the foothills of the Andes. The destination for today is the Colchagua Valley which is westward in the direction of the Pacific. The climate here is consistently warm and the ground is highly fertile, so for many years the focus was on bulk wine production. Of late, the emphasis has switched to quality instead of quantity. The area is dry, but the Tinguiririca River provides for the irrigation needs in the wineries. Diurnal temperature differences are dramatic, with cold summer nights. This is exacerbated by the proximity to the Pacific Ocean which is rarely more than 80 km away. The cooler nights aid the production of acidic grapes and improve both colours and flavours in red wines. Some productions such as Montes and Canepa have moved even closer to the sea, for greater temperature differences. Visually intriguing, new vineyard plantings have occurred on hillsides in the valley, some with significant gradients. Here, the hillsides have been stripped of borders and their natural vegetation. In some instances, the vineyards are terraced. The hill slopes provide lower fertility which does have the impact of reducing the vigour and yield of the vines, but provides good exposition. The best vineyards tend to be south-facing, out of the direct sunlight. Overnight in Santa Cruz.

DAY 05 SANTA CRUZ

Full Day visit to two vineyards and the Colchagua Museum in the Colchagua Valley Viña MontGras SIB Following a Chilean winemaking tradition that dates back centuries to colonial times, Hernán Gras, his brother Eduardo and Cristián Hartwig decided to join forces to produce export quality wines. The three had family backgrounds in wine production, and in 1992, Viña MontGras was formed. In creating this new winery, three important elements were considered. These were the geographic location, the management of the vineyard, and importantly the winery design. Currently, Viña MontGras has three tiers of fine high-quality wines: Estate: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon; Reserve: Chardonnay, Merlot, Carmenère, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Zinfandel; Ninquén, Barrel Select: Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet-Merlot and Premium Chilean Red Wine. Viña MontGras actively participates in all areas concerning the national growth of the wine industry, despite its recent entry to the industry. The winery has earned a high level of respect within the trade due to this, but also as a result of its pioneering design and being the first in the country to plant vines on the plateau of a hill. Ninety eight percent of the wines produced are exported to Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia. In Chile, MontGras wines are found in the best restaurants and hotels and are sold in supermarkets and specialty shops. Viña Viu Manent SIB Dating back to the mid-1800s, this vineyard founded itself on fine varieties imported from France. In 1966, the winery Hacienda Cunaco was purchased by Bodegas Viu. Today Viña Viu Manent consists of a total of 642 acres distributed in the vineyards at Hacienda Cunaco. The vineyard is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, Sangiovese, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Viognier. The Fundo La Capilla vineyard plants in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. Built with the most modern technology, the winery nowadays exports to more than 28 countries worldwide. A visit to the main building provides an interesting assortment of old agricultural equipment in an exhibition. After lunch, take a pleasant carriage ride through the vineyards, and see both cellars and laboratories. An expert will explain the wine production processes. Colchagua Museum Afterwards there is a chance to visit the famous Colchagua Museum, displaying exhibits of ceramics and metal handiwork of the Pre-Columbian cultures of South America, and especially from the Colchagua area. A highlight of the museum is its famous gold mask with Lapiz lazuli of the Moche Culture. Overnight in Santa Cruz.

DAY 06 SANTA CRUZ – CURICO - SANTIAGO

Transfer from Santa Cruz to the Curico Valley Visit to the Viña Miguel Torres SIB The name Miguel Torres is directly associated with Spain, as there it is one of the most important export wineries. Back in 1979, Don Miguel Torres Carbo bought a small bodega in Curicó, where vines had been planted as early as 1904. From here, and drawing on his wine-making knowledge, Torres developed a new national wine culture by creating new technology and treatment for white wine. Today this place is known for fine wines. The winery is still held and run by the family who nurture the vineyards and produce the wine. Following the vineyard tour and wine tasting, a tasty lunch is served at the Restaurant Miguel Torres. Afterwards transfer back to Santiago for an overnight there.

DAY 07 SANTIAGO

Full Day Excursion to the Isla Maipo Valley Heading out of Santiago in a south-bound direction, the tour drives through the plains of the Maipo Valley. The plains collect the rich oxygen and minerals washed down from the high Andes in the river from the melted snow. The river generously irrigates the vines along its banks.
Viña Odfjell Norweigan entrepreneur and ship owner Dan Odfjell fell in love with the Maipo Valley in Chile. Born in Bergen, Norway, his shipping business led him to discover the Maipo Valley in the 1960s and 1970s. From Norway’s cold and rains he could not resist the warm austral sun in this Virgilian setting. Odfjell bought 85 hectares of vineyard in Maipo Valley in 1982. Gradually he planted vines in the early 1990’s. He then developed his state-of-the-art winery. Odfjell’s son Laurence, a graduate from Yale School of Architecture, designed a gravity-flow winery – it was the first of its type built in South America. Construction started in 1995 and was completed just in time for the 1998 harvest. Laurence has since helped design Kendall-Jackson’s Winery facilities in South America. The tour takes in these wine cellars and there is a chance to taste one of the fine wines.
Viña Santa Ines SIB More than 60 years ago a young Italian named Pietro De Martino Pascualone arrived in Chile, searching to quench his thirst for quality wines. In his quest for the ideal location he happened upon the Maipo Valley and decided to settle here among its excellent soils and perfect climate on the Isla de Maipo. The location is just 50 km from Santiago and the Andes Mountains and 50 km from the Pacific Ocean. Gathering knowledge accumulated by generations of winemaking and with burgeoning Italian spirit, the Santa Inés Vineyard was soon to gain a reputation for high quality. Today the Santa Inés estate has expanded in many ways, increasing its original vineyard acreage, whilst always remaining a "Family Winery" in the truest sense of the word. During the 1 ½ hour tour the production and storage of fine wines will be explained. Afterwards there is the chance of tasting the exquisite quality of the wine for yourself.
Viña Undurraga SIB This winery was founded by Don Francisco Undurraga in 1885. A pioneer of viticulture and winemaking in Chile, the young Undurrage traveled to Europe, studying law and painting. On his return he brought vines from France (Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Pinot Noir) and from Germany (Riesling and Gewürztraminer). In honor of his wife Ana he named the vineyard “Santa Ana”. Undurraga sought the supervision of a French viticulture expert and the first vines were planted. The vines adapted well to the Chilean climate. The Chilean is the only “pre-phylloxera” vine remaining in the world. Miraculously, Chile was not affected by this beetle, which completely destroyed European vineyards toward the end of the 19th century. Viña Undurraga has been careful in developing its vineyards and agricultural activity extends across four properties and a total area of 2500 acres. The winery is surrounded by a landscaped park, designed by a French artist. You will visit the old bodegas and the beautiful Casona to learn about the production growth in the grapes and the storage of fine wines. Later, there is the chance for some wine tasting. Overnight in Santiago.

DAY 08 SANTIAGO – CASA BLANCA VALLEY - SANTIAGO

Full Day Excursion to the Casablanca Valley
Visit of Viña William Cole SIB Today’s visit takes in one of the region’s most famous wineries. In contrast to the conglomerates of the famous Casablanca Valley, the families here have specialized in cultivating a few small but delicate wine businesses. You’ll visit winery that is famous across the globe, known as “William Cole”, so named after its enterprising owner. After his successful career in business in the United States, Cole decided to establish himself in Chile. Cole aimed to produce exclusive fine wine and concentrated on the use of high technology and his own experience to establish the William Cole Vineyard. Nowadays, the vineyard covers 130 hectares in the Casablanca Valley, and boasts a beautiful cellar that is 7,200 meters squared in size. Here it is possible to find principals reserved wines: Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay: same line of varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon-Carmenére, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Visit of Viña Veramonte SIB Veramonte is the largest continuous vineyard in Chile, stretching over 350 hectares in the prime growing area of Chile's Casablanca Valley. In 1990, Agustin Huneeus chose this site for Veramonte recognizing that the microclimates and soils of this beautiful valley were similar to those of California's prestigious Napa Valley and Carneros wine-growing regions. The Veramonte Vineyard utilizes the most recent advances in viticulture technology to produce the highest quality fruit possible. Veramonte was introduced in 1996, and has since earned international critical acclaim for Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Primus, a rich, spicy proprietary red. When the Huneeus family pioneered Chile's Casablanca Valley in 1990, there were less than 40 hectares of planted vines. Nowadays, the winery at Veramonte is a state-of-the-art, modern winemaking facility designed by one of Chile's foremost leading architects, Jorge Swinburn. Opened in 1998, the 7,896-square meter winery includes the latest technology in bottling lines, gravity-fed fementors and ultra-modern stainless steel tanks. When guests enter the winery they are welcomed by the "Casona," a breathtaking room with a soaring rotunda, 16-meter high ceilings and glass walls revealing the barrel caves below. During your tour you will view all important processes of wine production. You will not leave before enjoying the great wines of the Viña Veramonte. Overnight in Santiago.

DAY 09 SANTIAGO

Transfer from the hotel to the airport for the flight back Home.

SUPERIOR HOTELS

Santiago
Hotel Torremayor
Considered as one of the favorite Hotels in Providencia area, Torremayor Hotel is stand out because of its location, nice architecture, warm decoration and recognized style of service. Fast access to airport, near to Shopping Malls, Subway Station and several commercial and tourist places, converted it to an excellent four-star Hotel.

Santa Cruz
Hotel Santa Cruz Plaza

TOUR RATES & DATES

Currency	From	To	Tour Category	Twin	Single	Single Supplement
USD	01-Jan-12	20-Dec-12	Superior	2,735.00	-	650.00

Chilean Vineyards