Category:

Featured Wineries

This is your guide to the best wineries in South America. Read all about the best wineries to visit in Argentina, the top wineries in Chile, the most exciting wineries in Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru.

In the ultimate guide to South American wine, we have all the best wineries of South America in one place. Discover our free guide to the wineries of Latin America, including natural wines, family wineries, big brands, quirky wineries and some of the best for wine tourism, winery restaurants and wine hotels. Your guide to visiting the wine regions of South America.

Colomé

by Pablo Ortiz September 17, 2015

written by Pablo Ortiz

There are few wine estates in the world quite like Colomé winery. With vineyards that run up to a sky-scraping 3,111 m.a.s.l., Colomé is seriously high altitude. And with that comes an incredible landscape of colourful mountains and clear skies, as well as distinctive wines with precision, concentration and brilliant acidity. Some highlights include the Altura Máxima range from the highest vineyards, with star-bright Sauvignon Blanc, crisp Pinot Noir and complex Malbec, as well as the perfumed Torrontés and Lote Especial Tannat.

This legacy estate was first established in 1831, and is the oldest continuously-running winery of Argentina with a beautiful plot of old vines planted in that same year. But the heart of Colomé today started beating in 2001 when the Hess family bought it and revitalised an abandoned village and community in this remote corner of the Calchaqui Valleys.

Donald and Ursula Hess poured a lot of energy, love and money into bringing running water, reconstructing damaged homes and giving new work opportunities and livelihoods to the families of Colomé village, while also establishing one of the leading wineries of Northern Argentina. A boutique wine lodge, farm to table restaurant and the incredible James Turrell art gallery are the cherry on the cake in Colomé. It is quite the journey to get there, but the experience makes it well worth it.

About Colomé winery

One of the highest wineries in the world, Colome sits in the Upper Calchaquí valleys further into the foothills than Cafayate and ranging from 2,300 to 3,111 meters above sea level. Founded some 180 years ago, Colome is one of the oldest-running wineries in Argentina.

Colome may be historical, but the Hess family have since built a state-of-the-art modern winery with production headed up by French winemaker Thibaut Delmotte. They also bought Amalaya, in the (slightly more accessible!) village of Cafayate. Today Colomé and Amalaya are managed by the second-generation, Larissa and Christophe.

As expected from the region, their Torrontes is top-notch but you should also seek out some their reds to get a flavour of Malbec at altitude. Colome’s vineyards are managed with biodynamic and organic principals, although due to the tricky ants (whose nests are treated with pesticides) they are not certified.

September 17, 2015 0 comment

Featured Wineries Featured Argentina Argentina Uco Valley Wineries Architecture

Salentein

by Pablo Ortiz September 17, 2015

written by Pablo Ortiz

Salentein winery is easily one of the most impressive wineries to visit in Mendoza. Founded in 1996 by a Dutch entrepreneur, the estate is based in the heart of the Uco Valley with some of the most striking modern architecture in Argentina. As well as the showcase winery, dubbed the wine cathedral, Salentein has an art gallery, sculpture garden, two restaurants, a wine hotel, a chapel and another workhorse winery. With all this on offer, as well as some of the finest wines in Tunuyán, it’s easy to see why Salentein is one of the most-visted wineries in Argentina.

About Salentein winery

Salentein was one of the true modern pioneers of the Uco Valley, established in 1996 by Dutch entrepreneur and visionary Myndert Pon. Focused on high-altitude viticulture for premium wines, and with a vision for creating an important wine tourism route, Salentein helped paved the way for modern wineries in the Uco Valley which has now become one of the best-known wine regions in Latin America.

Today Myndert’s children Frederike, Mariette and Ben now run the family business, and Salentein is not only recognised for the quality of its wines but also as one of the landmark contemporary wineries of Argentina with celebrated architecture and design.

A stunning building outside and in, renowned local architects Bormida & Yanzon designed Salentein winery with a functional gravity flow system in mind, but also creating a very handsome Greek amiptheatre-style cellar room and a Southern Cross formation to the winery. The acoustics here are amazing, and Salentein holds tango and classical music concerts here twice a year to prove it. A huge stone mural of a compass rose at the center also makes it picture-perfect for concerts.

September 17, 2015 0 comment

Featured Wineries Featured Chile Big Brand Maipo Wineries

Undurraga

by Pablo Ortiz September 17, 2015

written by Pablo Ortiz

One of the largest and oldest wineries in Chile, Undurraga has an impressive portfolio of wines ranging from the interesting Terroir Hunter series focusing on location-specific wines from around Chile, through to their sparkling wines for which they are one of the leaders in Chile.

Although they source grapes from the entire length of Chile, you’ll find their winery in Maipo – just an hour outside of Santiago. Founded in 1885 by Francisco Undurraga, the winery has a beautiful historic garden outside with large and impressive trees that were planted over a hundred years ago. The winery itself is more modern, keeping up with the high demand for their wines and sparkling wines which are popular in Chile and exported around the world.

See also: Bodega Volcanes de Chile

About Viña Undurraga

One of Chile’s great historic estates, Undurraga was founded in 1885 by Don Francisco Undurraga Vicuña and has grown over time to become one of Chile’s leading producers today. Don Francisco planted his vineyards with grapevines he brought from Europe, particularly from the Rhin in Germany and Bordeaux in France, and also brought oak barrels from Bosnia and the US. In 1903, Viña Undurraga became the first winery to export to the US and was able to sell its Pinot Noir in all 45 states at the time.

September 17, 2015 0 comment

Featured Wineries Featured Chile Chile Casablanca Wineries Biodynamic/Organic Restaurant San Antonio Wineries Hotel Winery

Matetic

by Pablo Ortiz September 17, 2015

written by Pablo Ortiz

Matetic winery is at the forefront of the biodynamic wine scene in South America, as an inspiring leader with 140 hectares of vines over four estates. The sweeping vineyards straddle San Antonio and Casablanca and are between 13 and 19 km from the Pacific Ocean with a maritime climate. This combination of the cool coastal climate and weathered red and grey granite soils are expressed through the excellent portfolio of Matetic’s wines — all focused on freshness, tension and purity of place.

Winemaker Julio Bastías is a master of cool climate Syrah, which is one of the most emblematic varieties of Matetic, but equally as thrilling are the coastal white wines, Pinot Noir, red blends and their sparkling Coastal Brut. Matetic is not only a vinous highlight in San Antonio but also a travel highlight with dynamic tours, its popular Equilibrio restaurant, the beautiful 19th century Hotel La Casona and new glamping domes in the vineyard for those who prefer to sleep under the stars.

September 17, 2015 0 comment

Newer Posts

Older Posts