As the fifth largest exporter of wine and the home of some of my favorite drinks, we couldn’t leave Chile without stopping for a winery tour!
We stopped for a wine tasting and a tour at Emiliana Organic Vineyards in Casablanca Valley which was conveniently located halfway between Santiago and Valparaíso.
As we were shown around the gorgeous property, our guide explained how the vineyards were able to remain organic without unduly disrupting the environment through a method called bio-dynamic agriculture. Bio-dynamic agriculture operates on the theory that the entire farm exists as one singular entity without the need for outside influences. For example, Emiliana cultivates plants that attracts pests away from their crops and maintains a flock of chickens to eat said pests. They even keep a small herd of alpaca to turn failed vines back into fertilizer! Every problem on the vineyard is solved with innovative and natural solutions- something I find fascinating.
After our tour, the wine tasting was a welcome escape from the sun and I was excited to try these organic wines! We were given the opportunity to try two red wines and two white wines- though cheese and chocolate pairing was also offered as an add on.
Each wine we tried was absolutely delicious, but my favorite was the Chardonnay called Novas with the red wine Coyam as a close second. We snagged a bottle of Novas on our departure, but tragically this chardonnay seems to be unavailable in the States!
