Insider’s 6-Day Wine & Culinary Tour of Argentina & Chile | 2026
This will be a comprehensive, week-long wine and culinary tour beginning in Santiago, Chile and ending in Mendoza, Argentina. We will visit three famous wine valleys in Chile (Cachapoal, Colchagua and Maipo) and three famous wine regions in Argentina (Lujan de Cuyo, Gualtallary and Valle de Uco). Please scroll down to read the specifics but in the meantime, dates and registration info is directly below.
DATES
Your choice of 3 tour dates (all Saturday through Saturday)
TOUR #1 ~ January 10-17, 2026 ~ SOLD OUT
TOUR #2 ~ January 17-24, 2026 ~ SOLD OUT
TOUR #3 ~ January 24-31, 2026
RSVP
Send an email to chris@winevaultbistro.com with everyone in your party’s:
1. Full names
2. Cell phone numbers for everyone and best date/time to call for your credit card info
3. Email addresses for everyone in your party
4. Whether you want one or two beds in your room
5. Which tour you want to be on
COST
$4,225 per person based on double occupancy
$495 single occupancy upcharge
DEPOSITS
25% non-refundable initial deposit due upon registration
25% non-refundable second deposit due 180 days before tour start date
50% non-refundable final payment due 90 days before tour start date
INCLUDED IN COST
1. Seven nights lodging (3 nights in Chile + 4 nights in Argentina)
2. Ground transportation to all venues beginning Sunday morning and ending Saturday morning
3. Seven breakfasts
4. Six lunches
5. Four dinners (one at a Michelin Star restaurant)
6. All winery tours and tastings
NOT INCLUDED IN COST
1. Airfare and ground transportation getting to Santiago and leaving from Mendoza
2. Dinner on Sunday and Tuesday (but you probably won’t be hungry after the big lunches)
3. Flight from Santiago to Mendoza (plan on $80-100 per person depending upon how much luggage you have)
4. Taxi fare from Mendoza airport to Mendoza hotel (plan on about $10 per person)
5. Bottle of wine per couple to share at the finale dinner
PHYSICAL ABILITY
This tour involves some walking that at times will be on rocky terrain in the vineyards. Please do not make a reservation for this tour if this is going to be an issue.
TRIP INSURANCE
I cannot even begin to stress how strongly I recommend that you get trip insurance. I’ve made arrangements with a reputable local travel professional I’ve known for years who can provide that service if you don’t have your own travel agent. He can also help with discounted flights and pre- and post- tour accommodations. If you’re interested, I will provide his information once you sign up.
HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT
Upon registration you will be required to accept the conditions of our hold harmless agreement before your reservation will be finalized.
PASSPORT
Make sure your passport is valid for at least six (6) months past your return date.
MENU ABERRATIONS
Please try to keep menu aberrations to an absolute minimum ... but definitely let us know when you RSVP (not after the tour starts) if you’re allergic to anything or have any other dietary restrictions.
ITINERARY CHANGES
While we don’t anticipate having to make any changes to the itinerary, we reserve the right to do so at our discretion if necessary.
PRICE CHANGES
While we don’t anticipate having to make any increases to the cost of this trip, many of the vendors are unable to give firm prices at this time due to the volatile nature of the world in general right now. I consulted my crystal ball and have done my absolute best to anticipate cost increases and have already factored them in on our end. I’m actually hoping to be able to adjust the price downward as we get closer to the tour dates but also please be prepared for the possibility of a minor price increase ... although I don’t think that’s going to happen.
TOUR OUTLINE
The tour will start in Santiago, Chile and end in Mendoza, Argentina. The hotel we’re staying at in Santiago is less than ten minutes from the Santiago International Airport and provides a free shuttle. I’ve made arrangements with the hotel for discounted rates if you want to arrive a day or two early. From there we’ll head south through Cachapoal Valley to Santa Cruz which will be our home for the next two days while we visit wineries in Colchagua Valley and have dinner at a famous Francis Mallmann restaurant. On Tuesday we’ll head north through Maipo en route back to Santiago where we’ll fly over the Andes to Mendoza. (The flight is only forty minutes long but it has some of the most scenic, jaw dropping views in the world.) Once in Mendoza, we’ll stay at the same hotel for the next four nights. The next three days will be spent exploring some iconic and some off-the-beaten-path wineries in Argentina. The finale will be an amazing asado dinner (with six-pound tomahawks!) at the hotel with everyone sharing a special bottle of wine that they purchased on the tour. For those who want to extend their stay in Mendoza I’ve made arrangements with the hotel for discounted rates. Whenever you’re ready to leave simply take a taxi to the airport and fly out from there. (There are many exciting destinations ... think Machu Picchu, Patagonia, Antarctica ... that are “relatively” close by so, instead of going straight home, now just may be the time to check off some of those destinations on your travel bucket list!)
So here's the blow-by-blow itinerary. A few of the venues are still slightly tentative so we do reserve the right to make a few changes if necessary but, by and large, it’s pretty accurate.
SATURDAY
The tour actually doesn’t start until Sunday morning but we’re including lodging at the Hilton Saturday night as the tour starts right after breakfast Sunday morning. So you’re on your own that Saturday but I suspect most of you will want to lay low that day to start acclimating to the five-hour time difference (from the west coast; east coast is only two hours). There are also some chartered day trips to nearby Valparaiso on the coast that we can recommend if you want to come in a day or two early as well as one of the most amazing seafood restaurants in town that’s only a ten-dollar Uber ride away.
SUNDAY
After breakfast Sunday morning we’ll have a meet ‘n’ greet orientation in one of the hotel’s meeting rooms (with bottles of Rosé on ice, of course!). After that we’ll pack up and board our two mini-buses and head an hour-and-a-half south to Cachapoal Valley to visit Viña San Pedro, a gorgeous winery nestled in the remote hills well off the beaten path. We’ll tour their cellars and then enjoy a leisurely-paced, multi-course lunch paired with their premium wines while soaking up the breathtaking views. From there we’ll head another hour-and-a-half south to Santa Cruz for the night. Santa Cruz is the largest town in the famous Colchagua Valley and is home to some of the most famous and high-end wineries in all of Chile. We’re staying at Hotel Santa Cruz, which is the only hotel within 100 miles that can accommodate groups our size. It’s an old, hacienda-style hotel with lots of character in the middle of a tropical setting. While it may not have all of the amenities you’re used to in a hotel, it is clean, charming and in the perfect location. Dinner is not included tonight but you’ll probably still be full from your late lunch. But if you want to get something light they do have an outdoor restaurant on site or you can explore the shops and restaurants in the main town square just down the street. I’m guessing many of you will still be on the tail end of jet lag so feel free to make it an early night as the gloves come off on Monday!
MONDAY
After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll board the mini-buses and head about twenty minutes north to Viña Maquis, a fourth-generation winery with the highest rated Cabernet Franc in all of Chile. We’ll start on the winery’s rooftop enjoying our morning Rosé while soaking in the views. Then we’ll take a walk through their “biological corridor,” a fascinating sustainable habitat that’s home to many of the plants and animals that are beneficial to the vines. Their famous “Franco” vineyard is right next to the corridor so naturally we’ll have a glass in hand of their uber-premium Cab Franc to enjoy as we walk alongside the very vines that the wine came from. After a few more minutes of walking we’ll reach the river where we’ll stop for a minute to grab a sandwich to enjoy as we continue our trek. Our glasses will be refilled there with some Carmenère that came from the vines we’re walking past growing alongside the river. Talk about experiencing a sense of place! Finally, we’ll end up at a barn-like tasting room at the end of the river where we’ll enjoy a three-year vertical of their high-end Carmenère along with a few snacks just to take the edge off. (We’re just going to have light snacks throughout the day instead of a formal lunch as we’re going to enjoy the mother of all asados for dinner tonight.)
Next stops will be about a half hour away at both Clos Apalta and Montes Alpha. One mini-bus will take half the group to Clos Apalta and the other bus will take the other half to Montes Alpha. Then we’ll switch so everyone will get to experience both places as they’re only five minutes apart but neither one is large enough to accommodate everyone at the same time.
At Clos Apalta we’ll start with a glass of Rosé at the lookout point on top of their barrel-shaped winery. Then we’ll descend six stories underground via a huge spiral staircase to the barrel rooms with stops on several of the floors for tastings of their Petite Clos. Last stop will be the private cellar at the very bottom before ascending to daylight again and visiting the private residence for a glass of their super limited Viognier. That will be followed by a three-year vertical of their highest end wine and namesake, Clos Apalta, served with some of their homemade focaccia and olive oil. This visit will definitely be one for the record books!
Meanwhile, at Montes Alpha we’ll tour the estate with stops at their revolutionary, worm-powered water reclamation plant, their soil pits where you can actually see the vine roots growing through the rocks below and then to their rustic view deck to enjoy some wine and cheese while looking out over the estate. Next we’ll enjoy a glass of the current vintage of their iconic “Purple Angel” Carmenère at the entrance to the winery which was designed on feng shui principles. Next stop will be the amphitheater-like barrel room below where the wine ages to Gregorian chants playing 24/7 where we’ll enjoy an older vintage of Purple Angel. Kind of spooky but very cool!
After both groups have visited both wineries we’ll all join up again at Francis Mallmann’s famous “Fuegos de Apalta” restaurant located right in the vineyards at Montes Alpha. (Fuegos de Apalta translates to Fires of Apalta. Francis Mallmann is the most acclaimed open fire chef in the world and you’re going to taste food cooked like you’ve never tasted before and you’re going to see open fire cooking methods in their open kitchen like you’ve never seen before.) This will be hands down one of the most memorable meals of your life. We bought out the entire restaurant so it will just be our group there that night. We’re going to have one long “last supper” style table on a long, raised deck in the middle of the vine rows that’s perfectly situated to watch the sunset ... which should happen right about the time we’re having dessert since the days are so much longer in the southern hemisphere. The multi-course dinner will be served with an assortment of Montes Alpha wines but they’re also giving us access to their cellar if anyone is interested in purchasing older vintages of Purple Angel (at ridiculously low prices) to enjoy with dinner. After this amazing dinner and amazing day, we’ll take the buses for the short fifteen-minute ride back to the hotel for the night.
TUESDAY
After breakfast we’ll pack up and leave Santa Cruz for Tarapaca a little over two hours north right in the heart of Maipo Valley in the heart of Chile. Viña Tarapacá is surrounded by miles of vineyards located inside a private gated village out in the middle of nowhere. We’ll do a quick walking tour of their tropical grounds before heading into their formal villa for a tasting and multi-course pairing lunch which should tide us over until we get to Argentina.
After lunch we’ll drive just under an hour north where the buses will drop everyone off at the Santiago Airport for the flight to Mendoza. (IMPORTANT NOTE: The flight is NOT included in the tour. You will have to purchase tickets on your own. We will provide you with the exact flight info as we get closer but, assuming flight times don’t change between now and then, our flight will depart at 6:25PM and arrive Mendoza at 7:30PM. As of right now, and subject to change with the whims of inflation, plan on $80-100 per person depending upon how much luggage you have.)
Once on board, the actual flight time is only about 40 minutes. But what an amazing flight it is! From Santiago the flight rapidly ascends to the peaks of the Andes (which are absolutely spectacular and are snow-capped twelve months out of the year) and then rapidly descends into Mendoza. The flight will be over before you know it so make sure to have your camera ready to take some amazing pictures at the top of the Andes!
Once we land in Mendoza just grab your bags and get a taxi (on your own; plan on about $10 per person) to the Sheraton Mendoza about fifteen minutes away. After check-in we’ll have a welcome reception in the lobby with some empanadas and sparkling wine which should be just enough to tide you through after our big lunch earlier. If you’re still hungry there’s a restaurant in the hotel but I will caution you that there are going to be two huge meals on Wednesday so my advice would be to go to bed a little hungry!
After the welcome reception you’re welcome to do whatever you want but my recommendation would be to make it an early night and hit the hay as we’ve got a huge day tomorrow. We’ll be at this hotel for the next four nights so you can “unpack” unpack. And yes, I have made arrangements with the hotel for discounted rates if any of you want to stay a day or two after the tour.
WEDNESDAY
After breakfast we’ll board our Sprinters (some of the roads in Argentina are too narrow for a conventional bus so we’re going to use three Mercedes 17-19 passenger Sprinter passenger vans instead) and head south for just under half an hour to the heart of Luján de Cuyo. First stop will be at Paul Hobbs’ Viña Cobos, home of some of the most premium wines in Argentina. In typical Hobbs fashion, this place is nothing short of stunning perfection. Once there, we’ll split into smaller groups (after a glass of welcome wine, of course!) and tour the vineyards, winery and barrel room before meeting together for a focused tasting of some of their premium wines. After that we’ll sit down for a spectacular four-course paired lunch. Should be a first class introduction to the Argentina part of the tour!
After that we’ll make the short ten-minute drive to Catana Zapata, perhaps the most well-known winery in all of Argentina. We’ve featured the wines of Catana many times at our bistro in the past and Laura Catana was here in person several years ago to host a winemaker which many of you may have attended. With its distinctive pyramid shape, the winery is recognizable for miles. They are very much involved in the scientific study of everything vine and wine related, and have many accolades to prove it. (Tomorrow we’ll visit their Adrianna Vineyard ... named after Laura’s sister ... which is literally the most studied vineyard in the entire world.) Anyway, after a welcome glass of their sparkling wine, we’ll split into smaller groups and tour the facility under the direction of their highly qualified sommelier guides for a more technical explanation of the vine growing and winemaking process. After the tour we’ll sit down for a focused tasting of six of their premium wines. After that (bonus!) we’ll drive a couple of minutes up the road to their new underground distillery which is nothing short of spectacular. We’ll have a brief tour of their gorgeous, state-of-the-art red alembic still and a quick tasting there before leaving for dinner.
From here we’ll make the just over thirty-minute drive to two extra special places: El Enemigo Winery and Michelin Star restaurant Casa Vigil. We’ll start with a welcome glass of wine and an empanada before visiting some pretty unique rooms in their eclectic (putting it mildly!) winery. Alejandro Vigil is the winemaker/owner here and recently was awarded several perfect 100-point scores. Back in early 2022, when we were doing take-out winemaker dinners during covid, he was gracious enough to shoot a personal video for us which you can watch here: https://youtu.be/3TpTwMGQFh0 While the content in the video is no longer applicable, you’ll at least be able to meet him virtually and see the actual site we’re going to visit. (Yes, the snow on the Andes in the background in the video is the same snow you’ll see when we visit - it never melts!) After the tour, we’ll have dinner at Casa Vigil where we’ll enjoy a multi-course dinner paired with El Enimigo wines. It will definitely be one of the more interesting (and delicious) stops! After dessert we’ll make the just under half hour drive back to the hotel to grab some shuteye and store up some energy for yet another jam-packed adventure tomorrow.
THURSDAY
We’ve got a lot of ground to cover today so after breakfast we’ll make a slightly earlier departure than usual so we can fit everything in. This will be our Valle de Uco day. Valle de Uco is probably the second most famous wine region (after Luján de Cuyo) and is located just over an hour south of Mendoza.
Our first stop will be at Bodega Corazón del Sol in the heart of the Uco Valley. Founded by Dr. Revana, a cardiologist from Texas who also has wineries in Napa and Oregon, Corazón del Sol produces some Malbec but is most well known for producing Rhône varietals like Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Upon arrival we’ll do a quick winery and vineyard tour and then settle down for a serious tasting of their limited production (most are only 3-4 barrels each) wines along with some appetizers.
From here we’ll head about twenty minutes north to Bodega Salentein. Salentein is one of the most beautiful wineries in the region with a mind-blowing, cross-shaped cellar that culminates with an acoustically perfect center point where you can literally hear a pin drop. There’s even a baby grand there so if we have any pianists in the group you’ll be able to test the amazing acoustics firsthand! The winery itself is surrounded by the vineyards and is a short walk from the reception center where we’ll enjoy a premium tasting of some of their best wines afterwards along with a nice assortment of heavy appetizers. (We’re purposely keeping the food light at these first two stops as we’ve got a huge dinner later.)
After Salentein we’re heading to the Gualtallary region, home to some of the most renown high-altitude vineyards in Argentina. I had wanted to visit Luca here which is a tiny winery founded by Laura Catana but it is simply too small for groups our size plus they’re not set up for visitors. So we’re doing the next best thing! Adrianna Vineyard (that we wrote about earlier) is right down the road from Luca and has a private stone “Mirador,” or lookout building that overlooks the vineyard. Since it’s unoccupied, they are graciously giving us the gate code so our groups can make a quick stop there to go up to the Mirador’s roof deck. We’ll bring some Luca wines with us on the Sprinters so we’ll pop a few bottles up there so you can enjoy the wines while seeing the actual vines they were made from. Kinda geeky, yes ... but definitely a great photo op and an experience you won’t forget and something no other tour will ever be able to do. (Plus you’ll be ready for a glass of wine by then!)
After the Mirador visit we’ll head a little over an hour north back to Luján de Cuyo to visit Bodega Casarena. We’ll do a quick tour of the original 1937 era winery before going next door to their restaurant with its spectacular view of the Andes. Here we’ll have an empanada making cooking class in conjunction with a special tasting of their three vineyard designate wines: Malbec, Cab Sauv and Cab Franc. After the class we’ll all sit down for dinner starting with the empanadas you all just made followed by lots of fresh tomato salads (which will be at peak season) and a family-style asado of grilled meats and vegetables all paired with lots of wine. Should be a memorable evening! After leaving Casarena it’s only twenty minutes back to the hotel for what I’m sure will be a pleasantly comatose sleep!
FRIDAY
We’re going to keep things close to home on this last full day in Argentina so total travel time for the entire day will be less than an hour. After breakfast we’ll head less than twenty minutes south to Mendel. Mendel is an old-school winery located in the middle of Malbec vines planted almost a century ago. We’ll meet up with winemaker Roberto de la Mota who is one of the most famous and respected winemakers in all of Argentina. We’re going to forego a winery tour as it’s pretty much of a working facility and not really set up for tours and meet instead in their center outdoor courtyard for an informal tasting with Roberto himself. He’ll be pouring his Semillon, Malbec, Cab Sauv and “Unus,” his premium Malbec-dominated Bordeaux. And then for good measure he’s going to throw in a surprise library wine. They’ll also be serving some of their estate olive oil along with some delicious homemade bread for dipping. This promises to be a rare opportunity to taste with one of the masters himself. Lots and lots of history here.
From there it’s only about ten minutes away to Antigal, voted the New World Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast in 2023. We’ll start deep in their cellars for a very, very special three-year vertical tasting of their uber high end, single vineyard Malbec from La Dolores Vineyard in Gualtallary simply called ONE. After that we’ll come upstairs to enjoy some white wine served with some light pasta dishes. (We’re purposely keeping the food light again during the day today so you’ll have room for the tomahawks tonight!)
After that we’ll head back to the hotel where we’ll meet up in the secret “Cava” two stories below the street for a final vertical tasting with my friend Jimena Lopez. Her “real” job is winemaker for Andaluna, a large winery in Valle de Uco but her passion project is her own small winery called Graffito. We’ll have a stand-up tasting of three vintages of her Graffito Malbec in the Cava where you’ll be able to meet her informally and get answers to any of your “geeky” wine questions.
After that we’ll have about three hours of free time for you to just relax or get caught up on stuff or to explore the downtown neighborhood as you wish. Then at 7:00 we’ll meet for our finale dinner at La Cabrera which is located on the ground floor of the hotel. We’ll start with a welcome glass of sparkling wine with an empanada and then some white with a delicious tomato salad before getting down to business for the asado. Rather than serve typical grilled meat asado fare, we’re going to pull out the stops and serve monster tomahawks instead. Each tomahawk averages 2.5 kilos (almost 6 pounds) so we’ll serve one per four people (and probably still have leftovers). This will be a super informal fun dinner where each couple needs to bring a special bottle of wine purchased on the trip to share with everyone. We’ve done this on many tours in the past and it’s always a highlight. The restaurant is ours for the evening so you can stay as long as you wish. During dessert we’ll give everyone who wants to an opportunity to share some of their highlights (while wearing the obligatory scarf!) with their fellow travelers and new best friends. It should be a wonderful way to end a wonderful week!
SATURDAY
The tour is officially over after breakfast Saturday morning but I suspect some of you will want to extend your stay here for another day or two. And yes, I did make arrangements for discounted hotel rates for those of you who want to stay longer. When you’re ready to leave, simply taxi to the Mendoza airport and fly out from there. If commitments back home allow, I definitely recommend taking advantage of this opportunity to do some additional post tour exploring in the area if at all possible! (Think Machu Picchu, Patagonia, Antarctica or wherever else strikes your fancy!) Thanks for reading and we hope to see you in South America!
HOUR-BY-HOUR ITINERARY
SATURDAY
Check into Hilton Garden Inn Santiago Airport anytime the night before the tour starts
SUNDAY
09:00AM orientation meeting in hotel meeting room
10:30AM depart Hilton Garden Inn Santiago Airport
12:00noon arrive Vina San Pedro in Cachapoal (tour, tasting, lunch)
03:00PM depart Vina San Pedro
04:30PM arrive Hotel Santa Cruz for the night (evening on your own)
MONDAY
09:00AM depart Hotel Santa Cruz
09:30AM arrive Vina Maquis (tour, tasting, light snacks)
12:00noon depart Vina Maquis
12:45PM mini-bus #1 arrives Clos Apalta (tour, tasting, light snacks)
12:45PM mini-bus #2 arrives Montes Alpha (tour, tasting, light snacks)
03:15PM mini-bus #1 departs Clos Apalta
03:15PM mini-bus #2 departs Montes Alpha
03:30PM mini-bus #1 arrives Montes Alpha (tour, tasting, light snacks)
03:30PM mini-bus #2 arrives Clos Apalta (tour, tasting, light snacks)
06:00PM both buses meet up at Fuegos de Apalta (dinner)
09:00PM depart Fuegos de Apalta
09:15PM arrive Hotel Santa Cruz for the night
TUESDAY
09:00AM depart Hotel Santa Cruz
11:30AM arrive Tarapaca (tour, tasting, lunch)
02:30PM depart Tarapaca
03:30PM arrive Santiago airport
06:25PM Latam flight from Santiago to Mendoza
07:30PM arrive Mendoza
08:00PM taxi on your own to Sheraton Hotel
08:30PM arrive hotel for the night (welcome reception at hotel with sparkling wine + appetizers)
WEDNESDAY
09:00AM depart Sheraton Hotel
09:30AM arrive Vina Cobos (tour, tasting, lunch)
02:00PM depart Vina Cobos
02:30PM arrive Catana Zapata (tour, tasting, distillery tour)
05:30PM depart Catana Zapata
06:15PM arrive El Enemigo and Casa Vigil (winery tour, dinner)
09:00PM depart El Enemigo and Casa Vigil
09:30PM arrive Sheraton Hotel for the night
THURSDAY
08:30AM depart Sheraton Hotel
10:00AM arrive Corazon del Sol (tour, tasting, light snacks)
12:30PM depart Corazon del Sol
01:00PM arrive Salentein (tour, tasting + lunch)
03:30PM depart Salentein
04:00PM arrive Mirador at Adrianna Vineyard (tasting, photo op)
04:30PM depart Mirador
06:00PM arrive Casarena (tour, tasting, cooking class, dinner)
09:00PM depart Casarena
09:30PM arrive Sheraton Hotel for the night
FRIDAY
09:00AM depart Sheraton Hotel
09:30AM arrive Mendel Winery (tasting, light snacks)
11:00AM depart Mendel
11:15AM arrive Antigal (vertical tasting, light pasta lunch)
02:00PM depart Antigal
02:30PM arrive Sheraton Hotel
03:00PM Graffito vertical tasting in the basement Cava in the hotel
04:00PM free time until dinner
07:00PM finale asado dinner with tomahawks at La Cabrera (everyone brings a bottle to share)
10:00PM dinner over; Sheraton Hotel for the night
SATURDAY
08:00AM tour over after breakfast