We’ll tell you about our tour and lunch at the Viña Montes winery, our favorite from our entire trip to Chile this summer! Find out all the tips for visiting this super winery with an added attraction: the Fuego de Apaltas restaurant, by chef Francis Mallmann!
Tour and lunch at Viña Montes winery
If you’re following our Chilean trip this year, you might like to take a look at our tips for Santiago, Algarrobo, Isla Negra and Valle de Casablanca. From there, we headed to the Colchágua Valley, where we stayed at the spectacular Hotel Parronales, from where we took a taxi to the wineries in the region on our previously scheduled visits. The first winery in the region that we visited was Viu Manent, which we really liked, but I confess: our favorite was Viña Montes.
We spent six thousand pesos in a taxi to get there from our hotel, and everything pleasantly surprised us at the winery. We booked a group tour and loved the experience. If you want to do the same, I can tell you it’s worth it! The group tour costs $20,000 Chilean pesos per person (around R$100) and includes a tasting of four of the winery’s labels, one of which is a top wine. If you want a private tour and iconic wines, the cost is $60,000 Chilean pesos and includes a cheese table. There are several tour options and tasting locations – but we loved it and would do the same tour again! We took a kind of little truck to the Viña Montes viewpoint, where there is a beautiful view of the entire property. And if you are in a large group, you can schedule the tasting to take place at the viewpoint, great!
Viña Montes from Viajando Bem on Vimeo.
Along the way, you still have the opportunity to taste the different grapes grown there (cabernet sauvignon and syrah were the highlights in my opinion) and we love this different experience that Viña Montes offers tourists!
Once back at the vineyard facilities, they explained to us that the entire furniture layout and colors were chosen in accordance with the eastern feng shui philosophy of energy harmonization! Furthermore, the wines are stored in barrels painted red and organized in the form of an amphitheater to the sound of Gregorian chants and classical music. A different and unmissable experience for lovers of good wines and different environments!
Come on: Viña Montes. Address: I-350, Santa Cruz, VI Region, Chile. Telephone: +56 9 4181 0969. Opening hours: Every day of the week, from 9am to 6pm. Reservations: (email protected) | Website | Facebook | Instagram
After this incredible tour, we had scheduled lunch at Fuegos de Apalta, a restaurant by world-famous chef Francis Mallmann located inside the winery. We really liked his proposal and we’ve already been to Siete Fuegos, Mallmann’s restaurant in Mendoza (Argentina), so expectations were high! The menu was not harmonized, which only happens at night, but it surprised us positively. Upon arrival, you will notice the incredible decoration of the place, a mix of rusticity and comfort, and a huge wood-heated stove in the middle of the restaurant, where the team works to produce Mallmann’s incredible dishes!
The restaurant is completely open and glassed, so you can feel a little of the magic and tranquility of the valley and the grapes. You will be practically in the middle of the vineyards, on a wooden deck and the restaurant even has a beautiful bar that seems to be framed by the vineyard landscape. It’s difficult to even describe so much detail and beauty!
Our order as a starter was grilled shrimp and as a main course, lamb roasted for 7 hours, accompanied by puree and a citrus sauce. And, to top it off, the great Montes Alpha Chardonnay! In our opinion, this is typical Francis Mallmann food: rustic, tasty and filling! The prices are not cheap (we spent around $40,000 per person), but they are within the range charged for a restaurant of this level and, oddly enough, it ended up being one of the most affordable on our tour of Colchágua. Tip: order dessert! The chocolate pie is one that you can eat on your knees!
Come on: Fires of Apalta. Address: I-350, Santa Cruz, VI Region, Chile. Telephone: +56 72 260 5190. Opening hours: Every day of the week, from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm for lunch and Friday and Saturday for dinner, from 8:00 pm to 10:30 pm. Email for reservations: (email protected) | Instagram
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