Chile and Argentina Wine & Food Odyssey with Jim McMahon departing 21 September

General Info

Contours Travel have teamed with wine buff Jim McMahon to lead a truly gourmet tour in Chile and Argentina. Experience the finest of wines in a variety of regions from the back drop of the Andes Mountains in Chile through to the tango capital of Buenos Aires.

This 15 day itinerary includes tastings at traditional wine making areas such as Maipo Valley in Chile including Bodega Aquitania and Concha y Toro.

Stay in five star hotels in Santiago & Viña del Mar as well as private rural retreats attached to wineries. This area of Central Chile is recognised for producing the traditional flavours of Chilean wines. In addition to these wineries, a number of new boutique wineries are creating new flavours for the mix. Moving towards the coast to the Casablanca Valley one will discover the ideal whites produced in this cool coastal area.

In Chile, stunning wineries with views from the Casablanca Valley through to the Andes have each been specially selected for their excellent drop, divine surroundings and hospitality. A true highlight is the

In Argentina, we will visit Trapiche in the Maipú region on the outskirts of Mendoza and enjoy a truly gastronomic experience prior to arriving in the nation's stylish capital. Lunch and winery visit to Chandon, the birth of Bodegas Chandon an off shoot to Robert Jean de Vogue's first subsidiary outside of France. In Buenos Aires, we will stroll through the Italian district of La Boca and the Recoleta Cemetery, home to the grave of Eva Peron. You will be introduced to the stylish districts of Recoleta with its Presidential Palace and Palermo Park. The evening finishes with a tango dinner a show at El Querandi Tango Club.

There is plenty of time for shopping and discovering your own special place in Buenos Aires.

Itinerary

Day 1 Australia/Santiago

Depart Sydney for Santiago. Arrive on the same day at noon. Transfer to our Hotel Santiago Park Plaza in downtown Santiago. Dinner at leisure.

 

Day 2 Santiago

After breakfast we will depart for a tour of the city taking in the sites of O’Higgins Park and the panoramic views of the city of Santiago and the magnificent Andes. San Cristobal Hill followed by lunch at a local restaurant. Welcome drinks, dinner at leisure. Overnight Hotel Park Plaza. (B/L)

 

Day 3 Santiago

After breakfast spend the day at leisure, freshen up, relax and take in your surroundings of this cosmopolitan city with the Andes as a backdrop; explore the beautiful surrounds of Santiago. Dinner at a local up-market restaurant. Overnight Hotel Park Plaza. (B/D)

 

Day 4 Santiago

Today we will depart on a full day wine tour to the Maipo Valley. Settled more than 400 years ago by traditional Chilean families, it is the oldest wine-producing area in Chile and also the most traditional. Located right outside Santiago city.
Our first stop takes us to Bodega Aquitania, a joint venture between agronomists and oenologists from Bordeaux and Chile, oriented to produce wines of high quality in limited amounts.
We then continue to Concha y Toro, Latin America’s major wine exporter and with a presence in over 130 countries, this is the biggest winery in the whole of Chile.
Our last stop will be “La Vaquita Echa”, a local restaurant where we’ll enjoy a typical Chilean lunch. Dinner at leisure. Overnight Hotel Park Plaza. (B/L)

 

Day 5 Santiago/Viña Tarapaca

After breakfast we depart for Viña Tarapaca. We overnight at this beautiful and private rural retreat, including lunch and dinner. Chill out, relax and take in the beauty and tranquillity of this magnificent private estate. You may enjoy horse riding around the estate or simply walk through the vines and ponder at nature’s gift or perhaps relax around the magnificent pool which sits right outside the main entrance to the house. Overnight at Viña Tarapaca. (B/L/D)

 

Day 6 Viña Tarapaca/Vina del Mar

Depart this morning on a full day tour of the Casablanca Valley. Casablanca is a valley that transverses Chile. Surrounded by the coastal range, the Route 68 runs through the middle of the valley like a backbone and connects Santiago with the port of Valparaiso. The official birth of Casablanca’s white wines came in 1985 when Pablo Morandé introduced the first Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.
Our first stop is Viñedos Emiliana: an interesting winery that firmly believes that using sustainable, organic and biodynamic agricultural practices result in better quality grapes and therefore better wines.
Then on to Bodega Indómita where you can appreciate one of the most beautiful views of Casablanca Valley. The winery has interesting architecture nestled at the top of a hill with ultra-high-tech winemaking facilities.
Finally, you will enjoy a great gourmet lunch paired with great wines in House of Morandé, a stylish restaurant that belongs to Bodega Morandé with a very charming country setting. Overnight at Sheraton Hotel Miramar in Vina Del Mar. (B/L)

 

Day 7 Vina del Mar

Today our winery visit will take us to Errazuriz Winery including tasting and lunch. After lunch we tour Valparaiso & Viña del Mar. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight Hotel Miramar. (B/L/D)

 

Day 8 Vina del Mar/Mendoza

After breakfast we will depart to Santiago for our 1 hour flight over the Andes to Mendoza city. Transfer to our hotel with a city tour of Mendoza on the way. Afternoon free. Our stay is at the Hyatt Plaza Hotel, Mendoza. Welcome drinks and dinner at local restaurant. (B/D)

 

Day 9 Mendoza

We will begin in the morning visiting Nicolás Catena’s winery, Catena Zapata, perhaps one of the most surprising constructions in the area due to its form, similar to a Mayan pyramid. We will visit the winery and have a private tasting in the barrel room.
Visit and lunch at Norton Estate. In 1989 Norton Cellars was acquired by the Austrian manager Gernot Langes-Swarowski. This establishment is a group of buildings: the oldest, the ancestral house and the neighbouring works, date back to 1895.

Our stay is at the Hyatt Plaza Hotel, Mendoza. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner at leisure. (B/L)

 

Day 10 Mendoza

First stop today is Salentein in the area of Tunuyán, in the high Uco Valley. This winery is situated more than 1,200 metres above sea level in the foothills of the Andes.
In the afternoon, visit and lunch at Bodega Andeluna. Andeluna winery is located nearby on a 200 hectare estate. In the beautiful living room, tastefully decorated and with an incredible view of the Andes, we can enjoy a special lunch paired with wines from Andeluna. Dinner at leisure. (B/L)

 

Day 11 Mendoza

As we start the day, this morning we will visit Alta Vista in the Tupungato region, built in 1890.
Then we visit Kaiken Winery situated in the Maipu region which was established by Chilean wine producer, Montes Wines, in 2001. Montes decided to cross over the Andes into Argentina, with the firm purpose of producing fine wines from Argentine terroir.
Lunch and winery visit to Chandon. In 1959, Robert Jean de Vogüé decided to create Moët & Chandon’s first subsidiary outside France. This was the birth of Bodegas Chandon Argentina. We will tour this French off-shoot and sip some of the best sparkling wines in a tutored tasting by the Chief Chandon winemaker.
Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight Hyatt Plaza Hotel. (B/L/D)

 

Day 12 Mendoza/Buenos Aires

Our first port of call is a visit to the biggest winery in Argentina – Trapiche which is situated in the Maipú region on the outskirts of Mendoza. Trapiche wines are sold in 80 countries around the world. The vats used to store wine are the biggest is the whole of Argentina.
Lunch at Almacén del Sur restaurant. An elegant and warm ambience allows the visitor to fully enjoy the quality of an open kitchen and the outstanding views while a special gastronomic experience takes place.
After lunch we will depart for the airport for our 2hr flight to Buenos Aries. Arrive at Buenos Aires and be met by our local guide as we head to our hotel. Dinner at leisure. Overnight in Sofitel Buenos Aires. (B/L)

 

Day 13 Buenos Aires

After breakfast we tour the beautiful city of Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, which has been described as the Paris of South America. This sprawling metropolis has a population of over 12m people. Our tour will take in the Recoleta district, Presidential Palace, Plaza Del Mayo, Palermo Park, not to mention the Italian district of La Boca and the Recoleta Cemetery, home to the grave of Eve Peron. Lunch at leisure and the rest of the day is at leisure. Tonight is a special evening – we tango the night away with dinner & show at El Querandi Tango Club, one of the most famous dance halls in Buenos Aires. (B/D)

 

Day 14 Buenos Aires

After breakfast we spend the day at leisure; you may wish to shop on the long but famous Florida pedestrian Street which offers 10 blocks of continuous shopping. We would also suggest that you visit Palermo Soho where old houses have become restaurants, bars, boutiques and art galleries.

In the evening we will come together for our farewell drinks and dinner at a local restaurant. (B/D)

 

Day 15 Buenos Aires

After breakfast you will have some time to explore the city on your own.
In the afternoon you will be transferred to the International Airport for your flight back to Australia via Santiago. A late check-out is confirmed for you today. (B)

Prices

	Regular price	Price when booked by April 15
Land Only	$7990	$7490
Ex Sydney	$10590	$10090
Single Supplement	$2550	$2550

Guaranteed departure with a minimum of 15 passengers; should this number drop prior to our departure we will requote accordingly.

If departing from Melbourne & Brisbane please add $100; If departing from Adelaide, Cairns or Hobart please add $300; If departing from Perth or Darwin please ad $500.

Rates are based on Economy Class flight with Lan Chile (V class), they are subject to availability, taxes and fuel surcharges are subject to change without notice.

Price Ex Santiago do not include ANY flights.

Business Class Fare upgrades available, supplement of $2,900 per person (subject to availability)

Passengers will be allowed to travel early or extend their stay before and after the tour. Please ask Contours Travel South American Specialist for further details of optional travel plans.

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Special Offers

Book by April 15 and receive a special discount of $500 per person!! Contact us now!