Colchagua Wine Region Bike Tours, Chile

Colchagua Wine Region Bike Tours, Chile

Chile’s Premier Wine Valley on Two Wheels
– San Fernando to the Coast – A Week-long Bike Tour.

OVERVIEW

Explore the lush Wine Valleys of Central Chile and enjoy learning and practicing Spanish. The Colchagua Valley.

The Colchagua Valley is the premier wine country destination in the wine producing region of central Chile. Rothschild, Viu Manent, Santa Alicia, Emiliana, Errazuriz, Estampa, Neyen, Cono Sur, Marchigue, Los Vascos, Casa Lapostolle, Santa Cruz, Montes, Las Niñas, and Mont Gras, a top-shelf selection of vineyards, are all located in this valley. The valley’s oeneological pedigree is delectable.

Here is an example of your Custom itinerary.

Day 1 : Bike Fitting. Transfer to San Fernando. Riding through Tinguiririca River valley of the Colchagua wine country. Placilla, Nancagua, and Santa Cruz Sub Regions.

Day 2 : Santa Cruz, Palmilla and Peralillo Sub-Regions. Backroad riding to Vineyards and Museums.

Day 3 : Santa Cruz toward the Coast today. Hill Country, Ganaderia, Grains, Orchards and Woodlands. Valle de Los Artistas.

Day 4 : Morning ride in Las Niñas vinyard with picnic lunch. Tasting at Las Niñas Vineyard.

Day 5 : To Boyeruca and Llico on the Coast.

Day 6 : Local riding in Llico – National Parks and Lago Vichuquen. Return to Santiago.

CONTACT US FOR A MORE DETAILED ITINERARY.

Description

The basic trip is a 6 day cycling itinerary, however 3, 4 and 5 day options are also available for organized groups. Our cycling trip will provide you with a fully-supported educational adventure. Your bi-lingual hosts will guide you through the history of wine production in the country and the region while you roll between and through the verdant vineyards of the vintners of this area. The route we have prepared for you will allow you to explore the interesting landscapes of the Central Valley and the Coastal Range. Each day we will visit two or three different vineyards and tour at least one of them. We will gather a selection of local wines for opening with our evening meal.

Your bicycle edventure will take in a history-filled thread of hardpacked dirt and paved backroads through the Colchagua Valley and some of the loveliest central valley landscapes. The route we have planned will present several fine vineyards and also include visits to interesting cultural sites in the Colchagua region. The route will continue on to the coast of Chile and the wonderful hamlets of Boyeruca and Llico. We will have a chance to explore the shoreline of Lake Vichuquen and also the National Park at Llico.

If you imagined on this Bike and Wine cycling trip tipping back a nice cabernet while rolling down the byway, well, that’s not going to happen. During the day we ride with our senses unimpaired, and later-on we can sample the fruits of the valley. What will happen during the day are many visits to beautiful vineyard properties as well as regular interpretive talks by your instructors, bringing the story behind the scenery to life. With dinner we can sample the viticulture of the region, that is, drink some fine local wines.

Want to Keep on Rolling? : Combine this tour with our Summit to Suds Bike Edventure that follows the next week!

EDUCATION

LEARNING – Colchagua Valley and the Tinguirririca River Drainage: A Premier Grape and Wine Producing Region of Chile; Central Valley Geography; Chile’s Agricultural Prowess; Irrigation Engineering past and Present; Chilean Gastronomy; Oenology and Viticulture in Chile; Local Toponymy; Pre-Historic Perspectives of Chile; Native Plants and Invasives; Chilean Huaso Culture; Post-earthquake issues for this hard-hit region – after 27F; Spanish Immersion: Conversation, Comprehension, and Usage

More Information on the Colchagua Valley

Located between 34 and 35 degrees South Latitude, and bounded by the Cachapoal and Maule Valleys on the North and South is the Valley of the Tinguirririca River. This is the famed Colchagua Valley of Chile. It has an extent of approximately 500,000 hectares (1,235,000 acres) and is subdivided into 10 municipalities: Chimbarongo, Placilla, Chepica, Nancagua, Santa Cruz, Palmilla, Peralillo, Lolol, Pumanque, Marchigue, and San Fernando, the provincial capital. Wines produced from grapes grown in these municipalities can be claimed as having Colchagua Valley ‘appellation of origin’. Mountain chains clearly define Colchagua’s borders with the provinces of Cachapoal to the north, Curicó to the south, Argentina to the east on the other side of the Andes. The Pacific Ocean lies to the west.

Colchagua is one of the three provinces that comprise Chile’s VI Region, The “Region of O’Higgins” named for the famed Chilean liberator Bernardo O’Higgins.

The primary economic activity in this area is agriculture, and viticulture plays a very important role in the region, with 23.000 hectares (56,800 acres) planted to wine grapes, making it Chile’s second largest appellation in terms of surface area planted, and the first in terms of fine French varieties, such as Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Malbec, and Syrah.

Other major agricultural activities include the production of fresh fruit, such as table grapes and plums. The primary annual crops are corn and wheat, and livestock, principally lamb and alpaca. Due to the steady increase in the popularity of Chilean wines this region enjoys a very low unemployment rate, at 3%, well below the national average.

The Colchagua Valley -- and our route to the coast -- provides not just an amazing profile of Chile’s oenological fame, it as well introduces you to a perfect E-W slice of the country that features all types of Chilean culture for this region. Our adventure and education approach will leave you fulfilled in both body and mind.

More info on our Chile Bike Touring Edventures at www.WanderlandTravel.org