Wine Tasting from Valparaiso

The colorful town of Valparaiso makes an excellent base for exploring one of Chile’s fastest-growing wine regions, the famed Casablanca Valley, where rolling vineyard-covered hills produce the bold reds and crisp whites the country is known for. Here are some must-try wine varietals and tasting experiences.

Must-Try Varietals

The Casablanca Valley is one of Chile’s cooler wine-growing regions, with a Mediterranean climate resembling that of the celebrated Los Carneros in California. Cool misty nights, hot days, and the local soil work together to create excellent conditions for growing whites like chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. While white varietals are the stars in this wine country, red-wine lovers will also find excellent reds—pinot noir, merlot, and syrah are standouts.

Must-Do Experiences

• Taste several cool-climate wines in the cellars of one of the region’s best wineries.

• Fit in a winery tour and guided tasting while your cruise ship calls at Valparaiso.

• Cycle through verdant vineyards and learn about the winemaking process on a bike tour.

• Learn about sustainable agriculture practices during tours of local organic vineyards.

• Tuck into a traditional Chilean barbecue with a glass of wine in hand.

• Venture farther afield to check out the Maipo and Aconcagua Valley wine regions.