| Day
1: Arrival in Chile and Culinary Tour - B, L
Welcome to Santiago! Arrival this morning at Santiago’s
modern international airport and transfer to the San Francisco
Plaza Hotel in the heart of downtown Santiago de Chile.
Check-in and freshen up as we are off to discover the city’s
colorful fresh markets. First, we will visit a typical daily
barrio (neighborhood) vegetable and fruit market in the
historical Brasil neighborhood where we will pick out seasonal
produce for the day’s lunch. Our second stop will
be the Central Market where our caseros (fish mongers) offer
us the freshest catch of the day: fish, seafood, free range
poultry, tangy goat cheese, local olives, and even spices
for lunch. Lunch is at Liz’s private remodeled 1940s
spacious apartment overlooking Santiago’s Parque Forestal
where the group will participate in the preparation of a
delicious three-course gourmet lunch with selecting wine
pairings. Transfer back to your hotel and the rest of the
day free. Dinner is on your own tonight.
Lodging: Hotel Plaza San Francisco
Day 2: Casablanca and San Antonio Wine Valleys –
B, L, D
Departure from the hotel in Santiago and we head towards
the Pacific coast and its chilly coastal valleys: Casablanca
and the new appellation of San Antonio. In particular, San
Antonio, the smallest wine valley in Chile is, in our opinion,
one of the most exciting. Located only kilometers from the
coast, this “wild west” of rugged, natural beauty
is home to a handful of first-rate boutique wineries producing
Pinot Noir, cold-weather Syrah, aromatic whites and crisp
Sauvignon Blanc. Our first visit, Matetic Vineyards is a
modern boutique winery planted on slope-planted hills nestled
among eucalyptus and pine forests in their own private valley.
Our lunch rendezvous is in the Casablanca wine valley at
the Indomita Winery, renowned for its delicious “Chilean
Nouveau” cuisine. Before digging in, the talented
Chef Oscar Tapia (ex sous chef of Santiago’s acclaimed
Agua restaurant) who is adept at refining classic Chilean
dishes and ingredients into a gourmet adventure, will show
us some tips in a private cooking lesson. We will get to
sample the fruits of his labor in the restaurant served
alongside their wines and an encompassing view of the valley
below. Return to Santiago in afternoon. Tonight we will
dine at Santiago’s most historical restaurant where
many of Chile’s renowned Presidents and diplomats
have celebrated campaigns and victories. Full course dinner
focusing on Chile’s traditional dishes and local wines.
Lodging: Hotel Plaza San Francisco
Day
3: “High” Maipo Wine Valley – B, L
Depart from the hotel this morning and we head towards the
foothills of the Andes to the wine appellation closest to
Santiago, the Maipo valley. Named after the Maipo River,
the valley is renowned worldwide for its excellent soil
and climate for Cabernet Sauvignon. Divided into the Alto
Maipo, or “High” Maipo, which closely parallels
the Andes Mountains and the Isla de Maipo, which lies farther
to the west wedged between the coastal mountains, today
the focus is on the Alto Maipo where many of Chile’s
top wineries that produce excellent Cabernets and blends
are located. Our first visit is one of Chile’s finest
wines and an exclusive joint venture between Mouton Rothschild
and Viña Concha y Toro, Almaviva. We will tour the
unforgettable vineyards, grounds, and facilities and a tasting
of the fantastic 2003 vintage, rated 95 points in wine spectator.
Our next visit is just next door at Errazuriz’s top
wine, Viñedo Chadwick, located in the Tocornal vineyard
in Puente Alto; considered by many to be some of the finest
terroir for Cabernet Sauvignon in Chile. We will have a
private visit of the family home, vineyards, and ground
followed by an exclusive vertical tasting of the 2002 and
2003 vintages. For lunch, we head to the country town of
Pirque to an organic farm, ecological school, and 19th century
villa. After lunch, we will take a tour of the farm to see
how their delicious goat cheese is made, visit the organic
vegetable garden and their honey hives.
Dinner is on your own tonight. Lodging: Hotel Plaza San
Francisco
Day
4: Cachapoal and Colchagua Valleys – B, L, D
This morning before check-out, we will join the head chef
of San Francisco’s Hotel Restaurant Bristol and the
President of Les Toques Blanches (Chile Chapter) for a personalized
cooking lesson. Our wine and food journeys take us south
of Santiago to the wine valley known as Cachapaol, one of
the newer wine appellations in Chile. Today we will specifically
be visiting a winery located close to the Andes known as
the “Alto” (High) Cachapoal; whose stony piedmont
produces fresh, elegant Cabernet Sauvignon with soft tannins.
Leaving the Pan-American highway behind, we snake towards
road’s end (the Andes Mountains) arriving at our first
visit, one of Chile’s premium fine wines, Altair,
a joint venture between the gigantic San Pedro winery and
Chateau Dassault in Saint Emilion, France. We will be enjoying
the wines from their outdoor quincho (room), where we will
have an elegant but laid back catered luncheon. Salud! After
lunch (and a nap in the van), we continue southeast to the
kinship of Pelequén, passing its peculiar copper-domed
pink church to reach our final appointment with a premium
olive oil producer. Here we will see the fascinating process
of growing the olives and extracting their oil, tasting
the different varieties such as Arbequina and Frantoio in
a guided, professional-style tasting. Chile is producing
extremely high-quality low-acid extra virgin olive oils
for export so this is a great opportunity to learn about
this growing industry and, of course, taste its fruits!
A short ride to the quaint colonial town of Santa Cruz and
check-in to our colonial-style hotel on the town square.
Before dinner, we have one special visit down the street
to visit some friends at their restored 19th century home.
They will walk us through the age-old process of making
artesian liquors with natural fruits, herbs, and spices
from the surrounding countryside. Tonight we will dine at
a restored historic restaurant in the kinship of Cunaco
(10 minutes from Santa Cruz), once an 18th-century bakery
baking all the bread for the local hacienda and its workers.
We will enjoy local favorites like grilled marinated quail
or braised beef short ribs with more of Colchagua’s
great wines.
Lodging: Hotel Santa Cruz Plaza
Day
5: Colchagua Valley and Santa Cruz – B, L
Our
first stop is in the Apalta valley, a special microclimate
within the Colchagua valley in the shape of a horseshoe
where many of Chile’s top reds are born. Here we visit
one of the best known Chilean wineries and a classic success
story: Montes Winery. We will take a tour of their new multi-million
dollar winery followed by a tour of their vineyards in tractor
to the look out point of the hillside slopes. After the
tour, we will have an exclusive tasting of their icon and
premium wines looking out over the vineyards. Our next stop
is another Chilean-French investment, Casa Lapostolle, whose
premium Bordeaux-blend Clos Apalta recently inaugurated
its own new winery in Apalta—a breathtaking, world
class facility with not only a full view of the entire valley
and Andes but also innovative architecture that is as outstanding
as its wine. We will take a private tour of the facilities
followed by a private catered gourmet lunch from their hill
top villa with more Clos Apalta wine. Our final visit in
the afternoon is at one of the valley’s recent newcomers,
both in Colchagua and the Chilean wine scene: Neyén.
Although they have only two bottled vintages the estate’s
100+ year old vines produce one wine; a Bordeaux-style blend
with remarkable finesse, balance, and structure. Tour of
its gorgeous 19th century colonial-style estate and modern
winery, painstakingly restored with great taste, with owner
or French winemaker followed by a private tasting. Return
to the hotel and rest of afternoon free. Dinner tonight
is on your own.
Lodging: Hotel Santa Cruz Plaza
Day
6: Colchagua Valley and Santa Cruz – B, L, D
The
morning is free for you to explore the excellent Colchagua
Museum adjacent to the hotel. At lunch time, we will head
for lunch to the traditional winery, Viu Manent, for an
al fresco lunch in their hacienda garden trying local specialties
such as the grilled meats and delicious homemade empanadas
accompanied by their wines. After lunch, we will visit the
vineyards via horse-drawn carriage, try some of their young,
fruit-forward wines from the tanks, and keep on sampling
back in the tasting room! Return to the hotel and the rest
of the day is yours to lounge by the pool, explore the town,
hit the gym or have a massage. Tonight we will be heading
down to the Curicó valley (45-60 minutes drive each
way) for a gourmet dining adventure at the winery restaurant
of the Spanish Miguel Torres. A pioneer and leader in winemaking
technology in Chile, we will embark on a sensational evening
of clever, refined dishes paired with their outstanding
wines like the Sparkling Pinot Noir Brut, Manso de Velasco,
and 100-year-old Carginan vines. Cheers to another outstanding
meal and company!
Lodging: Hotel Santa Cruz Plaza
Day
7: Colchagua Valley and Departure to Mendoza, Argentina
– B, L
Check-out this morning from the hotel and we follow the
green coastal mountains until arriving at our first visit,
one of Chile’s premier organic and biodynamic wines,
VOE, Viñedos Orgánicos Emiliana. Our guide
will guide us through the vineyards, winery, and a tasting
of their premium wines. Heading north towards Santiago,
our lunch venue is at Casa Silva, a traditional Chilean-owned
winery whose vineyards and cellar date back to the mid 1800s
(now a historical monument) whose charming architecture
of whitewashed walls, long corridors, and red-tiled roof
(in pristine condition) have been carefully restored. The
restaurant overlooks their top barrel cellar where we will
dig in to some refined local dishes paired with their outstanding
wines such as Quinta Generación. Return to Santiago
for a late afternoon drop-off at the international airport
for our brief flight to Mendoza, Argentina. Transfer to
the Park Hyatt Mendoza upon arrival. Dinner is on your own
tonight.
Day
8: Luján de Cuyo and Mendoza’s Terroir Wines
– B, L, D
We
will start our exploration of Mendoza’s top wineries
in the area known as Luján de Cuyo, directly south
of Mendoza city. Our first visit is an unassuming winery
located beside the Mendoza River that has become one of
Wine Spectator’s darlings with 95+ points for its
single vineyard expression wines: Achaval Ferrer. Our next
visit is the project of the Italian-Argentine Zuccardi family
in Eastern Mendoza. Leaders in the Argentinean and international
markets, winemaking for the Zuccardi’s is not only
a business and a profession; it is a lifestyle. We will
join with them to celebrate the dolce vita with a tasting
of their most exciting wines followed by a lovely al fresco
luncheon in the garden of their traditional parrillada restaurant
specializing in local grilled meats, cheeses, and pastas.
Our afternoon visit is dedicated to visiting the spectacular
Catena Zapata winery. Founded by Dr. Nicolas Catena, they
are the pioneers in exporting premium Malbec abroad. We
will visit the winery with its unique Mayan-pyramid architecture
and sample some of their fine wines by the barrel room.
Return to hotel in late afternoon for free time. Our dinner
date tonight is at the chic restaurant, La Bourgogne, a
world-class gourmet restaurant that is part of the Carlos
Pulenta winery. The menu highlights the local ingredients
in dressed up flavor combinations with flawless French technique
and the winery’s delicious wines.
Lodging: Park Hyatt Mendoza
Day
9: Uco Valley – B, L
This morning we will visit one of Argentina’s newest
and best boutique wineries for the quality of its wines,
its stunning location at the foot of the Andes (3,000 feet
about sea level) and swish futuristic architecture. Founded
in the new millennium by a Spanish family, O. Fournier’s
house specialty is Tempranillo and Malbec. Our next stop
is the famous consortia of vineyards headed by prestigious
French partners, including winemaker Michel Rolland: Clos
de los Siete. We will stop at the original winery, Monteviejo,
built on the seven properties at the feet of the Andes,
located in the district of Vista Flores. This terroir produces
show-stopping Malbec and Chardonnay with tingling acidity
due to the soil and relatively cool temperatures. Brief
tour and selected tasting of their wines. Lunch is a scenic
20 minutes away at one of the area’s gastronomic gems
where the specialty is home-cured prosciutto and pork dishes.
With entire hams hanging from the ceiling and rustic wood
tables, it is simple and delicious traditional Argentinean
food accompanied by fine Uco wines. Drive (nap optional)
back to the hotel with rest of the afternoon free. Tonight
before dinner, we will meet at a hip local wine shop for
a special wine flight to try some great boutique wines and
local beauties that we didn’t have time to visit.
Dinner is on your own tonight after the tasting.
Lodging: Park Hyatt Mendoza
Day
10: Champagne, Gourmet Delicatessen, and Adios! –
B, L
We
get off our last day together to a fittingly perfect start--sparkling
wine—cheers! We will have a tour at Chandon and private
tasting of their best sparkling wines. For our next visit
and lunch venue, we head to eastern Mendoza to an organic
vegetable farm and early 20th century mansion. This upscale
100% organic vegetable farm and fruit orchard, producing
gourmet delicatessen treats like homemade roasted Piquillo
peppers, Green Tomato Chutney, Rose Confit, Malbec jam,
hand grows, harvests, and makes everything on the property.
We will take a fascinating tour to see the process and then
sit down to a 5-course guided tasting lunch in the private
home to try these Mediterranean-accented specialties paired
with Mendoza area wines chosen especially to accompany the
food. Exquisite! Drop-off at international airport in the
late afternoon for returning flight to Chile or Buenos Aires
for those continuing the (optional) add-on tour.
Tour
Program includes:
- accomodation in 4 & 5-star hotels
- 2 private cooking classes and demonstrations; personalized
diploma awarded for Hand’s-On lesson
- 1 private culinary tour to markets with hands-on group
cooking lesson (included in lunch totals also)
- All admission fees, guided visits, and tastings as per
itinerary (olive oil, wineries, museums, etc.)
- 10 Gourmet lunches with selected wines & 4 Gourmet
dinners with selected wines
- First-class air-conditioned bus with professional driver
& bilingual chef/sommelier Liz Caskey will accompany
tour
- Flight from Santiago-Mendoza-Santiago in LAN airlines
Program
is subject to availability of wineries, restaurants, etc.
and may change without notice.
CALL
1-800-682-9297 or email info@gourmet-experience.com
Price
per person, based on a minimum of 12 guests:
(double occupancy) C$6,995
(single occupancy) single supplement $900
|
|
