Our specialty? Combining extraordinary wine experiences with thrilling adventures. Imagine sipping world-class wines while trekking through the Andes, or enjoying a private tasting in an exclusive cellar with the winemaker himself. Our unique approach to wine travel takes you off the beaten path, where the wines are as exceptional as the landscapes.
This week, we're diving into South America, a continent with a rich, albeit lesser-known, wine heritage. From the iconic Malbecs of Mendoza to the high-altitude wonders of Bolivia and the cool-climate surprises of Patagonia, we'll guide you through the regions producing some of the best wines.
Argentina: Mendoza
Best Time to Visit:
Spring and Fall: Ideal times to visit Mendoza are during spring (September to November) and fall (March to May).
Vendimia (Harvest Festival):
Timing: Celebrated in late February to early March, Mendoza’s Vendimia is one of the most famous wine festivals in the world, with parades, music, and, of course, exceptional wine tastings.
Highest Quality Grapes and Terroir:
Malbec: Mendoza’s flagship grape thrives here due to the high altitude, abundant sunshine, and well-drained soils that enhance flavor concentration and balance.
Cabernet Franc: Increasingly recognized for its refined elegance.
Top 3 Highly Ranked Wines from Mendoza:
Catena Zapata White Stones Chardonnay: A globally recognized Chardonnay, known for its minerality and elegance.
Casa Vigil Cabernet Franc: A complex and rich wine, celebrated for its balance and aging potential.
Pulenta Estate Gran Malbec: A premium Malbec with intense flavors and remarkable complexity.
Top 3 Vineyards to Visit for White Wines:
Catena Zapata:
Website: Catena Zapata
Highlights: Renowned for its high-altitude Chardonnay, offering comprehensive tours and tastings.
Pulenta Estate:
Website: Pulenta Estate
Highlights: Known for its elegant Chardonnay, with a modern tasting room and stunning vineyard views.
Bodega Vistalba:
Website: Bodega Vistalba
Highlights: Offers a range of white wines, complemented by a picturesque setting for tastings.
Top 3 Vineyards to Visit for Red Wines:
Casa Vigil (El Enemigo):
Website: Casa Vigil
Highlights: Famous for their Cabernet Franc and Malbec, offering a unique tasting experience in a beautiful setting plus a Michelin starred restaurant.
Catena Zapata:
Website: Catena Zapata
Highlights: A must-visit for Malbec and Cabernet Franc lovers, with a unique architectural experience.
Viña Cobos
Website: Viña Cobos
Highlights: Viña Cobos has a brand new cellar built in 2023 and is known for producing luxury-class wines, particularly Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon with aging potential. Their wines are celebrated for their elegance, power, and balance. Founded by winemaker Paul Hobbs in 1998, the winery emphasizes minimal intervention in the vineyard, allowing the unique characteristics of each terroir to shine through.
Bonus Highlight Wine:
Mendel Finca de los Andes Malbec: A hidden gem with low-production, high-quality Malbec. This charming vineyard offers an intimate visit experience.
Website: Mendel Wines
Up-and-Coming Gems
Río Negro in Northern Patagonia (Chubut)
Why This Region is Up-and-Coming:
Cool Climate: Patagonia’s Río Negro region is gaining recognition for producing elegant, cool-climate wines like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The combination of sandy, stony soils, and long growing seasons creates wines with unique minerality and depth.
Top 3 Highly Ranked Wines from Río Negro:
Otronia Chardonnay: Known for its crisp acidity and complex fruit profile.
Bodega Noemia Malbec: A celebrated Malbec with rich, concentrated flavors.
Bodega Chacra 'Cincuenta y Cinco' Pinot Noir: A top-tier Pinot Noir that exemplifies the region’s potential.
Top 3 Vineyards to Visit in Río Negro:
Otronia:
Website: Otronia
Highlights: Specializes in sustainable, cool-climate wines.
Bodega Noemia:
Website: Bodega Noemia
Highlights: Known for producing some of the best Malbecs in Patagonia.
Bodega Chacra:
Website: Bodega Chacra
Highlights: A leader in biodynamic winemaking, focusing on Pinot Noir.
Bonus gem for the explorers : Casa Yagüe, Trevelin - mineral and nutty chardonnays and rosé.
Bolivia: Tarija and Beyond
Main Wine Areas:
Tarija: The heart of Bolivian wine production, known for its high-altitude vineyards that produce low-yield, high-quality wines. These wines are not exported and the only way to enjoy them is to visit Bolivia. Check our group trip below:
Best Time to Visit:
Spring (September to November) and Fall (March to May).
Vendimia:
Timing: The harvest in Bolivia typically occurs in March.
Highest Quality Grapes and Terroir:
Vischoquena and Penat: These high-altitude grapes produce wines with intense flavors and a unique character. Bolivia’s terroir, with its sandy soils and dramatic temperature variations.
Top 3 Highly Ranked Wines from Bolivia:
Don Cristian: A robust and flavorful wine, showcasing the best of Bolivia’s high-altitude viticulture.
Jardín Oculto: Known for its complexity and depth, this wine is a true representation of Bolivian terroir.
Gran Cinti: A unique blend with rich flavors, highlighting the potential of Bolivia’s lesser-known varietals.
Top 3 Vineyards to Visit in Bolivia:
San Roque:
Website: San Roque
Highlights: Offers a deep dive into Bolivia’s winemaking traditions, with intimate tastings.
Cinci:
Website: Cinci
Highlights: Known for its high-altitude wines and innovative approach to winemaking.
Bodega Tierra Roja:
Website: Bodega Tierra Roja
Highlights: Produces small-batch, high-quality wines that reflect the unique Bolivian terroir.
Bonus Highlight for Sparkling Wine Lovers:
Altosama Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs: A sparkling wine that is as rare as it is exquisite. Perfect for those who appreciate the finer bubbles in life.
Chile: Valle Central and Beyond
Main Wine Areas:
Valle Central: The heartland of Chilean winemaking, producing some of the country’s best-known wines, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere.
Best Time to Visit:
Spring and Fall: Ideal times to experience Chile’s vineyards, with moderate temperatures and stunning vineyard views.
Vendimia:
Timing: The harvest takes place in March, with vibrant celebrations throughout the Valle Central.
Highest Quality Grapes and Terroir:
Cabernet Sauvignon: Chile’s signature grape thrives in the Valle Central’s warm climate and diverse soils, producing wines with bold flavors and silky tannins.
Top 3 Highly Ranked Wines from Valle Central:
Concha y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon: An icon of Chilean winemaking, known for its complexity and elegance.
Montes Alpha Carmenere: A top-tier Carmenere, showcasing the grape’s full potential in Chile.
Lapostolle Clos Apalta: A Bordeaux-style blend, consistently ranked among the best wines in the world.
Top 3 Vineyards to Visit for White Wines:
Matetic Vineyards:
Website: Matetic Vineyards
Highlights: Specializes in cool-climate whites, particularly Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. They also have a very cool lodge on site.
Casa Silva:
Website: Casa Silva
Highlights: Known for its crisp Sauvignon Blanc, produced in the coastal regions.
Errazuriz:
Website: Errazuriz
Highlights: Produces some of Chile’s finest Chardonnay.
Top 3 Vineyards to Visit for Red Wines:
Vina Vik:
Website: Vina Vik
Highlights: A luxury vineyard known for its innovative approach to winemaking and stunning red blends.
Bonus Highlight: Vik Hotel, an architectural masterpiece offering an immersive wine experience in the setting of an all inclusive 5 star hotel.
Concha y Toro:
Website: Concha y Toro
Highlights: Home to some of Chile’s most famous wines, with a rich history and beautiful estate.
Montes Winery:
Website: Montes Winery
Highlights: Known for its premium red wines, particularly the Alpha series.
Peru: A Hidden Gem in South American Wine
Main Wine Areas:
Ica and Tacama: Peru’s wine regions are small but mighty, producing some of the most unique wines in South America.
Summary on Peruvian Wines:
Peru is a hidden gem in the world of wine, with low-production, high-quality wines that rarely make it beyond the country’s borders. The unique terroir, with its combination of high altitude, sandy soils, and a dry climate, creates wines with intense flavors.
Best Time to Visit:
Spring and Early Summer: The best time to visit is between September and December, when the weather is perfect for exploring vineyards.
Vendimia:
Timing: The harvest usually occurs in March.
Highest Quality Grapes and Terroir:
Quebranta and Albilla: These grapes thrive in Peru’s unique terroir, producing wines with a distinctive character that is both complex and refreshing. Quebrante is one of the grapes used to make pisco.
Tannat and Carmenere: Peru’s versions of these varietals are bold and robust, with a depth of flavor that reflects the country’s diverse landscapes.
Top 3 Highly Ranked Wines from Peru:
Intipalka Albilla: Known for its bright acidity and floral notes.
Tacama Blanco de Blancos: A complex white with a refreshing finish.
Tabernero Gran Tinto Tannat: A bold and structured red that showcases the best of Peruvian winemaking.
Top 3 Vineyards to Visit for White Wines:
Tacama Winery:
Website: Tacama
Highlights: A historic winery known for its exceptional whites, particularly Albilla and Blancos.
Intipalka Winery:
Website: Intipalka
Highlights: Produces crisp, aromatic whites that are a must-try.
Tabernero Winery:
Website: Tabernero
Highlights: Known for their innovative white blends, offering a modern take on Peruvian winemaking.
Top 3 Vineyards to Visit for Red Wines:
Tacama Winery:
Website: Tacama
Highlights: Beyond their whites, Tacama excels in robust reds, including the elusive Hanan blend.
Quierolo Winery:
Website: Quierolo
Highlights: Known for their Tannat and Malbec, offering deep, flavorful reds.
Tabernero Winery:
Website: Tabernero
Highlights: Produces structured reds that reflect Peru’s unique terroir.
Bonus Highlight Wine:
Hanan by Tacama: A rare Tannat/Carmenere blend that’s as hard to find as it is exceptional. This wine is a true testament to the quality and creativity of Peruvian winemaking.
Uruguay: The Quiet Powerhouse of South American Wine
Main Wine Areas:
Canelones and Maldonado: Uruguay’s wine regions may be small, but they produce some of the most intriguing wines in South America.
Summary on Uruguayan Wines:
Uruguay is best known for its Tannat, a grape that thrives in the country’s maritime climate. The wines here are bold, structured, and deeply expressive, with a character that reflects the rugged beauty of Uruguay’s landscape.
Best Time to Visit:
Spring and Fall: The best times to visit are during the shoulder seasons, when the weather is mild and the vineyards are at their most beautiful.
Vendimia:
Timing: The harvest typically occurs in March, with small but vibrant celebrations throughout the wine regions.
Highest Quality Grapes and Terroir:
Tannat: Uruguay’s flagship grape, Tannat produces wines with deep color, robust tannins, and great aging potential. The country’s coastal climate and clay soils are perfect for this grape, resulting in wines that are both powerful and elegant.
Top 3 Highly Ranked Wines from Uruguay:
Garzón Tannat: A bold and expressive wine, showcasing the best of Uruguay’s terroir.
Pisano Río de los Pájaros Reserve: A complex and structured red, with flavors of dark fruit and spice.
Bouza Albariño: A crisp and refreshing white, offering a unique take on this Spanish grape variety.
Top 3 Vineyards to Visit
Bodega Garzón:
Website: Bodega Garzón
Highlights: Garzón’s Tannat is legendary, and the vineyard offers an immersive experience with stunning views.
Pisano Winery:
Website: Pisano Winery
Highlights: Known for their robust Tannat, with a focus on sustainable practices and family traditions.
Bodega Bouza:
Website: Bodega Bouza
Highlights: Bouza’s Tannat is a benchmark for the varietal, offering rich flavors and a refined structure.
Bonus Highlight Wine:
Viñedo de los Vientos Anarkía: A natural, no-sulfur Tannat that pushes the boundaries of traditional winemaking.
Conclusion
South America’s wine regions are as diverse as they are exciting, offering everything from world-famous Malbecs to hidden gems in Peru and Bolivia. Whether you’re a seasoned wine aficionado or a curious traveler looking to discover something new, these regions have something for everyone.
Check out our website and request your private custom wine trip experience. At Doctor Passport Ventures, we combine the best of wine and adventure, creating holidays where you can enjoy the finest wines in the most dramatic settings. What better way to spend your time than drinking the best wine on earth, surrounded by breathtaking landscapes?
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