I am back. Haven’t posted in a while since I was recharging my travel batteries. In the meantime I was on Waiheke Island helping out with canopy management at a vineyard. Today I want to share some of the beautiful scenery that I encountered on Waiheke Island. It truely is a paradise. And what makes it even more beautiful is the fact, that on this tiny little island, you get a lot of good wine! In practically every corner, there is a vineyard that boasts stunning views and gorgeous wines. Continue reading →
The third winery on our wine and bike in the Colchagua Valley tour was Estampa, a short ride away from MontGras. It was a quick stop on our way to the next winery but nevertheless quite worth that stop.
Why did we stop there? For the white wine. The Sauvignon Blanc. After all the reds I was dying for a refreshing, light, fruity, acid white wine that gives me the much-needed Spritz on a hot afternoon. And this is exactly what I got. Continue reading →
MontGras is a Chilean success story. Founded in 1992, it now exports its wines to roughly 35 countries and is among the big players in the Chilean wine industry, still owned by its Chilean founding partners. It is a big company, no doubt about that, but when you enter their premises you get a very personal welcome and people take their time to explain things to you. Above all, their tastings are very generous and carried out by knowledgeable and also entertaining staff. Continue reading →
That wind! I know it’s super good for the grapes, cooling them down at night and all that, but that day, cycling around the Colchagua Valley to visit some wineries, the wind really wasn’t my best friend.
Wine and bike in the Colchagua Valley! What the hell did I think when I agreed to it? I probably just heard the “wine” bit of the sentence and thought the bike part will somehow happen miraculously without any need of my involvement. I WAS WRONG! I STRUGGLED! However, that’s just the out-of-shape me. The in-shape me tells you one thing: When in the Colchagua Valley, grab a bike and go and see those lovely wineries! There is no better way to explore Colchagua Valley than on a saddle of a bike. And yes, it is also super managable when you’re not fit. I was exeggarating a bit to get an exciting entry to the post. Sorry.
Here is a map of the region that we covered in a day:
Meet winemaker Steffan Jorgensen and Find out about his Unique wines
I wonder if it was a mistake to start my Chilean wine tour in the Elqui valley visiting Elqui Wines. Why? Because I don’t think it can get any better. Why? Because I tasted some mind blowing red wines and learned about a truely unique region.
Let me tell you a little bit about the Elqui valley, the winery and the people behind it as well as show you the wines I was invited to taste. I hope you will get curious about the region as well as Elqui Wines.
If you order your wine here, this is what you will get – from the outside.
The Elqui Valley: Where Vines have to struggle a bit
This valley is the most Northern wine growing region of Chile. It borders the Atacama desert, the world’s driest desert, in the North, the Andes in the East and the Pacific in the West. But how does this influence wine growing? Well, it’s dry, very dry, there is a lot of sunshine which is good for a continuous growing period. But at the same time the Pacific blows its cold wind, known as the Humboldt current, directly into the valley. There are no coastal ranges as in other parts of Chile that function as a barrier. This wind cools down the air and brings freshness and saltiness into the vineyards. Continue reading →
