If you prefer your wine inky, with bold berry and tobacco notes, then an exploration of Chile’s Colchagua Valley could very well be your dream trip. Known for exclusively producing full-bodied red wine varietals like the country’s famed carménère, this under-the-radar wine haven is emerging as a paradise for oenophiles everywhere.
Sandwiched between the Andes Mountains and the Coastal Mountain Range, the valley’s granitic and volcanic soils merge with an arid Mediterranean climate, causing grapes to ripen slower, often with little intervention. With consistent heat, sensitive skins of white wine grapes perish, while red wine grapes flourish, causing the emergence of an unmatched organic red wine industry. Of the varietals, carménère is certainly the star. Originally hailing from France but now nearly extinct in regions like Bordeaux, in Chile the grape is bottled as a single varietal wine, but it also mixes with the valley’s complementary harvest of malbec, cabernet sauvignon, and syrah.
Brian Pearson, founder of boutique travel company Upscape and a pioneer of travel to the region, says cycling is the best way to discover the area’s rolling vineyards. “By cycling through the valley you’re able to really experience it with all your senses,” Pearson says. “Sure, you can go winery to winery by car, but by doing so on bike you’re forced to slow down and fully enjoy the stunning mountain and vineyard views of where you are.”
Top-notch hotels make the region a breeze to cycle around and visit. The four-room Relais & Châteaux Clos Apalta Residence is in the heart of the Colchagua Valley, and neighboring Viña Vik provides a luxe stay for contemporary art enthusiasts in the Millahue Valley. Both properties run their own wineries.
“Across Chile, we continue to see independent winemakers challenging the norms of more traditional winemaking, from creating new blends and resurrecting old grapes to implementing dry and organic, biodynamic farming practices,” says Pearson. “As oenotourism continues to gain popularity, more people will turn to Chile and the Colchagua Valley for consistently great wines, sunny weather, and stunning scenery.”
To make the most of a cycling trip to the Colchagua Valley, put these six wineries on your route.
Casa Lapostolle
Founded by Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle, great-granddaughter of the creator of Grand Marnier, Casa Lapostolle is the standout architectural icon of Chilean wineries. Adjacent to the outfit’s hacienda-style bodega is its Clos Apalta Residence, a hotel nestled in the hills of the horseshoe-shaped Apalta Valley of the greater Colchagua Valley. Try the exclusive pairing menu at the winery’s own restaurant to discover why Casa Lapostolle’s production of carménère has propelled Colchagua Valley’s acclaim as a premiere red wine region.
Neyen
With roots dating back to 1890, Neyen’s red wine production includes harvests sourced directly from the original carménère vines brought from Bordeaux. Such incredible lineage means deeply-rooted vines, leading Neyen’s winemakers to eschew irrigation (the vines grow naturally until harvest). Blending past and present, Neyen’s wines are rife with complex aromas of chocolate and honey. When you visit, enjoy a tasting of the winery’s unique blend of carménère and cabernet sauvignon in their cellar, built in 1890—the oldest in the Apalta Valley.
Polkura
In the extreme western stretches of the Colchagua Valley is Polkura, a small vineyard founded in 2002 by longtime friends Sven Brunchfeld and Gonzalo Muñoz. Less than 20 miles from the coastal surf town of Pichilemu, Polkura’s vineyards are protected from coastal sea breezes by a small mountain range, leading the winery to produce blends with notes of black pepper and herbs. Polkura is beloved for its production of syrah, malbec, and grenache.
Laura Hartwig
Laura Bisquertt inherited a slice of Colchagua Valley’s wine country from her father in 1966, and after living in Canada for several years with her husband Alejandro Hartwig, the couple returned to Chile to launch Laura Hartwig, a boutique winery named after their daughter. Stop by for a carriage ride tour of the property to view its polo fields and picturesque scenery. End at the traditional bodega to taste varietals like the winery’s icon bottle Laura 2010, a blend of cabernet sauvignon, malbec, cabernet franc, and petit verdot.
Clos Santa Ana
Located in the town of Población, Clos Santa Ana’s hacienda-style bodega doubles as a dog sanctuary and art gallery for owner Luis Allegretti. Having recently restored his 18th-century mansion in spectacular fashion, you’re likely to encounter one of Allegretti’s impromptu gathering of friends when you stop by for a tour. Home to around 10,000 plants, Allegretti’s vineyard is organic and biodynamic, and operates entirely free of machinery. Pick up a bottle of carménère, or one of Allegretti’s blends, which usually feature malbec, cabernet franc, or pinot noir.
Vik Millahue
Located in the neighboring Millahue Valley, no trip to Colchagua is complete without a stop at Vik. Founded by Norwegian entrepreneur Alexander Vik and his wife Carrie Vik, this winery’s holistic oenologists combine cutting-edge technology with the terroir of Millahue to create blends of cabernet sauvignon, carménère, syrah, merlot, and cabernet franc. When you visit, take note of the winery’s innovative design and architecture, including a concrete plaza walkway and water feature that naturally cools the underground cellar.