There’s been on-going petition by clients for me to personally host more weeklong tours. I have heard you all and shall deliver in 2012 with our Signature Journeys in Chile, Argentina, Peru, and Uruguay.
I am super psyched to announce a special trip to South America during the annual grape harvest in April (our fall) for wine lovers, foodies, and any travel aficionado. Fittingly called Southern Cone Sampler, we’ll taste our way across the wine country regions in Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay (the Southern Cone) for nine days of wining, dining, and good ol’ fun. The ultimate triple-header.
We’ll kick off the journey in cosmopolitan Santiago exploring the city, tasting wines at a universe of wineries in nearly six different wine valleys. We’ll dine at my favorite tables all over Chile’s central valley and coast. You’re even invited to our private home for the welcome dinner!
Next, we’ll take a scenic (jet) ride over the Andes Mountains to Mendoza, a small, provincial city in western Argentina that’s all about wine. In this tierra de vino, we’ll explore the wine region to compare and contrast Malbec after Malbec at benchmark projects and with Mendoza’s father of terroir. Of course, we’ll feast on local cuisine from nouveau to classic parrilladas.
Since we’re all about the jet set, the show moves on to Montevideo, Uruguay, South America’s best-kept secret in wine (and in general). With coastal Montevideo as our base, we’ll sample everything from Tannat to Sauvignon Gris. Be prepared to make lifelong friends with vintners and be subjected to parades of local artisan cheeses and house-cured prosciutto, along with sublime steaks. Some of these Uruguayan wines are so local they rarely make it out of the area (except the bottles in my suitcase).
What else will we do?
…Nibble our way through three markets in Santiago as we devour fresh humitas (corn tamales), the iconic pastel de choclo, local cheese, and olives
…Hone your wine tasting skills (no experience necessary, only the desire)
…Sleep in charming boutique hotels and wine lodges
…Learn first-hand, at the source. Watching the grapes come in and the new wine in tanks and barrels.
…Sip South America’s flagship varietals like Carmenere, Malbec, and Tannat—but there’s so much more too!
…Participate in interactive tastings straight from the barrels and tanks
…Visit top-rated reference wineries like Achaval Ferrer and Clos Apalta; but also get to know the passionate owners of boutique projects
….Suck down glorious seafood on Chile’s coast that never hits ice—abalones, crab, oysters and the addictive razor clams (I will arm wrestle you for the last abalone).
…Wolf down an undisclosed amount of empanadas—usually homemade and from mud ovens
If you’re interested and want more information, or to sign up, please send me a message at info@lizcaskey for the details.
