The best wineries near Santiago: 15 estates and how to visit them

How close is “near Santiago”?

Some of these wineries are close enough for an easy morning or afternoon. Others turn up on lists of Santiago wineries even though they are several hours away. They fall into three groups:

• Closest and easiest: Cousiño Macul, Concha y Toro, Santa Rita, Undurraga and several estates around Pirque.
• A good full day: Casas del Bosque, Emiliana, Kingston and Bodegas RE in Casablanca.
• A longer trip: Viu Manent, Montes and Clos Apalta in Colchagua.

If you are in Santiago for only two or three nights, you do not need to go as far as Colchagua for excellent Chilean wine. The Maipo Valley alone has enough variety for several days of winery visits. The Maipo, Casablanca and Colchagua pages compare the tours to each valley.

Best wineries in the Maipo Valley

Eight of the 15 are in the Maipo, the valley south of the city that Chile’s tourism board calls the cradle of Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon. Most of these estates are about an hour from central Santiago, and Cousiño Macul is inside the city. The tasting prices, opening days and schedules below come from the wineries’ own visitor pages and change often, so check the winery’s site before you go.

1. Concha y Toro, for a first visit

Concha y Toro, in Pirque, is the Chilean wine name most international visitors recognise before they arrive. Its wines are exported around the world, and its Casillero del Diablo label grew out of a cellar legend: the founder is said to have spread rumours of a devil in his cellar to keep thieves away. The visitor centre combines tastings with the old park, historic buildings and that cellar, and the visit is polished and structured enough for people who know little about wine.

The estate’s own programme lists guided and premium tours plus visits that add food or a sunset, and gives a typical visit as about 90 minutes, with longer options. Start with Cabernet Sauvignon, the classic Maipo grape. If your tasting includes premium wines, compare them with the labels you know from the supermarket shelf and notice the difference in concentration, oak and texture.

The drive takes 45 to 75 minutes from central Santiago, depending on traffic, and you need 1.5 to 2.5 hours at the winery. Book ahead, especially for an English-language tour. Haras de Pirque is the natural second stop if the tasting times line up. This is a large tourism operation; for a quiet tasting with a winemaker, choose a smaller estate. As an introduction to Chilean wine country, few visits are easier.

Four tours on this site go here with transport. The Concha y Toro Premium Wine Center Tour is a 5-hour shared bus trip from a city meeting point with four premium wines, from $105 and rated 4.8 from 934 reviews on Viator. The Marqués de Casa Concha tasting follows the same route and ends with ten wines and cheese in a private room, from $135 with 4.9 from 1,223 Viator reviews. For hotel pickup, the Concha y Toro tour with transfer takes about 4 hours door to door with three tastings, from $82 and rated 4.3 from 557 GetYourGuide reviews. For an evening visit, the Concha y Toro night tour with dinner is guided in Spanish only, from $207 with 4.8 from 239 reviews on Viator. Our Concha y Toro tours page compares them in detail.

2. Santa Rita, for history and gardens

Santa Rita, at Alto Jahuel near Buin, gives you more to do than taste. The estate is tied to the story of 120 patriots who sheltered there during Chile’s struggle for independence, which is where its well-known 120 range takes its name. Its grounds hold landscaped gardens, historic buildings and the Museo Andino, with around 3,000 pre-Columbian pieces, so history and archaeology lovers can spend half a day here without running out of things to see.

The visitor programme includes traditional and premium tours, a Carmenère tasting, a winemaker activity and picnics, in English, Spanish and Portuguese. A premium visit was listed at about CLP 55,000 per person. Taste the Cabernet Sauvignon first, and consider the premium Carmenère tasting; choose the tasting that matches your interests, and do not assume the most expensive package is the one for you.

The winery puts itself about 45 minutes from Santiago; with traffic, plan on 45 to 75 minutes. Allow 2 to 4 hours if you add the grounds or the museum. If a second winery matters, line one up in the Buin or Alto Maipo area in advance. For a substantial visit that goes beyond the glass, Santa Rita is one of the best all-round choices near Santiago.

The Santa Rita Day Tour with Lunch and Andean Museum spends the whole day on the estate: a guided walk through the park, vineyards and cellars, three wines, a three-course lunch, a bicycle in the vines and the museum. It runs on Wednesdays and Fridays by Turistik bus from Santiago meeting points, about 9 hours in all, from $207 with 4.8 from 426 reviews on Viator. For your own car and guide, the private Aquitania and Santa Rita tour adds a boutique tasting at Aquitania and a Chilean lunch, with hotel pickup, from $290; it is rated 5.0, but from only 14 reviews on Viator so far.

3. Cousiño Macul, inside the city

Few major Chilean wineries can match Cousiño Macul for convenience. It sits in Peñalolén, on Santiago’s eastern side, and you can get there by taxi or ride-hailing app. The family winery was founded in 1856, and although the city has grown up around it, its vines and old cellars still show what this countryside once looked like.

This is more than a tasting bar. You walk through historic winemaking spaces and hear how Chilean wine developed, and the winery’s menu adds traditional and premium tastings, a vineyard bicycle tour and seasonal sunset visits. At the winery, the 90-minute premium tour was listed at about CLP 40,000 and the bike tour at about CLP 37,500. Taste the Cabernet Sauvignon and the other traditional reds, ideally with a guide who can explain the differences between the ranges.

• Getting there: often 25 to 50 minutes from central Santiago, depending on where you start.
• Time: 2 to 3 hours including the visit, plus your journey.
• Language: English runs on selected visits, so check the exact one you book.
• The catch: you will not get the countryside feel of Casablanca or Colchagua.

If you want a real winery visit but only have a few hours, this is the one we would pick.

The winery’s own tours are sold online, with no transport. The Cousiño Macul Traditional Wine Tour in English is a one-hour walk with three wines, from $27 and rated 4.9 from 400 reviews on Viator. The Premium Wine Tour in English adds a seated tasting of three more wines over 1.5 hours, from $45 with 5.0 from 186 Viator reviews. On GetYourGuide, the Cousiño Macul Heritage Wine Tour sells Traditional, Premium and a Spanish-only bike option, from $25 with 4.9 from 175 reviews. With hotel pickup, the private Cousiño Macul tour takes about 4 hours, from $90 with 4.9 from 75 reviews on Viator, and the Bahá’í Temple and Cousiño Macul tour adds the temple in 3 hours from a city meeting point, from $96 with 4.8 from 248 Viator reviews. Read our breakdown of the Heritage Wine Tour for the options.

4. Undurraga, for old cellars and a classic tasting

Undurraga, founded in 1885, receives visitors at its Santa Ana estate near Talagante, about 40 km from Santiago. Mature gardens, historic cellars and tasting rooms tell a wider story about how Chile’s wine industry grew. Its older underground cellars feel very different from the stainless-steel tanks of a modern winery, and you taste in a building with more than a century of production behind it. The visit also includes an exhibition on Mapuche heritage.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère are the natural choices. Undurraga’s range also runs to white and sparkling wines, which may be poured depending on the tasting.

Plan on 45 to 75 minutes each way and 1.5 to 2.5 hours at the winery. Public transport runs towards Talagante, but reaching the estate and getting back takes extra planning. Another western Maipo estate or a second Talagante-area tasting pairs well. Undurraga is a good alternative to Concha y Toro if you prefer traditional grounds and a less famous name.

The winery’s Undurraga Sibaris Tour ticket covers 75 minutes in the park, vineyards, cellars and Mapuche exhibition with three reserve wines, from $37 with 4.7 from 103 reviews on Viator; you make your own way to Camino a Melipilla km 34. With transport, Undurraga with hotel transfer takes about 4 to 4.5 hours, from $60 and rated 4.8 from 94 GetYourGuide reviews; the driver does not speak English, and the guiding happens at the vineyard. The Undurraga tour with hotel pickup on Viator is guided in Spanish and adds the Gente de la Tierra museum, from $80 with 4.8 from 70 reviews. The Maipo four-winery day ends with Undurraga’s full tour on its Premium Route. See Undurraga winery tours for more.

5. Haras de Pirque, for architecture and a long lunch

At Haras de Pirque the building is almost as memorable as the wine. The horseshoe-shaped winery sits among vineyards with wide views over the Maipo Valley, and its restaurant makes a slow visit easy. The visitor menu goes beyond the walk-and-taste format: a basic tasting, premium icon-wine tastings, a winemaker-style blending session, vineyard trekking and a sunset dinner. Restaurant Hussonet has a terrace over the valley, and you need a reservation.

Order the structured reds and Bordeaux-style blends, and ask about Albis if you want to taste the estate’s style at its most ambitious. Allow 45 to 75 minutes each way and 2 to 4 hours at the estate, longer with lunch; Concha y Toro or another Pirque winery makes the second stop. The winery says its tours are not fully wheelchair accessible, although ramp access to the restaurant can be arranged in advance.

None of the tours on this site visits Haras de Pirque, so book directly and arrange a driver or taxi both ways. Come here for a memorable place to spend the afternoon, not only somewhere to sample wine.

6. Viña El Principal, for premium reds under the Andes

El Principal suits travellers who want to move beyond the large producers. Its vineyards sit in the Andean foothills on the Pirque side of the Maipo, where the scenery shapes the visit, and the winery is known for premium reds and a focused tasting programme. Its premium tour is about terroir, the link between soil, climate, vineyard site and wine; one published visit looks at how the wines are made and pours four premium wines with cheese. The winery is closed on Sundays.

Look for the flagship El Principal and compare it with the estate’s other red blends. It is a good place to learn how a producer builds complexity through the choice of grapes and ageing.

The drive takes about 60 to 90 minutes, and you need 1.5 to 3 hours on site. Reserve ahead, especially for a small group or a premium tasting, and add Haras de Pirque if you have your own transport. No tour on this site stops here. If you already know you enjoy premium Chilean red, put El Principal near the top of your list.

7. Alyan Family Wines, for a sunset tasting

You do not have to visit every winery at midday. At Alyan Family Wines in Pirque, the visit follows the changing light and the mountain scenery. The signature Alyan Sunset moves you through tastings in different parts of the property, five or six in the winery’s description, with snacks, and finishes with an informal fixed-menu dinner. The whole afternoon and evening is the visit, not one pour at the end of a cellar tour. At the winery it was listed at about CLP 52,000 per person, without transport, and it is for adults aged 18 and over.

Check the language before you book. Alyan says its regular experience runs in Spanish and Portuguese, not English, and that applies even when you book through a third-party operator in English. The winery also recommends arranging your ride back in advance, because taxis and ride-hailing cars may not be available when you leave.

A tour with transfers solves the second problem. The Alyan Family Wines Sunset Tour with Dinner collects you from your hotel between about 15:00 and 15:30, pours six Alyan wines with snacks, ends with dinner and drops you back around 22:30, from $143 with 4.8 from 81 GetYourGuide reviews. It lists English among its languages, but confirm it for your date. The Alyan Winery Sunset Tour is guided in Spanish and Portuguese only, with a cheese and ham box and dinner, from $130 and rated 4.6 from 83 GetYourGuide reviews. Expect 50 to 60 minutes on the road each way.

For couples who are comfortable with the language and have transport arranged, this is one of the most romantic winery evenings around Santiago.

8. Pérez Cruz, for Alto Maipo Cabernet

Pérez Cruz, at Huelquén near Paine, makes an interesting contrast with the historic estates. Instead of nineteenth-century cellars, it offers a contemporary approach to winemaking in the Alto Maipo, carefully made reds and a building that reflects that modern identity. You come here for the wine. If you want to understand how Alto Maipo growing conditions shape Cabernet Sauvignon, this is the setting for it, and the winery confirms tours and tastings at its Paine estate.

Put Cabernet Sauvignon at the top of your list, along with any premium blends in your programme. The drive takes about 60 to 90 minutes; allow 2 to 3 hours on the estate, depending on your booking. Arrange your visit in advance instead of counting on walk-in space, and add a second southern Maipo winery if distances and tour times allow. No tour on this site includes Pérez Cruz, so plan on a private driver.

Best wineries in the Casablanca Valley

Casablanca lies west of Santiago on the road to Valparaíso and Viña del Mar, about 80 km and around an hour’s drive, depending on traffic. Pacific morning fog cools the vineyards, so Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir keep their freshness and taste noticeably different from Maipo wines. Give it a full day: the wineries are spread across the valley, and a leisurely lunch is part of the reason to come. Prices and schedules below come from the wineries’ own pages, so check the winery’s site before you go.

9. Casas del Bosque, for a vineyard lunch

If we were choosing one Casablanca winery for a relaxing day out, Casas del Bosque would be near the top of the list. The family-owned estate has grown into a substantial stop for visitors, with tastings, gardens, vineyard viewpoints and restaurants, and spending several hours here feels entirely reasonable.

Food is the main draw. Restaurant Tanino serves contemporary dishes designed to match the wines, with seafood, meat, pasta and produce from the estate garden. Casa Mirador and more casual options open depending on the season and availability. The winery recommends reservations, and several parts of the property need booking ahead. Start with Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, then try the Pinot Noir to compare a lighter coastal red with the fuller Cabernet Sauvignon of the Maipo.

Allow about 60 minutes each way, more in traffic, and 3 to 4 hours with lunch. Reserve the restaurant separately unless your tour clearly includes a meal; a tasting-only visit can leave too little time for lunch and the grounds. Emiliana or another Casablanca winery makes the second stop. This is our favourite kind of Casablanca day: good wine, a pleasant setting and a proper lunch, without a rushed schedule.

The Casas del Bosque Winery Tour with Tasting and Tanino Lunch pours four wines with a sommelier guide, then two more with a three-course lunch, with hotel pickup, from $130 with 4.5 from 17 GetYourGuide reviews, a short record so far. Casas del Bosque: Wine Tasting, Lunch and Transfer also includes a three-course lunch with paired wine and the transfer, from $249; it is rated 5.0 from only 7 GetYourGuide reviews. On the private Casas del Bosque and RE tour you taste at both estates in 5 to 7 hours, from $240 with 4.7 from 42 reviews on Viator; lunch is not included. On the shared four-stop Casablanca days, Casas del Bosque is a lunch stop at Tanino that you pay for, not a tasting.

10. Emiliana Organic Vineyards, for organic and biodynamic wine

Emiliana’s visits are about how organic and biodynamic farming works: how soil, biodiversity, vineyard management and winemaking connect. You walk the vineyards, learn about organic farming and see how the estate lets vines, other plants and animals share the land, which appeals to anyone curious about how food and drink are produced. The Organic Tasting Tour introduces these practices with four wines, and a premium visit focuses on Gê, Emiliana’s flagship biodynamic wine.

Taste whites and reds together. The aim is to see how the organic approach shows in wines from different vineyards; the most expensive bottle matters less here.

The winery is on the north side of Route 68 at km 60.7, about an hour from Santiago, and a visit takes around 1.5 to 2 hours. It has listed tour departures from Tuesday to Saturday at 10:30, 12:30 and 14:30, subject to confirmation. Casas del Bosque is the obvious pairing for lunch. For travellers interested in organic agriculture, it is one of the best educational winery visits near Santiago.

Emiliana opens the shared Four Casablanca Wineries day, with Bodegas RE, Casa del Molle and a pay-your-own lunch at Tanino, about 10 hours with hotel pickup, from $139 and rated 4.8 from 646 reviews on Viator. The Casablanca Valley 4 Vineyards tour swaps Casa del Molle for Viñamar, from $149 with 4.9 from 144 Viator reviews. To pair Emiliana with the coast, the Valparaíso, Viña del Mar and Emiliana tour ends with three wines and a tasting board, from $70; it is rated 4.9 from only 12 reviews on Viator so far. More on the Casablanca Valley wine tours page.

11. Kingston Family Vineyards, for a small seated tasting

Kingston suits you if a carefully run tasting appeals more than a busy visitor centre. The family winery sits in the Casablanca countryside, its tastings look out over the valley, and the focus is on small-production wines, thoughtful presentation and time with what is in your glass. Guided tastings come with local cheese, fruit or other food, and the winery also offers premium wine-paired lunches and longer tastings.

When last published, the introductory Casablanca Essentials tasting was about US$55 per person plus VAT, and the CJ Kingston tasting about US$75 plus VAT and gratuity. Both take place at the winery, without transport from Santiago.

Pinot Noir and Syrah are the varieties to explore, alongside Kingston’s other Casablanca wines; if you already know Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, this is the place to taste something different. Allow around 75 to 110 minutes on the road, depending on your route, and 1.5 to 2 hours at the winery, longer with a paired meal. Reservations are strongly recommended, because visits run on advance bookings. A premium lunch here can be the centre of the day, or you can add another Casablanca winery. No tour on this site stops at Kingston, so arrange a private driver. Choose it when quality, conversation and a relaxed pace matter more to you than the number of wineries.

12. Bodegas RE, for unusual blends

Bodegas RE is the most unconventional winery on this list. Pablo Morandé and his family set it up to explore historic winemaking techniques alongside contemporary experiments, so expect unusual grape combinations, traditional vessels and styles you may not meet at a conventional estate. Its cellars are underground. Visits include guided tours, tastings and a winemaker-for-a-day session, and the basic RE Tour was listed at about CLP 15,000, with longer tastings costing more.

Look for blends such as Chardonnoir or Syragnan, depending on what is open that day. Instead of asking only which wines are the most prestigious, ask your guide why the grapes were combined and how the techniques change the flavour.

• Time on site: about 1.5 to 2.5 hours, after a drive of about an hour.
• Address: Camino Lo Ovalle km 1, Casablanca.
• Booking: recommended for guided visits.
• Second stop: Casas del Bosque, depending on timing.

The private Bodegas RE and Emiliana tour pours four RE wines, Chardonnoir among them, with bread, olives and cheese, then five at Emiliana, from $275 with 4.7 from 15 reviews on Viator, a thin record. The private Casas del Bosque and RE tour from $240 and the shared Four Casablanca Wineries and Casablanca Valley 4 Vineyards days also stop here. If you already know standard Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay tastings, RE is the place for something unexpected.

Best wineries in the Colchagua Valley

Colchagua is often promoted alongside the Maipo and Casablanca as a wine region within reach of Santiago, but the travel time is very different. The valley is about 180 km south, roughly 2.5 to 3 hours each way to the wineries around Santa Cruz and Apalta, longer in traffic. These three estates are long day trips, and the tours from Santiago that reach them run 10 to 12 hours. If wine is a main reason for your trip, stay a night near Santa Cruz. The winery prices below are from their own pages, so check the winery’s site before you go.

13. Viu Manent, for Malbec and a Colchagua lunch

Viu Manent, near Santa Cruz, combines historic vineyards, a visitor centre and a restaurant, a good mix if you want more than a standard tasting. Its guided tours include a tasting, and the programme adds premium tastings, cycling, picnics, vineyard walks and sunset activities, guided in English and Spanish. Rayuela Wine & Grill is the easy lunch, with seasonal ingredients and dishes cooked over fire. Basic tours and premium packages are priced separately; check the current booking calendar.

Try the Malbec, a grape closely tied to Viu Manent’s history, alongside the premium reds. Allow at least 2 to 4 hours at the estate, and add a nearby Colchagua winery if you have time.

The one tour on this site that visits is Viu Manent and Montes Winery, Colchagua Valley: a 10-hour semi-private day with a tour and four tastings at Montes in the morning and a tour and five tastings at Viu Manent in the afternoon, with hotel pickup, from $280. It is rated 4.9, but from only 9 reviews on Viator. The winery tours are shared with other visitors, and lunch at Fuegos de Apalta is optional and not included.

14. Montes, for icon wines and the barrel room

Montes is one of Chile’s best-known premium producers abroad, and its Apalta winery pairs distinctive architecture with a striking natural setting. The winery moves its wine with the help of gravity, and the cellar feels nothing like an industrial plant. Design and winemaking philosophy matter as much as the tasting here. The programme has several guided tours, premium tastings, sunset options and vertical tastings of older vintages, and Gregorian chant plays in the barrel room where the wine ages. Lunch is at Fuegos de Apalta, the estate restaurant associated with chef Francis Mallmann.

If your tasting allows, set Montes Alpha against one of the icon labels, Purple Angel, Montes Folly or Alpha M. The comparison shows the gap between everyday premium wine and the most ambitious bottlings.

Montes is roughly 2.5 to 3 hours from Santiago. Allow 2 to 3 hours at the winery, longer with lunch; the Icon Tour was listed at about CLP 50,000 per person for two hours. A second Apalta winery or a nearby lunch completes the day. For high-end Chilean red wine, Montes is one of the best reasons to make the longer journey.

The Private VIK and Montes Wineries Day Trip includes the Icon tour, with three premium wines and one icon wine, after a morning at Viña VIK in the Cachapoal Valley, plus a reserved table at Fuegos de Apalta that you pay for. It takes about 11 hours, from $375 per person for two, rated 4.7 from 28 reviews on Viator. The Full-Day VIK and Montes Premium Wine Tour follows a similar plan and takes solo bookings at $610, or $419 each for two, rated 5.0 from 11 Viator reviews, a short record. The semi-private Viu Manent and Montes day costs less, from $280.

15. Clos Apalta, for a luxury visit

Clos Apalta is the winery to choose when wine is a main reason for travelling. Created within the Lapostolle wine project, it is known for premium red blends and an architecturally ambitious winery set into the hillside. The gravity-flow building runs over seven levels, so the wine moves through production with less pumping. Visitors see the architecture, the winemaking and selected wines, through private vineyard walks, winery tours and a premium tour with lunch at Clos Apalta Residence. The winery also has rooms, which makes it an easy base for a wine-country getaway.

Make the flagship Clos Apalta red blend the priority if your budget allows. A tasting across several vintages is especially interesting, because it shows how premium wines develop with age.

Allow roughly 2.5 to 3 hours each way from Santiago and 1 to 3 hours for your visit. Published prices were about CLP 40,000 for a private vineyard visit, CLP 80,000 for the winery visit and CLP 230,000 per person for the tour with lunch. Book the private visits well in advance. Keep Clos Apalta for a memorable premium tasting or a wine-focused night away.

No tour on this site includes a winery tour at Clos Apalta. The Private Colchagua Wine Tour: Los Maquis and Neyen stops there for wine by the glass, such as Clos Apalta and Le Petit Clos, paid on the day, between tastings at Los Maquis and Neyen. It is from $370 per person for two and rated 5.0 from 20 reviews on Viator. The Colchagua Valley wine tours page compares the private days.

How to choose the right winery near Santiago

Start with the kind of day you want, not the most famous name.

Wineries by interest

If you only have one day

For most first-time visitors, one of these three plans works well.

Concha y Toro and Haras de Pirque

Both are in Pirque, so you avoid crossing between distant regions. Start with a guided visit at Concha y Toro, then move on to Haras de Pirque for a second tasting or lunch. The pair sets historic storytelling against contemporary winery architecture, a good match for first-time visitors and couples. No tour on this site combines the two, so you need a private driver. The nearest packaged day is the private Concha y Toro, Santa Rita and Undurraga tour, with lunch at Doña Paula, at $636 each for two and rated 5.0 from 31 reviews on Viator.

Emiliana and Casas del Bosque

Begin at Emiliana for organic viticulture and a guided tasting, then continue to Casas del Bosque for lunch at Tanino and, if time permits, another tasting. For food lovers this is one of the most appealing full days, and it suits anyone who enjoys white wine, good food and an easy pace. The shared Four Casablanca Wineries day follows this outline with two more tastings, and on the private Casablanca tour Emiliana pours four wines with a cheese and chocolate board before William Cole and lunch at Casa del Bosque, from $150 and rated 4.9 from 116 reviews on Viator. On both, you pay for lunch yourself.

Santa Rita and an unhurried afternoon

Spend the morning at Santa Rita on its winemaking heritage and gardens. You may prefer to stay on for lunch and the museum instead of rushing to another estate. If a second tasting matters, book a suitable winery in advance and check the driving route carefully. This plan is for history lovers and travellers who dislike hurried schedules. The Santa Rita day tour is the stay-put version, from $207; the private Aquitania and Santa Rita day adds a second winery, from $290.

Where the wineries are

The Maipo wineries are closest to Santiago, Casablanca is a natural day trip west, and Colchagua takes considerably more travel. By area:

• Inside Santiago: Cousiño Macul, in Peñalolén.
• Pirque, south of the city: Concha y Toro, Haras de Pirque, El Principal and Alyan Family Wines.
• Buin and Paine: Santa Rita at Alto Jahuel, and Pérez Cruz at Huelquén.
• Talagante: Undurraga.
• Casablanca, west along Route 68 towards the coast: Casas del Bosque, Emiliana, Kingston Family Vineyards and Bodegas RE.
• Colchagua, far to the south: Viu Manent near Santa Cruz, and Montes and Clos Apalta in Apalta.

Visiting the wineries without a tour

You can, and sometimes it makes sense. For Cousiño Macul, booking directly and arranging your own transport is straightforward, and the same approach works for a single estate in Pirque or Talagante.

Visiting several wineries on your own runs into two problems. Winery tours have fixed start times that may not line up. And many rural estates are hard to reach without a car, with return transport that can be difficult to find. As a rule of thumb:

• One winery: book the tasting directly and arrange transport yourself.
• Two wineries: compare the cost of a private driver with a guided tour.
• Three or more: take an organised itinerary, such as the Maipo four-winery day, unless you have plenty of time and a designated driver.

Do not plan to drive after tasting. Chile has a zero-tolerance law that treats 0.3 grams of alcohol per litre of blood as under the influence, and a few tastings can take you past it.

Are Uber and taxis practical?

Within Santiago, ride-hailing apps and taxis are convenient. In the rural wine regions the ride back is less predictable. Alyan Family Wines warns visitors that a taxi or Uber can be hard to get from the property after its evening visit, which shows why a pre-arranged round trip matters. If you book an independent winery visit, confirm your return transport before you leave Santiago.

What a winery visit costs

The price depends on whether you pay for the tasting alone or for a whole outing. Booking directly with the winery usually costs less than a guided trip from Santiago, because transport is not included. These are approximate prices from the wineries’ own visitor programmes; check the winery’s site before you go.

These are published examples, not guaranteed rates for future dates; packages, taxes and inclusions change.

A tour from Santiago usually costs more because it can include pickup, transport, a driver, the planning and sometimes a meal. Account for that before you compare a CLP 40,000 tasting with a $130 day such as the Casas del Bosque tour with Tanino lunch, which includes hotel pickup and a three-course lunch: count the transport, the number of wineries and any meals. Some wineries also sell their own visits online in dollars; Cousiño Macul’s English-language Premium Wine Tour is from $45 on Viator.

When to visit the wineries

You can visit wineries near Santiago all year, but each season gives you a different day.

Summer: December to February

Summer brings green vineyards, long days and warm weather. It suits outdoor terraces, although inland Maipo can get hot. Book an early tasting or a shaded lunch if you want to avoid the hottest part of the afternoon.

Autumn: March to May

Autumn overlaps the grape harvest, which runs from about February to April and sometimes into May. The vendimia brings festivals in March and April, special programmes and plenty of activity around the wineries. March and April are the months to look for harvest events, although dates differ between regions and grape varieties. Book ahead at this time of year.

Winter: June to August

Winter is quieter and cooler, with occasional rain. It is still a good time for historic cellars and premium indoor tastings, although some outdoor and seasonal programmes may be limited.

Spring: September to November

Spring brings vineyard gardens in fresh leaf and generally pleasant temperatures. October and November are especially good for pairing a tasting with lunch or time outdoors.

Booking tips that save time and money

Check that the winery takes visitors

Not every famous Chilean producer runs a regular public tasting centre, and a winery can make internationally known wines without offering the kind of visit most tourists expect. All 15 estates in this guide publish visitor programmes, but availability, schedules and booking rules differ.

Book the tasting before the transport

Popular wineries run fixed departure times. It is frustrating to travel an hour and find the next guided visit is full.

Allow for the travel between wineries

Two estates can both be “in the Maipo” and still be far apart. Group wineries by area when you plan, and do not pick them on reputation alone.

Reserve winery restaurants separately

A tasting reservation does not guarantee a restaurant table. This matters most at Casas del Bosque, Haras de Pirque and the premium restaurants in Colchagua.

Check the guide’s language

Many major wineries run English-language tours, but not every visit does. Check the language of the winery guide on your date, not only the language of the booking platform.

Leave time to enjoy the place

Two good tastings and a relaxed lunch can be more memorable than four hurried stops. If you want to explore the gardens, photograph the vineyards or ask detailed questions about the wine, give each estate enough time.

Our shortlist by kind of day

The most famous label and the tour with the most tastings are poor guides on their own. For a straightforward introduction to Chilean wine, Concha y Toro is the easiest start; for history, gardens and more culture, choose Santa Rita. If food comes first, go to Casas del Bosque in Casablanca and leave time for lunch and the grounds. For something more intimate, Kingston Family Vineyards runs at a slower pace, and for organic wine, Emiliana is the one to see. If wine is the main purpose of your trip, make time for Montes or Clos Apalta in Colchagua, ideally with a night there.

Within a few hours of Santiago you can go from Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards at the foot of the Andes to coastal Chardonnay estates and some of South America’s most ambitious wineries. Pick one region, book one or two tastings, and leave time to enjoy the landscape between them. To compare every tour by valley, lunch and price, see which wine tour from Santiago is right for you.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best winery near Santiago, Chile?

For most first-time visitors, Concha y Toro is a convenient, well-established choice. Santa Rita is the pick for history and cultural heritage, Haras de Pirque for architecture and dining, and Cousiño Macul if you want to stay inside Santiago.

What is the closest winery to Santiago?

Cousiño Macul, in Peñalolén, is a historic winery inside the city. Several estates in Pirque and the wider Maipo are about an hour’s drive away, depending on where you start.

Are Chilean wineries open to tourists?

Many are, but not every winery takes visitors. Those that do often ask for advance reservations, especially for guided tours, English-language visits or premium tastings.

Can you visit wineries in Chile without a reservation?

Some wine shops and estates accept walk-in visitors, but book guided tours and tastings in advance. Boutique wineries often have limited space.

Which wine valley is closest to Santiago?

The Maipo Valley, about an hour away, is the most convenient major wine region for visitors staying in Santiago. Casablanca is about 80 km west, and Colchagua, about 180 km south, takes roughly 2.5 to 3 hours each way.

Which winery near Santiago has the best restaurant?

Casas del Bosque is one of the best choices for a vineyard lunch, at Tanino. Haras de Pirque has a restaurant with views over the Maipo Valley. Farther away in Colchagua, Montes and Viu Manent are excellent food-and-wine stops.

Which Chilean winery is best for Cabernet Sauvignon?

The Maipo Valley is the region for Cabernet Sauvignon. Consider Pérez Cruz or El Principal for modern premium wines, Santa Rita for a traditional estate, or Concha y Toro for an introductory tour.

Which wineries near Santiago make good white wine?

Casablanca Valley is the obvious destination for Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Look at Casas del Bosque, Emiliana and Kingston Family Vineyards.

Can I visit wineries near Santiago with children?

Some wineries allow children on certain tours or in certain areas, and others run adults-only visits. Haras de Pirque publishes conditions for accompanying minors, while Alyan Sunset is adults-only. Check each winery’s age policy, and note that Chile’s legal drinking age is 18.

How many wineries can you visit in one day from Santiago?

Two or three is a comfortable goal for a full-day guided trip when the wineries are in the same region. Four is possible on an organised itinerary, such as the Maipo four-winery day from $119, but you get less time at each.

Is Colchagua Valley worth visiting from Santiago?

Yes, especially for premium red wines, but it makes a long day trip of 10 to 12 hours. If your schedule allows, stay overnight near Santa Cruz.

Is it cheaper to book directly with a winery?

It can be, particularly for one winery when you already have transport. For several estates, a guided trip can work out competitive once you add the driver and transfers.

Still deciding? Compare every wine tour from Santiago by valley and price, read our breakdown of the Maipo four-winery day, or see half-day wine tours and wine tours with lunch.