24 Hours at Chile’s Santa Rita Vineyard and Casa Real Hotel

Are you planning a trip to Chile?

Do you like wine?

If you answered yes to these two questions, then a night or two at Santa Rita’s Hotel Casa Real just may be the perfect addition to your Chilean adventure.

Hotel Casa Real at Santa Rita Vineyard

Situated in the Maipo Velley, known as the “Bordeaux of South America,” Santa Rita Vineyard’s Hotel Casa Real is a mere 40-minute drive from Santiago’s International Airport, making it a great option if you are looking for a more serene alternative to the city’s hustle and bustle. Santiago is a fantastic city that I have called home for the better part of a decade. It may not be as iconic as Buenos Aires, Quito, or Rio de Janeiro, but it’s certainly worth checking out. I recommend going up Cerro San Cristobal–a large hill in the heart of Santiago, offering spectacular views of the Andes and surrounding cityscape.

Arriving in a raucous city environment after enjoying the remote nature of Patagonia, the Atacama Desert, or Easter Island could be rather jarring. If you have time to spare and want to be somewhere with birds chirping rather than horns honking, Hotel Casa Real could be ideal.

As someone who has studied wine, I was extremely excited to spend a night there recently and have a quick city break.

Hotel Casa Real is a late 19^th century classic style “casona” that was built by renowned European architects of the time. It was originally constructed as a summerhouse for Don Domingo Fernández Concha’s family to enjoy the beauty of the Maipo Valley. This hotel and vineyard are a magnificent example of the birth of Chilean wine viticulture in the Maipo Valley. Fueled by the country’s booming mining wealth, Don Domingo and other prominent families played a major role in elevating Chilean wine from a producer of table wine to a global wine powerhouse.

History of Chilean Wine

Wine first arrived in Chile in the mid 1500s with the Spanish conquistadors. The climate offers cascades of cool air at night from the Andes and an exorbitant amount of sun. That mixed with the rocky terrain and mist from the Pacific Ocean makes ideal conditions for vines to thrive. However, it wasn’t until the late 1800’s when Don Domingo helped introduce noble grapes from France with an effort to refine local winemaking culture that Chilean wine took a turn from drinkable to spectacular.

Santa Rita’s sister/neighboring vineyard Carmen is home to the fascinating story of Carménère, the “lost grape” of Bordeaux. It was rediscovered here in 1994 by French ampelographer Jean-Michel Boursiquot. In the mid to late 1800s, the phylloxera epidemic took place. This little aphid wreaked havoc on European vineyards in the late 19th century, destroying the vast majority of European heritage vines.

The grafting of North and South American roots to living vines is what saved the industry at the time. Chile is the only large wine-producing country that entirely escaped the pest due to its natural borders of mountains to the east, desert to the north, and ocean to the west. This makes it a rare haven for original rootstock vines. Carménère was thought to be extinct but has continued to exist in Chile. Mistaken for Merlot for nearly 150 years, Carménère, has since made a comeback, with Chile proudly emerging as its internationally known home.

Staying at Hotel Casa Real

My friend and I stayed in an exquisite suite with a seating room and large windows looking over the enchanting gardens. I would love to always have access to that suite, where I can sit and read books while listening to birdsong and sipping on wine. We had a one night full-board premium package, which included a sunset tasting, dinner at Casa Real, breakfast, a horse carriage “Carmenere Tour,” another tasting, and lunch at the Doña Paula Restaurant (next to the wineshop and impressive Pre-Colombian Museum).

After checking in and receiving our itinerary and complimentary glasses of delicious lightly oaked Chardonnay, we made our way past the historic chapel to the pool. In the summer heat, the pool was a much-welcomed way to cool off. It was special to wander around the manicured grounds and botanical gardens, feeling like we were staying at a Chilean heiress’s mansion.

After our quick dip, we had a sunset tasting on the gorgeous veranda, and then dinner at our leisure. We went to sleep with bellies full of delicious food and local Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and of course, Carménère.

In the morning, after enjoying the breakfast spread and made-to-order eggs, I gathered up my belongings, checked out of the suite, and hopped on a carriage ride to the Carménère plaque that marks the spot where this grape was rediscovered. The surrounding golden hills looked a lot like California, but the glacier-capped Andes in the distance made it special and unique.

Afterwards, we had a tasting on the terrace and went for a guided walking tour of the chapel, Roman baths, and gardens. From here, we saw the vineyard’s wine production, cellars, and finished at “Santa Rita pueblo.” The wineshop and restaurant are part of the old town that sprung up to accommodate the vineyard workers who lived on site over 100 years ago.

We were lucky enough to enjoy lunch with the head of tourism, Diego Valenzuela. I was invited to have lunch with Diego so I could learn more about the vineyard for Vaya’s travelers. My friend and I were regaled with stories of Santa Rita’s past and of famous visitors such as Chile’s ex-presidents. With the sun still blazing after lunch, my friend and I decided to head to the pool and enjoy the surrounding nature, prior to heading home to our apartments in the metropolis of Santiago.

Santa Rita Vineyard and Hotel Casa Real staff are attentive and kind, and those who have evening departures are welcome to relax around the hotel before catching their late flights.

A stay at Hotel Casa Real could very well be the cherry (or grape!) on top of a Vaya Adventures trip to Chile.

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