According to some wine experts, the region is ‘enjoying a growing reputation as Chile’s Napa Valley’ and some of the country’s most prestigious red wines are produced here, largely from Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere and Syrah grape varieties.

Like many of the world’s influential wine regions, the steep slopes on the edges of mountains which get cooled by coastal winds provides ideal conditions for wine making – not to mention stunning scenery.Most Colchagua wineries are clustered around the town of Santa Cruz where the Tinguiririca River brings meltwater descending from the snowy peaks of the Andes to naturally irrigate the vineyards while transporting clay and silt to create a perfect terroir.

Colchagua wineries are modern when compared to the more historical Maipo Valley with facilities specially constructed with wine tourism in mind – making this one of the best places in Chile to visit for intrepid wine enthusiasts.

At Wine Paths, our local expert can organise exclusive private tours of Colchagua wineries as well as arrange elaborate tastings, luxury accommodation and unique experiences in this highly sought after region.Our luxury overnight experience visits several renowned Colchagua wineries while also giving you the opportunity to explore vineyards by a bicycle or even a horse drawn carriage. Among the estates on the itinerary are:

The Estampa winery, which prides itself as being Chile’s first winery dedicated to blends. The estate was founded by Spanish immigrant Don Manuel González Dieguez after he bought a wheat mill there over a century ago.

Although the original grain mill is still in operation, the latest generation of Don Manuel’s family have given the business a modern slant that is obvious from the award-winning geometric architecture of the winery. Since 2015, Estampa has been experimenting with 17 additional Italian varieties.By contrast, our tour includes lunch at the rustic Casa Colchugua restaurant where you can enjoy fresh local ingredients paired with the best Chile wines and stunning views of the surrounding mountains.Laura Hartwig is one of several boutique Colchagua wineries with an interesting history; the estate was inherited by Laura Bisquertt in 1996 and managed as a dairy farm by her husband Alejandro Hartwig Carte before the couple left for Canada five years later.

However, they returned as wine enthusiasts several years later to develop this small, beautiful winery that includes tours of the vineyards drawn by horse drawn carriages.

The bicycle part of the tour begins at the Neyen de Apalta Winery where you can sample Cabernet Sauvignon blends from one of the oldest Colchagua wineries while meeting the winery’s host. Visitors can next pedal to the family-run Viu Manent winery and discover their core philosophy centred on attention to detail, respect for the environment, and finding the balance between honouring tradition and using modern techniques to produce their award-winning wines.

The tour of ends at the Casa Lapostolle Winery, which was founded in 1994 by Alexandra Marnier-Lapostolle (of the Grand Marnier family). The colonial hacienda uses French oak barrels for the production of its wine, which include their Casa and Cuvee Alexandre bottles.

For more inspiration see our multi-day tour of Chile’s Central Valley wine region, which includes Colchagua wineries such as the Viu Manent, before planning an unforgettable experience to one of the world’s most innovative wine regions.