Chile Part II - The Colchagua Valley

Destination: The Colchagua Valley, Chile and Santa Cruz, Chile

The arid, sun-drenched ColchaguaValley served as the ideal staging point for our broader Chile adventure. Gourmet food, comfortable accommodations, and copious bottles of Chile’s best reds, make for an easy adjustment to the new culture. We rolled into Santa Cruz after a two-and-a-half hour drive from the Santiago airport. Our lunch along the way deserves note...

We departed the PanAmerican Highway and Steph noticed a sign advertising some sort of restaurant. We followed several back roads until we arrived at the exceptionally well manicured Ranchero Villa Alegre a Chilean restaurant with a Bohemian feel. Upon entry into the foyer, we were promptly greeted by Angela Urtera de Ramirez who enthusiastically seated us al fresco by the pool. Her husband (and chef), Gustavo, was soon out to greet us with a broad smile and that broken English which seems easier to understand when delivered with trademark Chilean affability. Such treatment was commonplace throughout the trip, and especially in the Colchagua Valley. Gustavo appeared with our first three PiscoSours of the trip (many more would follow) nearly slapping them from our hands when we nearly took a sip prior to tasting the local Cabernet which has been poured. A lunch highlighted by fresh ceviche was served before we departed with much fanfare (it was imperative that Gustavo, Angela, and their daughter all said their goodbyes) for our first tasting of the trip.

The search for Luis Felipe Edwards Winery bears note. The vineyard’s accommodating and professional commercial director, Nicolas Bazzarri had e-mailed me a detailed map. A key landmark, however, was the ephemeral “blue water tower" at some points ubiquitous yet never the anticipated indicator of our destination. After several unnecessary miles of driving up dirt roads, conversing with confused locals, and dodging unpleasant dogs, we keyed in on the word "amarillo," included the last exchange with a now baffled local. We soon spotted a “yellow” building (near a blue water tower, of course) and the understated “Luis Felipe Edwards” sign behind the liberally grown ivy.

Our 3pm appointment at the striking Luis Felipe Edwards Winery proved the highlight of the day and, arguably, of the entire trip (or, at least, the wine tasting chapter). I had contacted Nicolas inquiring about a private tour. Not only did he accommodate us, but we were met by Tomas Vial, one of the winemakers. Tomas pulled one of the pickups around the front and drove us to the breathtaking overlook of the Luis Felipe Edwards Estate. Rows of Carmenere painted a canvas framed by the Andes. At some point while driving down the ridge I became concerned that we may have been mistaken by a group of VIPs scheduled to arrive at a similar time. My concern was heightened when we were hustled into a private tasting room, adorned with various awards and gold medals. Surely we would soon be interrupted by a party of American importers arriving for a thorough tour and tasting. Instead we enjoyed liberal pours of the outstanding Luis Felipe Edwards vintages. We even enjoyed a Chardonnay, despite our typical aversion to whites. In general, the Chilean Chardonnays lacked an overpowering oakiness which all to often seems to be the trademark of its Californian cousins.

As our tasting drew to a close, and it became evident that we were not even going to be charged a tasting fee, we inquired as to whether we could purchase a case to be shipped home to New York. We were informed that they did not sell wine on premises...hence, the people proved as generous as the hospitality was genuine. To top off this amazing first tasting, Tomas handed us a bottle of the Family Reserve...at no charge. If you can find it here in the U.S., be sure to purchase a bottle (or case) of Luis Felipe Edwards!

That evening, we checked into the Hotel Santa Cruz, on the plaza in Santa Cruz. This hacienda style hotel mixed a traditional classiness with modern amenities. Efficient service, large rooms with balconies, and a location which was tough to beat. I would recommend the Hotel Santa Cruz over the outrageously expensive winery options (we looked into a few at $500/night). The Hotel Santa Cruz priced at $215 for exceptional rooms and pristine grounds.

I had asked Tomas, who lived in Santa Cruz, to recommend some good (and non-touristy) restaurant options. He referred us to an authentic Peruvian restaurant about a mile from the plaza (unfortunately, we do not have the name). It did not disappoint...more ceviche fresh fish, and a non-touristy feel. If you make it to Santa Cruz, just ask the folks at the Santa Cruz Hotel how to get there.

The following morning, we gathered in the lobby of the Hotel Santa Cruz anticipating the arrival of our guide for the day. Enter the next character of this story, our soon to be bosom buddy, Victor Cordero. Victor runs “Van Travel Chile” and served as our driver and guide for the days adventure through Chilean wine country. My ever-tolerant mother soon labeled him with the “full of shit” moniker before softening her stance after our second winery. Victor had commented that Chile has 1182 volcanoes, 82 of them active,” a striking coincidence not lost on the perceptive ears of Lynn Peachey

We kicked off the day with a 11am tasting at before arriving at Vina Casa Silva. This was the only disappointment of the Colchagua Valley. Stunning grounds and facilities, but a pretesious and arrogant staff, not to mention underwhelming wines. We were "welcomed" by a staff member who seemed miffed that we were 15 minutes late for the tasting. While on our way to the tasting room, our she informed us that they had the best Carmeneres not in Chile...but "the world." Far from it. Their Petit Verdot was excellent, but otherwise, unless you enjoy the most pretentious of the Napa Wineries, skip Vina Casa Silva (Napa-like attitude and Texas-like wines).

Our next stop was lunch. I asked Victor if he could call a place for us to have a picnic. He indicated that such a request was more difficult than one would assume, but asked whether we would be interested in a more unique lunch experience. After stalling in a nearby town (while Victor called his business partner to set up our lunch), we proceeded to a private estate which would serve as the site for our lunch. I smelled "tourist scam." And again, my gringo paranoia proved unfounded.

Meandering down the overgrown dirt driveway put Mom and Stephanie on edge. Really, what was there to be concerned about? We were in a van with a relative stranger, in a Latin American country, driving down a back road to a medieval castle unknown to guidebooks and local authorities alike.

We were met by Victor's business partner, Jorge, a native of Madrid. The castle itself was an impressive structure and the grounds were littered with peacocks and chickens. Jorge informed us that the property was owned by his friend who dressed like King Arthur and lived here, in the swamp, without electricity. We toured the castle while caterers prepared lunch for us. We were served pisco sours and wine, and enjoyed a lunch of lamb, cheeses, and chicken with Jorge and Victor. We received a tour of the natural spring (where Mom was convinced that we were being walked to our gravesite) before heading out for the afternoon tasting. Lunch turned out to be a truly unique and special experience!

In the afternoon, we visited Emiliana, an outstanding organic winery. We entered the estate while dodging a heard of llamas (vicunas) which were being herded by two guys on bikes. Erika, our host, was accommodating and happy to host us. Another brilliant setting and wines nearly as good as Luis Felipe Edwards.

After the days tasting, we asked Victor for a restaurant recommendation, noting that we had enjoyed the Peruvian place. He drove us to La Posada Winery and Veta Bistro. The dining room's large windows looked out over rows of grapes and, in the background, the brown mountains. We brought in a bottle of the day's wine and took our glasses outside to take pictures. A waitress came running out and offered to take group pictures. When we returned inside to place our order, the chef emerged from the kitchen, speaking English, and offered to translate the menu...which he proceeded to do in detail. Roberto, who had spent time as a chef at Per Se in New York, took care of us throughout the evening. At the completion of our dinner, when we asked for a taxi back to our hotel, a waitress came over to inform us that, "our chef will take you home." Because there was a wait for the taxi, Roberto drove us the mile back to our hotel. Yet again, another personal and genuinely kind experience in Chile. We look forward to visiting the restaurant of one of Roberto's friends here in NYC!

Alas, the following morning we had to leave Santa Cruz, but not before a stop at Mont Gras, Victor's favorite winery. It did not diappoint. We were met by Ramon who invited us into the courtyard where wicker furniture was set up on the porch. He poured some of their best reds, including the trip favorite, Antu Ninquen. Mont Gras has perfected the Camenere-Cabernet blend, beefing up the singular Chilean Carmenere with a Cab. Ramon, who teached English at a locak school when not working at the winery, sat with us an explained the history of the Carmenere grape in Chile before departing for a previously scheduled tour. Minutes later, Victor showed up and joined us...a fitting bookend to the Colchagua.

Top 5 Restaurants

1. La Posada– Santa Cruz
2. Peruvian Place – Santa Cruz
3. El Chringuito - Zapallar
4. Puntamai - Maintencillo
5. Pizza Place - Puerto Natales