Hidden down a dusty little lane in Santa Cruz stands a grand, white colonial style mansion. And beyond its imposing, iron portcullis lies Viu Manent winery, which a couple of months ago I toured by horse-drawn carriage.
Now in full quarantine lockdown here in Santiago, Chile’s wine region feels like a world away. But Santa Cruz is just a couple of hours from my home in the capital.
Don’t travel to Chile right now, but when the pandemic is over, put Viu Manent winery on your post coronavirus bucket list.
I’d taken my mum and the kids, so of course it had to be educational. My children might just be the best wine experts under six years of age.
We stopped off to learn all about the processes for making ‘Mummy’s favourite drink’.
The older I get and the more babies I have, the more I appreciate (OK, need) wine. This tour of the Viu Manent vineyard included a stop off at the cellars for a tasting.
I very, very much liked the contents of this bottle.
Then we headed back to the vines for a little stroll and some sneaky grape eating.
Annabelle spied a playground, so we stopped for a play there, too.
You can book horse rides and riding lessons in the equestrian centre, but even by Chilean standards it was a scorcher of a day.
We spent the afternoon cooling down in the shade of the courtyard and restaurant.
Then as the sun began to sink in the sky, we bid goodbye to Viu Manent.
The Viu Manent horse-drawn carriage tour is available in English and Spanish, from Monday to Sunday at 10:30, 12:00, 15:00 and 16:30 hours and costs $17,000 CLP for adults, and $8,500 CLP for children and seniors.
For horse lovers, there is also the possibility to book guided horse rides and lessons in the Viu Manent equestrian centre. A guided horse trek costs $30,000 CLP per person, or $43,000 CLP per person with a picnic. To book visit viumanent.cl
