Casablanca world class wines, 4 vineyards & Tanino lunch stop

Four vineyards, three tastings, one long day. This Santiago day trip works because it combines the polished wine world of Casablanca Valley with smaller, more personal wineries. I especially like the mix of organic, sparkling, boutique, and classic Chilean wines, along with the chance to compare very different cellar styles in one outing. I also like that hotel pickup, transport, tastings, and a local guide are included.

The main thing to watch is the lunch cost. The fourth vineyard, Casas del Bosque, is a restaurant stop rather than another tasting, and Tanino is an a la carte dining room. After three tastings, your bill can add up quickly, especially if you choose several courses or wine with lunch.

Key points before you book

• Emiliana gives you an organic and biodynamic start, with three wines and a chance to see one of Chile’s leading sustainable wineries.
• Viñamar adds sparkling wine to the day, making the tasting lineup more varied than a simple red-and-white tour.
• Bodegas RE is the most experimental stop, with unusual blends and two selected wines.
• Tanino at Casas del Bosque is a lunch stop only, with food paid separately from the tour price.
• The small group cap is 15 people, which helps keep transfers and tastings more manageable.
• Monday has a different first stop, since Emiliana is closed and Veramonte organic vineyard is visited instead.

Why Casablanca Valley makes a good day from Santiago

Casablanca Valley sits roughly 90 minutes south of Santiago by road, depending on traffic. The route passes through the fertile Curacaví Valley, where fields cultivated by local farmers replace the city’s buildings and traffic.

That drive matters. This is not just a tasting room crawl. You get a look at the agricultural country between Santiago and the coast, plus a guide who can add local context during the long stretches in the vehicle. Guides such as Cristian, Joao, Nacho, Mauricio, Marcelo, Julio, Daniel, and Ignacio have led this outing at different times, so the exact personality of your day may vary.

The tour begins around 8:00 a.m. and lasts about nine hours. That sounds generous, but the clock includes pickup, road time, winery tours, tastings, free time, and lunch. You should think of it as a full-day regional excursion, not nine hours spent drinking wine.

The air-conditioned vehicle is an important part of the value. Santiago traffic can be difficult, and driving between four wineries is not a task you want to handle after tasting. A maximum of 15 people keeps the group smaller than many large coach tours, though the actual group size can still vary.

Stop one: Emiliana’s organic vineyards

Emiliana is the tour’s strongest educational opening. It is described as the largest organic winery in Chile, and the visit focuses on organic and biodynamic methods rather than only on the wine in your glass.

You receive three award-winning wines and a vineyard visit lasting about 75 minutes. That gives you enough time to understand the basic approach and taste a useful range, rather than rushing through a single sample at the bar.

The value here is context. Organic and biodynamic winemaking can sound like marketing language when you only see it on a label. At Emiliana, the tour gives those ideas a physical setting in the vineyard and explains how the winery works with the land. I would pay attention during the walk, then use the tasting to decide which practices matter to your own buying choices.

There is also a small, memorable detail for animal lovers: you may be able to feed the alpacas at Emiliana. That is not the central reason to book the tour, but it gives this stop a warmer, less formal feel.

Allow about an hour and 15 minutes. The schedule is long enough for a proper introduction, but not so long that the day stalls at the first winery. If you visit on Monday, Emiliana is closed. The tour substitutes Veramonte organic vineyard, so Monday visitors still get an organic winery experience, but not the same property.

Stop two: Viñamar and the sparkling wine break

Casa Valle Viñamar, commonly known as Viñamar, shifts the mood. Founded in 2002, this winery is associated with both sparkling and still wines, and the setting is part of its appeal.

You taste three emblematic wines and tour the vineyard for about 75 minutes. This is a helpful contrast with Emiliana because the focus is not limited to one production philosophy. You get another look at Casablanca winemaking while adding sparkling wine to the day.

That variety makes the second stop particularly useful for people who already know they like Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or Pinot Noir but want to try something beyond the standard lineup. It also gives you a break from comparing one red after another.

I would ask the guide or winery host which wines are intended for immediate drinking and which suit a meal or cellar storage. The supplied details do not promise a buying discount or shipping service, so treat purchases as optional rather than part of the tour’s value.

The visit is structured and polished, but still small enough that you can ask questions. English-speaking winery hosts have been available on past departures, though language arrangements are not formally guaranteed in the tour details.

Stop three: Bodegas RE’s unusual approach

Bodegas RE is the most distinctive stop for anyone who wants more than familiar varietals. This boutique winery is known for unusual blends and inventive winemaking methods.

The tasting includes two wines, with another vineyard tour lasting roughly 75 minutes. Two pours may sound modest beside the three-wine tastings at Emiliana and Viñamar, but the point here is character rather than quantity. Bodegas RE adds a different way of thinking about wine to the day.

I like this stop because it prevents the itinerary from becoming repetitive. Three wineries can blur together when each one offers the same architecture, the same explanation, and the same familiar bottles. Bodegas RE gives the day a more individual edge.

It is also a good place to slow down and compare. Note how the blends differ from the wines you tasted earlier. You may find that the more experimental bottle is the one you remember, even if it is not your favorite.

By this stage, you have tasted at three vineyards. Eat something if you can between stops, drink water, and pace yourself. The tasting count is not extreme, but the day is long and lunch still lies ahead.

Stop four: Casas del Bosque and Tanino restaurant

The final stop takes place at Viña Casas del Bosque, where you eat at Tanino restaurant. This is not a fourth included wine tasting. The vineyard provides the setting, while Tanino provides the meal.

Lunch is paid separately, and the menu is a la carte. You can choose according to your appetite and budget, which is more flexible than forcing every person into a fixed menu. It also means you need to plan for the extra expense. One dining experience described a six-dish tasting menu with wine, while another noted that the restaurant felt expensive by local standards.

The food is built around fresh, locally sourced ingredients and a farm-to-table approach. The dining room has a terrace among the vines, with a calm, polished setting that makes sense after a busy morning of tastings.

This stop lasts about 90 minutes. That is enough time for a proper meal, but not an open-ended restaurant afternoon. If you want a leisurely lunch with several courses, you may feel the schedule. If you prefer a lighter meal, the a la carte format lets you keep things under control.

You may also see suggestions to order a pisco sour with lunch. That can be a pleasant change after wine, but remember that you have the return drive and the earlier tastings behind you. I would choose food, water, and a drink you can enjoy at a sensible pace.

What the $149 price really includes

At $149 per person, this tour is not the cheapest way to see one Chilean winery. It is a fair value if you want four separate vineyard settings, three organized tastings, hotel transportation, and a guide without arranging the day yourself.

Included are:

• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• Air-conditioned transportation
• Tastings at Emiliana, Viñamar, and Bodegas RE
• Vineyard entry and tours at those three wineries
• A local professional guide
• The lunch stop at Tanino

Lunch is not included. Neither are any bottles you decide to buy. The price therefore works best for you if you see the fourth stop as a scenic restaurant experience, not as a fourth tasting.

The value is also tied to convenience. You avoid coordinating winery reservations, finding a designated driver, and working out the route from Santiago. With a small group of up to 15 people, you get more flexibility than on a large bus, though you should not expect a private tour unless you book one separately.

The pace, vehicle, and guide make a difference

A nine-hour wine day can become tiring if the road sections are poorly managed. Here, the guide is an important part of the experience. Guides have been praised for on-time pickup, clear communication, local background, and a friendly sense of humor.

Nacho has used a group messaging arrangement to confirm pickup times, which can make the morning easier when several hotels are involved. Cristian has offered local insight into the valley’s history and culture, while Joao has been especially good company during the longer drives. Driver Fernando has also been praised for handling Santiago traffic safely.

Your guide and driver will vary, so do not book based on one particular name. The repeated strength is the human side of the outing: good communication, safe driving, and useful information between tastings.

Pickup begins at 8:00 a.m. The exact return time can shift with traffic, winery timing, and lunch. If you have an evening flight, theater booking, or another fixed appointment, leave plenty of room.

Who will enjoy this day most

I would recommend this tour to wine drinkers who want variety more than depth. You taste at three wineries, but you do not spend half a day at one estate learning every stage of production. Each stop gives you a different lens, then the route moves on.

It is also a good fit for couples, friends, solo visitors, and small groups who want a social day without a huge coach crowd. The included hotel pickup is useful if you are staying in Santiago and do not want to navigate an early morning departure.

You may want a different tour if your main goal is a long, technical wine seminar, an extensive tasting at one major producer, or a low-cost excursion. This experience favors range, comfort, and a relaxed full-day rhythm.

You need to be at least 18 to drink alcohol in Chile. Most people can participate, and the activity has no stated health restrictions. Service animals are allowed. Since the wineries involve touring and tasting, you should still tell the operator about any specific personal needs before departure.

Practical tips for a better day

Start with breakfast. The first pickup is early, and lunch comes only after three winery visits.

Bring water and wear comfortable shoes. You will tour vineyard areas, not simply sit in a tasting room all day.

Keep the lunch budget separate. Tanino can be ordered a la carte, but a larger meal and wine can cost considerably more than a simple plate.

Do not assume all four wineries include tastings. Emiliana, Viñamar, and Bodegas RE are the tasting stops. Casas del Bosque is the lunch stop.

If you are choosing Monday, note the change from Emiliana to Veramonte organic vineyard. That is a meaningful itinerary difference.

Use the free time wisely. You can ask about the wines, browse for bottles, and take in each property, but the schedule is shared with the rest of the group.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not refunded. The tour depends on suitable weather and a minimum number of bookings. If the operator cancels for either reason, you are offered another date, another experience, or a full refund.

Should you book the Casablanca wine tour?

I would book this tour if you want an easy, well-rounded day from Santiago and care about seeing several different wineries. The combination of Emiliana’s organic approach, Viñamar’s sparkling wines, Bodegas RE’s creative blends, and Tanino’s vineyard lunch gives the day a clear sense of variety.

I would hesitate only if lunch cost matters greatly or if you expect tastings at all four vineyards. You get three tastings, while the fourth stop is a paid restaurant meal.

For most wine-focused visitors, the $149 price is justified by the transport, small group size, three included tastings, and the amount of ground covered. Book it when you want a comfortable introduction to Casablanca Valley, not a technical master class.

FAQ

How long does the Casablanca Valley wine tour last?

The tour lasts approximately nine hours, including transfers from Santiago, time at the wineries, free time, and lunch.

What time does the tour start?

The stated start time is 8:00 a.m.

How many vineyards do you visit?

You visit four vineyard properties: Emiliana Organic Vineyards, Casa Valle Viñamar, Bodegas RE, and Viña Casas del Bosque.

Are all four vineyard stops wine tastings?

No. Tastings are included at Emiliana, Viñamar, and Bodegas RE. The Casas del Bosque stop is for lunch at Tanino restaurant.

Is lunch included in the tour price?

No. Lunch at Tanino is paid separately. The menu is a la carte, so you choose and pay for what you order.

What happens if I take the tour on a Monday?

Emiliana is closed on Mondays. The tour visits Veramonte organic vineyard instead.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. Hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned vehicle are included.

How many people can join the tour?

The tour has a maximum group size of 15 travelers.

What is the legal drinking age in Chile?

The legal age to drink alcohol in Chile is 18.