The weather took a wonderful turn for the better as the day greeted us with blue skies and warm sunshine.
The San Antonio valley is right on the coast to the west of Santiago and our destination was Casa Marin – a very exciting and innovative winery that was the first vineyard to plant vines so close to the Pacific.
The owner – Mari-Luz Marin – was told she was mad to plant vines so close to the sea and that the project would fail.
How wrong the critics have been proved to be! Casa Marin has become a bit of a cult winery and is very highly regarded throughout Chile.
We were greeted by Felipe Marin – one of two sons working in the business and we received a terrific insight into the terroir, the influence of the Pacific and the unique challenges they face from fog and frost.
We then jumped into a minibus and took a drive around the rolling vineyards and some seriously steep slopes! No machine picking here.
Lunch at the estate was a joy. Wonderfully fresh ceviche was followed by a perfectly cooked beef dish and a delicious dessert. All paired up with top quality Sauvignon blanc, Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer – truly highlighting the cool climate credentials of the winery.
We reluctantly departed and made the short journey to the renowned 
Matetic. Formed in 1999, the winery has a James Bond villain’s lair kind of mood – elegantly and aesthetically designed and built into the hillside. A beautiful barrel cellar was the centrepiece. Matetic regularly wins top awards at the International Wine Challenge and Decanter World Wine Awards and we discovered why. Our tasting was hosted by chief winemaker Julio who was absolutely passionate about his job and you could palpably feel the excitement he got from making the wine. We enjoyed a comprehensive range of whites and reds – comparing their different ranges of Sauvignon blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah.
Beautiful landscape, fascinating tasting and a wonderful insight into the Casablanca and Leyda Valley terroir.