South American Harvest Tour

Host Peter Blattmann

Wine & Gourmet Tour of Chile & Argentina March 06-18, 2005 Read Praise from some of Our Past Clients Argentina Extension program available

 Printable Brochure (Adobe PDF format - get Adobe Reader here)

In the last 10 years South America's wineries have catapulted from the last century into the new millennium. New vines are sprouting from hills and valleys, and the Ultra-Chileans and modern-styled Malbecs from Argentina now stand proudly alongside the top wines of the world. Separated only by the 22,000-ft Andes Mountains, Chile and Argentina offer spectacular scenery with fascinating similarities and contrasts in both geography and culture. We sample the best of each country's food and wine, and enjoy the delightful hospitality of their top wine-makers and chefs. We end our journey with a flourish of Tango in South America's most exciting city, Buenos Aires.

Your Gastronomy and Wine Guide: Liz Caskey is an American chef residing in Santiago, Chile. Her focus is gastronomic tourism and wine, bringing the two together to help her clients better appreciate Chilean cuisine both old and new.

- Itinerary -

Sunday, March 06, 2005:
Hotel Plaza San Francisco, Santiago L

Transfer from the airport to hotel to drop our bags. Your guide will then take you on a short walk to see some of the local markets and enjoy a light lunch. We return to hotel to give you free time to settle in. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Monday, March 07:
Hotel Plaza San Francisco, Santiago B L

Veramonte, Casablanca Valley, Chile

Valeria & Agustin Huneeus, founders of Veramonte

Today we drive out to the Casablanca Valley, west of Santiago, where we are treated to a tasting introduction to the region's wines during a cooking lesson at the vineyard of Veramonte, followed by a gourmet lunch at the estate.

In the afternoon we enjoy a visit to another top vineyard such as Indomita, Matetic or Villard. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Tuesday, March 08:
Hotel Plaza San Francisco, Santiago B L

Viñedo Chadwick is one of Chile's top icon wines

Don Melchor estate of Chile's Concha y Toro

We travel to the Maipo wine region, to visit one of Chile's most famous wineries, Almaviva. This is a joint project of Concha y Toro and Baron Philippe de Rothschild, and is the only Chilean wine to be sold on the Bordeaux wine market alonside the famous growths of that region. Lunch will be at Concha Y Toro Don Melchor estate, followed by a visit to Chadwick estate for a special tasting of their Errazuriz and Caliterra wines. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Wednesday, March 09:
Plaza Santa Cruz Hotel B L D

Olive Plantantion

Alexandra Marnier-Lapostolle in the vineyards

Morning cooking lesson with Guillermo Rodriguez, head chef of San Francisco Hotel's Restaurant Bristol and President of Les Toques Blanches. Carmen winery, regarded as one of the stars in Maipo Valley will showcase their premium wines during lunch. We then drive south, with a stop en route at Valle Arriba, one of Chile's premier olive oil producers. We continue to the town of Santa Cruz, in the heart of the Colchagua wine region, checking into the charming hotel Plaza, followed by a relaxed dinner at Casa Lapostolle, renowned for it's great wines using French expertise.

Thursday, March 10:
Plaza Santa Cruz Hotel B L

Aurelio Montes inspecting his vineyards

Aurelio Montes among his vines

Morning visit to a top winery such as Viu Manent, Bisquertt or Mont Gras, followed by a visit to the vineyards of Montes,
recipient of the coveted "New World winery of the year 2002 award". The highlight of our visit will be a tasting and a BBQ lunch in the company of the brilliant, innovative winemaker Aurelio Montes on the pavilion overlooking the panorama
of vineyards in the valley below. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Friday, March 11:
Plaza Santa Cruz Hotel B L D

The Torres Dynasty

Award winning Torres Winery & Restaurant

We drive west from Santa Cruz to tour and then lunch at Los Vascos of Domaines Barons de Rothschild, First growth Bordeaux Chateau Lafite. Returning inland, we drive through the Colchagua Valley and on towards Curico to arrive for another visit followed by dinner at Torres, revered as a true pioneer having invested in 1979 in Chile as the premier foreign company. We will dine in their restaurant rated among the finest in Chile.

Saturday, March 12:
Park Hyatt Hotel B L

Drive north, for a visit and early lunch at Vina Santa Carolina before heading to the airport for a late afternoon flight to Mendoza (50 minutes flight). On arrival in Mendoza, check in at the Park Hyatt Hotel. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Sunday, March 13:
Park Hyatt Hotel B L

Don Alberto Zuccardi with son José

Cellars at Bodega Weinert

Morning visit to a top winery such as Weinert, before we drive to a special visit and lunch at La Agricola. This is a surprising vineyard to many people, as it's not one of the modern "famous" wineries, but a visit with owner Jose Zuccardi is a fascinating education in original and very successful viniculture and agro-engineering - his chef also makes some of the best empanadas in Mendoza! Dinner is on your own in Mendoza.

Monday, March 14:
Park Hyatt Hotel B L

Cellar of Terrazas de los Andes

Bodegas Terrazas' Gran Malbec is made in small quatities in the best vintages

Early rendez-vous at the vineyards of Bodegas Terrazas, Frances's Moet & Chandon dramatic entry in Mendoza, co-producing ultra-premium wines with famed chateau Cheval Blanc. Our visit includes a special tasting and typical Argentinian lunch. Late Afternoon visit to another top vineyards such as Finca Flichman. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Tuesday, March 15:
B L

Bodega Catena Zapata

Nicolas Catena & head winemaker blending wine

This final day we spend entirely in the company of Argentina's revered Malbec pioneer Catena Zapata at his Mayan-inspired winery. After visiting the vineyards we will taste some of his award-winning wines followed by lunch at the winery. Afternoon flight to Santiago and home or join the rest of the group for the flight to Buenos Aires.

This 10 Day, 9 Night Program includes :

• 3 nights accommodations at 5-star luxury Plaza San Francisco Hotel, Santiago, double occupancy
• 3 nights accommodations at 4-star Hotel Plaza, Santa Cruz, double occupancy
• 3 nights accommodations at 5-star Hotel Park Hyatt, Mendoza, double occupancy
• 1 cooking class with personalized apron & diploma
• 2 gastronomic dinners with premium wines
• 10 gourmet lunches with fine wines
• Deluxe, air-conditioned motor coach transportation throughout
• Round-trip air Santiago-Mendoza-Santiago
• All admission fees and guided tours
• All wine estate tours and tastings
• The services of a professional, bilingual gastronomy and wine guide throughout
• A packet of wine articles, tasting notebook, wine brochures, wine region maps, city maps
• All taxes and gratuities porterage and baggage handling

Tour Cost

Price per person, based on a minimum of 12 persons, double occupancy C$ 6.600

Single Supplement C$ 1.500

Argentina 3-Day, 3 Night Extension Program includes: (Buffet breakfast each day)

Tuesday, March 15th:
Park Plaza Kempinski Hotel
Arrive Buenos Aires and check into hotel. Although you are officially on your own, Liz will lead an optional excursion for drinks and dinner "hopping" in the spirit of tapas bars in Spain. She will take you to the very trendy area of Palermo Viejo and Hollywood, the old, charming residential area of Buenos Aires.
This is a favorite of locals, now renowned for its excellent restaurants with sleek architecture and young celebrity chefs. Highlights might include drinks and snacks at Bar 6 in Palermo Viejo, a young modern restaurant-bar with up-to-date cuisine with Argentine fresh twists by chef Pancho Gonzalez, trained at the CIA. With - a great backyard patio and wood grill, living room with huge wine list by the glass and drinks. On to the Bar Uriarte just a couple blocks away, with Italian-Argentine cuisine featuring delicious crispy pizzas (with prosciutto, rucula, figs), where the kitchen is viewed from a window at the end of the bar. If the group is content here, we stay, or we can continue to Olsen, one of the BEST and HIPPEST restaurants in the city, in Palermo Hollywood. Nordic inspiration from well-known chef German Martitegui gives specialties with blue cheese, smoked game fish, pork and a stunning selection of vodka and aquavit in the freezer, fixed in a wall behind the bar. The high ceiling loft, chimney with armchairs, and big garden and deck are all Swedish minimalist. Welcome to BA!!!

Wednesday, March 16th:
Park Plaza Kempinski Hotel B L
Today we'll enjoy a visit to a traditional Estancia in the Argentine wet pampas, one of the most fertile natural prairies of the world and famous for its meat and cereal production. with a BBQ lunch. You'll get a chance to see first-hand the work that goes on with the cattle and horses, and enjoy a folk-singing entertainment over lunch. For dinner, those who wish may join the guide in the Belgrano Chico, a less-touristy area of the city. This restaurant is sleek and modern and full of models, soccer players and local stars. Fernando Trocca, one of the country's top chefs, practices his French-based cuisine, enriched in Mediterranean trends and neolatin accents. The kitchen and wood cooking fires are beautiful, and the bar is two stories high with the bottles lighted by back lighting - to get to the bathroom, you walk the catwalk across the bar ! The wine and cigar cellar are in the center of the restaurant and the sommelier gives a tour with much pride. Huge wine selection, good music, late crowd. Just a sample of the menu--roasted shrimp painted with Cajun butter, corn, and citrus vinaigrette. You can also order tapas from the bar for those not as hungry.

Thursday, March 17th:
Park Plaza Kempinski Hotel B L D
Guided visit of Buenos Aires rich historical monuments and museums, upscale residential areas and charming European streets. Lunch at one of Argentina's trendiest, hippest restaurants. Teatro Colon CANNOT be missed, neither can the Plaza de Mayo, Congreso, Avenida de Mayo, La Florida, Santa Fe, Retiro, Recoleta, etc. We might visit the bookstore of El Ateneo on Santa Fe, which used to be an opera house. A very Argentinean pastime is a late afternoon coffee to the Barrio Norte/Recoleta area of the city, near the French Embassy; here are charming European streets (you would swear it is Paris), with boutiques, and coffee houses everywhere - old men reading the paper, young couples out with their baby, the whole area up to Santa Fe street is like Paris and charming... After time to relax, we get together for a gastronomic feast with some of the country's best wines. We end the day with a flourish of Tango at one of Buenos Aires most exciting nightspots.

Friday, March 17th:
B
The day is open for shopping in sophisticated boutiques. Optional walking tour to another charming part of this cosmopolitan city including an optional "al fresco" lunch at a cute café in the charming Pasaje del Correo (Postman's Corridor). Informal and light dishes written bistro style on a blackboard, al fresco eating. We may decide to continue to the Buenos Aires Design, a great shopping area near Eva Peron's grave or back to La Florida if people are interested in buying leather. Finally we will transfer you to the airport for a late afternoon flight to Santiago and home.

This 3 Day, 3 Night Program includes :

• 3 nights accommodation with breakfast at Kempinski Park Plaza Hotel
• 1 traditional BBQ with wines
• 1 gourmet lunch with fine wines
• 1 gastronomic dinner with premium wines followed by Tango show
• Flight from Mendoza to Buenos Aires-Santigao
• All admission fees and guided tours
• The services of a professional tour guide throughout
• All taxes and gratuities, porterage and baggage handling

Tour Cost

Price per person, double occupancy, minimum of 6 persons C$ 3.380, Single supplement C$ 720.

Terms and Conditions

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