Wineries for sale in Valparaiso, vineyards facing the Pacific Ocean

Valparaiso province is located in the central-western region of the same name. Its capital, named after the province, is the most populated city with 870,000 inhabitants. The designation of origin Valle de Casablanca that comprises the municipality of the same name is located in the Valparaiso province. Viña del Mar is a representative city of the tourist sector of the province. The name of this city is directly related to the planting of some vineyards in 1580. The climate of this province is temperate, Mediterranean, characterized by the influence of the winds coming from the ocean, a relative humidity above 75% and rainfall that can reach 450 mm per year. The importance of the fishing port and merchandise of Valparaíso originated a growing prominence for the commercial route that links the capital of the province with Santiago de Chile. Valparaíso city, facing the Pacific Ocean, is a very important tourist destination for the province as well, since it is considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

HISTORY OF WINE

The culture of wine is closely related to the province of Valparaiso, since one of the main cities, Viña del Mar (it is also a municipality) received this name from the planting of vines around 1580.

The growing importance of Valparaíso as the first port of the Pacific, made the colonial road that links the port with Santiago an important route for the country. In this region, located only 40 miles away, the beautiful Casablanca Valley is one of the most important valleys in the country. Originally called Santa Bárbara de Casablanca, it was founded in 1753 in homage to the wife of Ferdinand VII.

The Pacific breeze is one of the most important factors in the wine produced in this province, where varieties such as Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon are grown. This paradise reminds us of the solid sailing ships "Cape Horners", the sailors' bars and the attacks of pirates, Pablo Neruda, the whaling and the nostalgia of past times.

WINES AND WINERIES

In the province of Valparaíso, wine tourism is established along an interesting wine route made up by twelve wineries, called viñas in Chile, open to the public all year round. In this dozen wineries we find very particular characteristics that help to establish differences. Thus, there are more traditional wineries such as Veramonte, Quintay or Viña Mar; others specialized in the production of organic wines such as Matetic or Bodegas Santa Emiliana, and many others that have been defined as "boutique" wineries such as Catralita, Loma Larga, Kingston winery or Casas del Bosque winery. Likewise, it is worth mentioning specific aspects that may interest visitors, such as the small but very attractive wineries, among which are Viña Puro Caballo, which offers traditional Chilean equestrian art shows; Morandé, Santa Carolina or Concha y Toro, which offer horse-drawn carriage rides through their vineyards. Other wineries are William Cole, Viña Mar, Karoche, Estancia el Cuadro and Viña Casablanca. One of the wineries with a more special location is Viña Indómita, named after its location: a castle on top of a mountain. The province of Valparaíso also hosts a tourism center focused on the world of wine, with numerous services for its visitors.

POINTS OF INTEREST

One of the touristic charms of the Valparaiso province is located in the city of Valparaiso, that in 2003 became part as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Valparaiso is a city with a unique topography featuring an urban layout adapted to the mountains and hills that surround it. Therefore, it is not unusual to find nowadays the funiculars that connect the highest parts of the city with coastal areas. Another one of the most attractive cities is Viña del Mar, a wellness city which is made up by villas dating back to the beginning of the 20^th century with newly built buildings, hotels or casinos. Its beaches and wellness centres with thermal waters attract a large number of tourists, as does the annual Viña del Mar International Song Festival considered the most important festival in South America and celebrated in this city since 1960.

With regards to the wine world, tourism linked to the winemaking sector has been developed thanks to the Chile Route 68, a route used by many of the tourists who visit Chile. The use of this route leads those tourists to the interesting winemaking centres such as the area of the designation of origin Valle de Casablanca, in the province of Valparaiso. In addition to the wineries that open their doors to visitors throughout the year, in this province the commitment to tourism continues with the implementation of an "air route of wine" that travels through the Casablanca and Moapa Valleys from a bird's eye view.

Nature lovers have a must-attend event within the Valparaiso province with the municipality of Juan Fernández, comprised by three islands: Robinson Crusoe (It was there that Daniel Defoe set his famous play), Santa Clara and Alejandro Selkirk. This archipelago boasts great botanical interest and was declared Nature Reserve to be fully protected.