Ruta del Vino de Colchagua

Ruta del Vino de Colchagua Review

The Colchagua Valley wineries had the good sense to band together back in the 1990s, when Chile's latest wine boom was just getting started. The move to form the Ruta del Vino de Colchagua has paid off handsomely, not only for marketing purposes but for organizing world-class wine tourism options. It's no joke; Colchagua was named "World's Best Wine Region" by Wine Enthusiast in 2005—which locals are very happy to mention. The Wine Route's office, next to the Santa Cruz Plaza Hotel on the main square, provides basic information about its 19 member wineries and arranges guided tours in English to most of them. Though most wineries do have their own guides, few of them speak English, and some accept only visits arranged by Ruta del Vino. The office arranges tours to two or three vineyards, with or without lunch, starting from 22,000 pesos per person and up depending on the complexity of the tour. The harvest season—March and April—kicks off with the Fiesta de la Vendimia (grape harvest festival) and is always a great time to visit.