Chile is home to some of the world’s most iconic bottles (Photo Credit: Pexels)
When I set off on a three-week journey through Chile, a few practical anxieties travelled with me. Would I find good vegetarian food? Would I manage being away from my daughter for so long? Had I packed enough jackets for a country that stretches from desert to glacier?
The one thing I never questioned was the wine. Chile, after all, is home to some of the world’s most iconic bottles. What I hadn’t anticipated was how profoundly the country’s winemaking landscape would surprise me. Over 18 days and 16 exceptional wineries, I encountered a wine world that feels quietly assured, deeply rooted, and only just beginning to reveal itself to the rest of us.
Santa Ema
Here, I tasted wines drawn straight from egg fermenters and explored expressive ranges from Select Terroir to Amplus (Photo Credit: Sonali C Holland)
I walked through breathtaking vineyards framed by two defining forces—the Andes rising dramatically behind them and the Pacific breathing cool air across the vines. Here, I tasted wines drawn straight from egg fermenters and explored expressive ranges from Select Terroir to Amplus. A special highlight was spending time with Rossana Pavone from the founding family, hand-labelling my own bottle of their iconic Catalina series and having it personally signed—a moment that felt intimate, human, and deeply memorable.
Viña Santa Rita
At Santa Rita, Chile’s wine heritage unfolded with quiet elegance (Photo Credit: Sonal C Holland)
At Santa Rita, Chile’s wine heritage unfolded with quiet elegance. I wandered through historic estates nestled at the foothills of the Andes and stepped into a geological pit to understand how Alto Maipo’s layered soils sculpt world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. A vertical tasting of Casa Real, the winery’s legendary flagship, was revelatory—each vintage speaking in a distinct voice, united by place but shaped by time.
Viña Don Melchor
Home to the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon crowned Wine Spectator’s Number One Wine of the Year, Viña Don Melchor stands as a benchmark for Chilean fine wine. Walking through the celebrated Puente Alto vineyards and tasting multiple parcel expressions with Technical Director Enrique Tirado felt like an advanced masterclass in precision and terroir. Blending my own wine from these parcels brought home how minute differences in soil and exposure create depth, balance, and magic in the glass.
Concha y Toro
From immersive tasting flights and beautifully elevated Chilean cuisine to an innovative Virtual Experience Centre that brings terroir to life, this visit was layered and engaging. Walking through the legendary Devil’s Cellar—where the Casillero del Diablo story is told with theatrical flair—was an experience every wine lover should enjoy at least once.
Viña Garcés Silva
In the cool coastal Leyda Valley, precision reigns supreme. Organic vineyards kissed by Pacific breezes lead to gravity-flow cellars designed for purity and restraint (Photo Credit: Sonal C Holland)
In the cool coastal Leyda Valley, precision reigns supreme. Organic vineyards kissed by Pacific breezes lead to gravity-flow cellars designed for purity and restraint. Tasting the elegant Amayna wines and the expressive Boya range revealed layers of minerality, freshness, and quiet determination—true reflections of this breathtaking maritime terroir.
Ventisquero Wine Estate
One of the most unforgettable moments of my journey was standing in the Atacama Desert—the driest place on earth—tasting Ventisquero’s Tara wines (Photo Credit: Sonal C Holland)
One of the most unforgettable moments of my journey was standing in the Atacama Desert—the driest place on earth—tasting Ventisquero’s Tara wines. These wines carried striking freshness, tension, and a beautiful saline edge. Tasting them inside a soil pit, surrounded by the stones, sand, and clay that shaped them, was a powerful reminder that in Chile, terroir isn’t just discussed—it is honoured.
Viña Las Veletas
This family-run estate in the Maule Valley offered an experience rich in warmth and authenticity. Expressive País, vibrant Carignan, and a beautifully textured, spice-laced Carménère spoke clearly of place and personality. The visit ended with a homemade lunch prepared by Bernardita, the wife of owner Raúl Dell’Oro—a moment that reminded me that wine, at its heart, is about connection, generosity, and shared joy.
Luis Felipe Edwards
Against sweeping valley views, I tasted two powerful, structured high-altitude wines—Pater, honouring founder Don Luis Felipe Edwards Sr., and Doña Bernarda, dedicated to his wife (Photo Credit: Sonal C Holland)
Here, I witnessed one of the winery’s boldest ventures: vineyards planted on some of Colchagua Valley’s steepest slopes, nearly 900 metres above sea level. Against sweeping valley views, I tasted two powerful, structured high-altitude wines—Pater, honouring founder Don Luis Felipe Edwards Sr., and Doña Bernarda, dedicated to his wife. Both wines reflected how altitude and climate sculpt elegance and depth.
Viña Aromo
Nestled in the sun-soaked Maule Valley, Viña Aromo seamlessly balances over a century of family heritage with contemporary winemaking (Photo Credit: Sonal C Holland)
Nestled in the sun-soaked Maule Valley, Viña Aromo seamlessly balances over a century of family heritage with contemporary winemaking. Spending the day with the Henríquez family and chief winemaker Jimena Egaña, I tasted expressive single-varietal wines that ranged from vibrant whites to ripe yet beautifully balanced reds—each commanding attention in its own quiet way.
Valdivieso
A pioneer of sparkling wine in Latin America, Valdivieso impressed with everything from fresh, elegant Charmat-style bubbles to the extraordinary Centenario Edition (Photo Credit: Sonal C Holland)
A pioneer of sparkling wine in Latin America, Valdivieso impressed with everything from fresh, elegant Charmat-style bubbles to the extraordinary Centenario Edition, aged nine years on lees and undeniably world-class. Among the still wines, their iconic Caballo Loco blends—crafted from multiple grapes, regions, and vintages—stood out for their complexity and harmony.
Viña San Pedro
Set in the Cachapoal Andes, this 150-year-old estate beautifully blends heritage with sustainability. The cellar felt like a laboratory of flavour, filled with barrels, foudres, amphorae, and stone vats. Tasting Sideral 2023 alongside unforgettable verticals of Altaïr and Cabo de Hornos revealed wines that ranged from youthful vibrancy to gracefully evolved elegance, each with a striking individuality.
Viña Montes, Chiloé Project
Viña Montes is nurturing a tiny one-hectare vineyard in a mild, windswept maritime climate to produce just a few hundred bottles of sparkling wine (Photo Credit: Sonal C Holland)
One of the most poetic moments of my journey unfolded on Mechuque Island, part of the Chiloé archipelago. Here, Viña Montes is nurturing a tiny one-hectare vineyard in a mild, windswept maritime climate to produce just a few hundred bottles of sparkling wine. Reaching it required flights, long drives, and even a ferry crossing—proof that extraordinary wines often come from the most unexpected places.
Viña Montes, Apalta
When Aurelio Montes Sr. first planted vines on Apalta’s steep slopes, many called it madness. Time proved it visionary (Photo Credit: Sonal C Holland)
This visit felt like stepping into a defining chapter of Chilean wine history. When Aurelio Montes Sr. first planted vines on Apalta’s steep slopes, many called it madness. Time proved it visionary. Tasting iconic wines like Purple Angel, Montes Folly, Alpha M, and the deeply moving Taita with Aurelio Montes Jr. offered a glimpse into a legacy carried forward with thoughtfulness and innovation.
Aresti Winery
Tasting Código 380—a powerful Cabernet—alongside vibrant whites by a serene water reservoir was unforgettable (Photo Credit: Sonal C Holland)
Stepping into founder Don Vicente Aresti’s beautifully preserved office offered a tangible sense of pioneering spirit. A dramatic barrel cellar, decades-old library wines, and a state-of-the-art bottling line showcased a seamless blend of heritage and progress. Tasting Código 380—a powerful Cabernet—alongside vibrant whites by a serene water reservoir was unforgettable.
Clos Apalta
Tasting Clos Apalta from century-old vines alongside Le Petit Clos and Prelude was a profound experience (Photo Credit: Sonal C Holland)
Waking up at the Clos Apalta Residence, an ultra-private Relais & Châteaux villa surrounded by vineyards, felt surreal. But the true marvel lay beneath: a winery carved 37 metres into solid rock, a four-level gravity-flow masterpiece. Inside, vintages dating back to 1997 and the legendary 27-litre Goliath bottle inspired awe. Tasting Clos Apalta from century-old vines alongside Le Petit Clos and Prelude was a profound experience.
MontGras
One of my most joyful days began with crisp Sauvignon Blanc and Albariño in a sunlit garden, followed by Grenache and Syrah tasted atop a mountain vineyard with sweeping views. An immersive underground centre traced Chile’s winemaking journey, but the highlight was blending my own Cabernet–Carménère–Merlot, approved by chief winemaker Benjamín Leiva.
I cannot emphasise enough how important it is for wine lovers to experience Chile firsthand. There is so much to discover, so much to learn, and so much beauty waiting to be poured into your glass.
Sonal C Holland, MW is India’s first Master of Wine and the country’s most qualified alcobev professional.
Related: Vineyards In France: Planning Your Best Wine Vacation Through The Grape Outdoors
Note:
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
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Sonal C Holland
Dining and Cooking