Category Archives: South America

Aconcagua Valley, Chile

So you’ve been slowly checking off the Southern Hemisphere’s wine regions. You drank Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand, Shiraz in Australia, and Pinotage in South Africa. It’s time to add Chile to your ever-growing list. Often overlooked for Argentina, its Malbec-producing neighbor to the east, Chile’s Mediterranean climate–think long, hot growing seasons with cool coastal breezes–makes for ideal grape conditions. Add in dramatic scenery, small vineyards, and tasty vino for a perfect wine escape.

From Santiago, follow the Andean foothills 60 miles north to the Aconcagua Valley. Along the way, you’ll pass fields of peaches, apples, and avocados. The dominating, snow-capped Mount Aconcagua–the tallest mountain in the Americas–is on your right. Vineyards of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Syrah, Merlot, and Petit Verdot on your left. The vineyards are watered by meltwater, which streams down the mountains and into the Aconcagua River. Many come here to ski at Portillo, or hike in La Campana National Park and to the Lake of the Incas. But you’re here for the hearty red wine.

Photo: Viña Errázuriz

Start at Viña Errazuriz. Everyone starts here. It’s one of Chile’s oldest wineries, though you wouldn’t know it from the striking modern architecture. During the two-hour tour, you’ll visit the underground cellars, the gardens, and the vineyards. Taste their Carménère, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon with bread and cheese. And stay for lunch on the patio. Empanadas, lemon chiffon pie, and your favorite glass from the tasting, of course.

Just down the road from Viña Errazuriz, you’ll find Viña von Siebenthal, a boutique winery known for their Bordeaux-style blends that consistently win awards. Taste their Montelig and Carabantes. You may find your favorite Chilean wine here. And then head to hillside Viña San Esteban, where you can tour the winery and hike to see the Inca petroglyphs. End with a three-year vertical tasting of Carménère.

By now you’re supposed to start heading back to Santiago, but you’ve enjoyed the Aconcagua Valley so much that you may need to extend your Chilean wine tour. Chardonnay in the Casablanca Valley? Or stick with the reds in the Maipu Valley?

Cartagena, Colombia

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For far too many years, Colombia was on the no-go list. War, drugs, and kidnappings made it a country to which most people were hesitant to travel. No surprise. But things have gotten better in the last few years, making the beautiful coastal city of Cartagena–which remained relatively removed from the confrontations, anyway–the place where tourists are testing out the Colombian waters again.

Photo: Casa Pestagua

Named after the Spanish city of the same name, Cartagena is located on Colombia’s northern coast, along the Caribbean Sea. The city was once an important port for gold, silver, and slaves. Pirates loved it. Now it’s known for its colonial charm, sunshine, and nearby beaches. The historic center of the city is surrounded by 500-year-old coral stone forts. Inside the walls, there are churches and monasteries, palaces and mansions, plazas and open-air cafes, and horse-drawn carriages. Balconies overflow with bougainvillea. Acoustic guitar and salsa music drift through the maze of cobblestone alleyways. The smell of fish, cooking over a charcoal fire, fills the air.

Photo: Casa Pestagua

Amid the colonial architecture, you’ll find a Moorish palace-style mansion that once belonged to the Count of Pestagua. Today it houses Casa Pestagua Hotel Boutique Spa. The huge, individually decorated rooms have frescoed ceilings and marble bathrooms. Restored statues from the 16th and 17th centuries. Palm trees, fountains, and Son cubano music fill the patio. Breakfast is served in the courtyard. The rooftop verandah overlooks the sea and the city. And you can walk to almost everything.

Start in one of the many squares. Proclamation, Bolivar, Trinity, or San Pedro Claver. Walk along the city walls, Las Muralias. Explore the underground tunnels of San Felipe Castle, the horrors of the Palace of the Inquisition, and romantic San Fernando Castle. Drink papaya juice. Go to La Popa for views of the city and the harbor. Search for treasures at the Gold Museum. Eat fried plantains, coconut rice, and fried grouper. And drink sangria at Cafe del Mar, a bar on top of the walls, as the sun sets. You haven’t even made it to the beaches yet.

Puno, Peru

Bahia, Brazil

San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina

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Craving a snowboarding trip in July? Wishing flowers would start to bloom during dreary November? Maybe you need a change of season. Time to head to the Southern Hemisphere, where winter becomes summer, and autumn can suddenly disappear.

Photo: N Preseault

Whether you are looking to ski, sail, or sample chocolate, San Carlos de Bariloche is a year-round, nature-lover’s destination. Located at the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Northern Patagonia, Bariloche overlooks Nahuel Huapi Lake and National Park. Explore the beauty of the area on Circuito Chico–the Short Circuit Tour–that weaves bikers and drivers by crystal-clear lakes, snow-capped mountains, and breweries.

Photo: N Preseault

An even more spectacular view beckons from Cerro Otto. A gondola carries people and their cameras to a revolving restaurant, ski slopes, and hiking trails. Grab churros and hot chocolate, and then try to catch a glimpse of nearby Chile in the distance. Back in the chaleted town, chocolate shops and pubs are as common as St. Bernards.

Regardless of if you’ve been active or actively relaxing all day, be sure to have a view of the lake as the sun sets in Bariloche.

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