South America is known for beaches, jungle adventures, and mountain hiking, but wine tasting is a growing attraction for travelers.
Imagine yourself holding a goblet up to the Andean sky and letting the sunlight reveal the merlot’s deep crimson color. The torrentés wine in that same light has a pale golden tone. South American vineyards make for a fabulous motive to explore the rural landscapes and smaller towns across the continent.
We’ll share with you in this article a South America wine tasting route. It shows you where to go in each of six countries. We have even included a handy map linked to at the bottom of the article. Use it as a navigational guide to planning your great wine-tasting journey.
It was the Spaniards who first brought vineyards to South America. The Jesuit priests cultivated them for wine to serve at their masses to communicate the meaning of the shed blood of Christ for all people. These vinos were also claimed by the conquistadores and their descendants, the ruling class of the continent at that time. Wine, therefore, has not only been cultivated for centuries; it has intensely symbolic and metaphoric meaning in the religious and social narratives of South America.
The only part of South America where the vineyards survived from those years of the Spanish conquest is in the Southern Cone (Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay). The Mediterranean climate allowed the vines to grow sweet, flavorful fruit.
After South America’s independence from Spain in the 19th century, new immigrants from Italy, Portugal, and France crossed the Atlantic sea. They revitalized the vineyards, bringing a taste of their homelands to what they coined “the New World”. The wines of these nations, steeped in the soil for hundreds of years, have become famous around the globe.
For a long time, Chile and Argentina were the only hope for budget travelers to be able to partake in wine. Production is so great that you can get a fine bottle for a few US dollars.
In the other South American nations, imported wine has always been the norm, which is an expensive option when you add in both the import taxes and the difficulties in maintaining the stock in good condition. The wine bottle has to be stored with the cork down to keep it moist and thus prevent humidity (especially salt-laden air) from entering the bottle. Otherwise, you could end up buying a very expensive bottle of vinegar!
Secondly, the humid and tropical climate in many nations doesn’t allow for the cultivation of ordinary wine grapes. The vines do not have time to rest, to repose in a cool climate; thus they do not produce the sweet, flavorful grapes needed for making great wine. Because of the year-round warm temperatures in those hot countries, the fruit is “spent.” The resulting wine has either a turpentine essence to it (like in Guatemala) or else a sickeningly sweet taste from so much sugar being added to allow good fermentation (as Ecuadorian wines are wont to be).
However, in recent years, special tropical and high-altitude grapes have been introduced. With the assistance of viticulture technicians from Chile, France, and other wine-producing countries, many other South American countries are now making their own marks in the world of enology. You can travel from Venezuela to Patagonia, stopping at bodegas all along the way to sample their fruit of the vine!
Now, let’s go touring South American vineyards!
Some notes:
Take the opportunity, though, to learn about winemaking and taste the delightful fruit of South America’s vines.
The map offers a visual guide but can only do so much to give you rich details about where you’re going and how to get there. Use this step-by-step section as your companion to the map where we’ll give you context, transportation links, prices, and planning tips. Everything you need for each stop along the way!
Dubbed “The Athens of South America”, Bogotá is an international hub and makes a great starting location for your winery adventure. Brimming with world-class museums and regal architecture, this city of 7 million people has no end of things to do and see, not to mention a parade of handsome restaurants that will have the best wines on tap from around the continent.
The first word you’ll need to know on your trip is “viñedo”, which means “vineyard”. The Guananí viñedo is an all-inclusive destination where you can lodge, dine, and do wine tasting and tours. You can then visit nearby popular sights like the town of Villa de Leyva itself, the Convent of Santo Ecce Homo, the Carmelitas temple, and indigenous and archaeological wonders.
Viñedo Guananí is also pet-friendly, a rare find.
Getting around by public bus is possible in the Boyacá province. But with the intense number of things to see and do in the area, including the two following wineries, we actually recommend you use Villa de Leyva as your base and arrange from here a private tour guide to drive you around to the other two wineries and other museums and sites. This will allow you to customize your itinerary and get everywhere with greater ease and efficiency. You will find many tour operators in the town of Villa de Leyva, and many that speak English.
Cost of entry: 25,000 pesos ($7 USD)
The Ain Karim winery is just 9 km on the same road to other well-known sites in the Villa de Leyva area. It is highly acclaimed for its vintage and cultivation, and you will find its wines sold around the country. They have multiple daily guided visits, so no reservation is necessary. The wine tasting menu includes fine cheeses and fruit. Very classy.
The Puntalarga winery is a 2-hour drive from Villa de Leyva on the opposite side of the province but is well worth the trip. You will be entering into an important part of the country as ancient cultures here marked the area as a temple of the Sun in nearby Sogamoso.
The winery is also internationally acclaimed and wonderful with visitors, offering rich scientific and cultural explanations on the making of their wine, and their historic connection with the land. Don’t pass this one up!
When you have completed your visit to the wonderful vineyards and wineries of Boyacá, simply return to the place where the bus dropped you off in Villa de Leyva and board the next bus back to Bogotá. No advance reservations are necessary.
How do I continue my journey from Colombia to Ecuador? Easy! Just check bus trips from Bogota to Quito, a very popular route for travelers making their way down to South America.
Reservations required:
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Ecuador has been usually the destination of imported goods, including European wine and beer. But this Viñedo has imported the tools and ingredients needed to produce a home-grown high-quality wine. Italian machinery, french yeast, and Chilean expertise are combined in this small winery just outside of Quito. Warmer weather and rich nutrients soil make this land the perfect spot for wine production nationwide.
Yaruqui is 50 minutes outside of downtown Quito and easily reachable by private shuttles or buses going to Cayambe or Ibarra. Get more information about private shuttles here.
To continue your journey from Quito to Ica, you will cross the Ecuador-Peru border, and travel through northern Peru to Lima, a city that has a lot of free and fun things to offer while you get ready for your next wine adventure!
Click here if you are starting your journey from Lima to go to Ica.
Ica is your base to visit the primary pisco and wine-producing establishments of southern Peru.
After sampling the popular ceviche (fish cooked in fresh lime juice accompanied by onions and chili), embark on several guided tours you’ll find at your hotel or in the town of Ica, where no doubt they will take you to the historic Hacienda Tacama, the first Peruvian wine factory.
This facility started operations in 1540 under Felipe de Corabantes was an inspiration for producers in Argentina and Chile.
Irrigated by an old water channel created by the Incas, this vineyard provides one of the oldest and most traditional wine. It also produces other handcrafted products, such as pisco.
Reservations are required and can be done through your tour or directly at the link above. Tour prices range between USD $7 and $40.
After several generations closely related to wine production, this family-owned business opened in 1986 under Fernando Lovera’s vision. They specialize in making pisco (Read more about this popular drink), a sour cocktail that has put Peru on the world stage and is often served as a lunch companion.
Pisco is also made of grape and Bodega Lovera specializes in creating different types of pisco by adding other ingredients for different flavors.
Ica is easily reached by bus and shared-shuttles. Just be aware that this popular destination is visited by thousands of locals and foreigners every year, so booking your bus ticket in advance will save you and your tasting plans.
Any foodies out there? Moquegua is known to be the gastronomy capital of Southern Peru. Local festivals usually include food tasting and pisco! Bodega Pisco Biondi is the most popular bodega (cellar) in the area. Don’t miss the chance of trying the best pisco, which is also exported to the USA, Mexico, and Japan.
Moquegua is increasingly on the rise to become one of Peru’s top destinations because so many of Peru’s traditional recipes are born here and still are being born (Moqueguans have food ideas in their DNA!).
Book your bus tickets from Ica to Moquegua, a service that includes meals and WiFi onboard – Buses in South America are the way to discover with style!
Planning your wedding? Museum lover? Base yourself in Arequipa on your wine tasting tour of South America, a city that offers a variety of activities and cultural and historic sights. Wines and pisco are the most emblematic products of the vineyards located in this area.
If you are looking to try some of the best, visit La Tinaja de Oro (“Jar of Gold”) which also offers accommodation and catering services if you are looking to host an event.
Peru vineyards and pisco production in the Maja valley northwest of Arequipa are among the oldest in the region. You can combine seeing them with other recreational visits to small towns along the Río Camaná.
We recommend arranging a tour from Arequipa for visits to La Tinaja de Oro and other wineries in the Maja valley. Contact your hotel reception there to help you make the arrangements.
Arequipa is known as the transportation hub of Southern Peru, as most people arrive here from Lima, or depart to Cusco, Cotahuasi or even to La Paz, Bolivia. Strategically located, Arequipa is definitely the way to go if you want to explore Chile next.
To continue your journey from Peru to Chile, you can do it either via Lima, or get on a bus to La Paz and then on to Santiago, Chile.
Our South America wine tasting journey takes us now to Santiago de Chile! Santiago is a cosmopolitan city that encloses a rich combination of cultures, traditions and wine history. Chile is known worldwide for its supreme production of wine, which is characterized by the techniques and machinery that migrants brought with them from Italy, France, and Germany.
While some vineyard visits are expensive, Viña Almendral is very accessible and you won’t regret visiting it.
San Felipe is located 2 hours north of Santiago. There are several departures every day, but they are mostly focused on the local market. Book your seat in advance and look forward to the wines ahead.
This destination for wine-lovers includes a visit to the cellar, tasting of products, and even hiking excursions within the 9-hectares of the property to view local fauna and flora. You will see firsthand the process of grape cultivation and making it into wine. The most luxurious Matetic Vineyards is on Chile’s coast, giving you even more reason to visit the gorgeous surroundings.
Located in the community of Cartagena, you can just hop on a bus from Santiago to San Antonio and then arrange a taxi ride to the vineyard in Cartagena which is just on the outskirts of San Antonio.
Its name derived from a beach in Easter Islands, this vineyard is actually located in the foothills of the Andes mountain range. Still, easily accessible at just 1.5 hours south of Santiago, you’ll find the vineyard here in Requínoa, which is a neighboring town to the larger city of Rancagua.
Anakena wines are crafted to represent ancient civilizations of the region. Production includes Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Malbec, and others. Wine tasting and guided visits require booking in advance through their website.
Anakena is located in the village of Requinoa. To get there, just take a bus from Santiago to Rancagua, and then arrange taxi transportation to the winery.
European migrants arrived in the southern regions of Chile and Argentina, and with them, new machinery and winery techniques arrived. In 1986, Henrich Männle settled in the Valley of Bulnes, between Chillan and Concepcion, to start the production of wines that later became known because of its German heritage.
His production later evolved to receive groups and include local types of cheese in the tasting tours. Contact them to coordinate your visit.
Getting to Viña Männle is not complicated at all. Just get on a bus from Rancagua to Los Angeles, and then take a local taxi to the Bulnes valley.
Wine tasting in South America cannot leave out Argentina. French Grapes were transplanted in General Roca, in the southern area of Argentina, back in 1994. Nowadays, these vineyards produce wine with 100% local products. Harvest season starts in February and extends all the way to April. Special products include Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Pinot Noir 2007 and Chardonnay 2007.
Visits can last up to 3 hours and include wine, cheese and traditional Argentinian empanadas (beef-stuffed pantry). Bodega Agrestis has programs available if you want to know more about wines. They also have tasting courses for enthusiasts.
After a few days in southern Chile, cross the border on a direct bus from Temuco (great cheese and beer) to General Roca in Argentina. Neuquen is a great option to explore while in the area.
Just outside of Mendoza is the wine-production town of Maipu dominated by the Lopez family. Their operations started in 1898. Bodegas Lopez has been improving its techniques and machinery to pose competition to its wine neighbors in Chile.
This 4-generations family business was started by Jose Gregorio López, who immigrated to Argentina from Malaga, Spain where he had olive and grape plantations. Today, the Maipu winery stores up to 45 products for different budgets and tastes.
The tradition of wine in San Juan started in 1870 with Santiago Graffigna, an Italian migrant, who produced one of the first branded commercial wines.
The family arrived initially to work on train construction, which enabled them to translate those skills into production methods of the winery. Some of these imported methods included cold vinification, improved strains of grapes, installation of compressors, and the use of larger tanks. Graffigna is a synonym of innovation in the wine industry of South America.
Today, this family holds several vineyards and an entire museum, which is a monument to their love and dedication for wine production.
Explore Patagonia and all its majesty and then head to Mendoza from Neuquen by bus. This scenic road will give you a good idea of why this region is the top #1 destination for winter, forest and snow lovers. A 3-hour bus ride from Mendoza to San Juan will continue your enoculture journey.
The last country of this list combines good beef with elegant and decades of wine production. Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, is very well located as most of the wine-lover destinations are just a few hours away, making them perfect day-trips.
Bodegas Castillo Viejo started operations in 1927 under the hard-work of the Echeverrias, a Basque-French migrant family, who wanted to bring the techniques from the Periniees to their new home, Uruguay. Visits can be booked online (we recommend you to do so!). Guided tours start at only USD $30!
This Jesuit property started wine production back in 1740, and after they were cast out from the country by the Spanish crown, this property has seen different producers from Spain and France.
Finally, in 1945, the government purchased the property from rich families in Uruguay, to start the production of cognac, which came as a gift from the French government and turned into the popular brand Juanicó Cognac.
Today, the property belongs to the Deicas, a family dedicated to the production of wine. Their sole objective is to provide the best enologic experience with elegance and fine products. Book your visit here.
As we come to the last destination of this South America wine tasting, we arrive at the Uruguayan-Brazilian border. There in Rivera is Bodega Carrau, a family-owned winery that dates back to 1750 started by a Spanish family devoted to the making of great wine.
According to Yale University, this region is perfect for grapes and wine production. They also have ongoing research and projects to improve and develop new wines for the most discriminating tastes.
Their two bodegas are focused on both the local market and for export, and their fine products can be purchased around the world. Book your visit here.
Uruguay is geographically small, so you can use Montevideo as your base. Bodegas Castillo Viejo (tr: Old Castle) and Juanicó are just a few hours from Montevideo on a bus. If you want to visit Carrau at the border, just get on a bus from Montevideo to Rivera
To aid you on your wine tasting journey throughout South America, just book your next trip to the region and ask for the full map when you get your tickets.
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