Half day Santa Rita and Undurraga Winery Tasting Tour in Santiago

Two wineries, one full morning, plenty to taste. This Santiago outing pairs Santa Rita’s 120 Patriots story with the old-world cellars of Viña Undurraga, giving you two different views of Chilean wine in one day. I like the hotel pickup and the fact that an expert wine guide handles the transport, timing, and explanations.

I also like the tasting format: Santa Rita includes two Reserva and one Gran Reserva wines, while Undurraga adds white and red varieties. The carved or vineyard gift glass at each stop gives you a useful keepsake, not just another paper souvenir.

My main caution is the timing. The tour is marketed as half-day, yet the full outing is listed at about eight hours. Santa Rita is allocated four hours, while the main Undurraga visit lasts about one hour and fifteen minutes. You should confirm the exact schedule before booking, especially if you have evening plans.

Key points to know before booking

• Santa Rita connects wine with the 120 Patriots story: The guided route covers the varietal garden, vineyards, winemaking areas, and wine storage.
• Undurraga offers a different cellar visit: You walk through vineyards and grape gardens before heading into underground cellars.
• Three wines are included at Santa Rita: Expect two Reserva wines and one Gran Reserva, with additional white and red tastings at Undurraga.
• Hotel pickup covers central Santiago areas: Pickup and return are offered in Providencia, Las Condes, Vitacura, and Santiago de Chile within the stated urban radius.
• The group is capped at 25 people: That is large enough for a social outing but smaller than a big coach excursion.
• The price includes transport and guide services: At $135 per person, the value depends on how much you want convenience and two winery visits in one day.

Why two Maipo Valley wineries make sense

Chile’s Maipo Valley is one of the country’s best-known wine areas, and both wineries sit close enough to Santiago to visit without arranging a long-distance trip. That makes this a practical choice if you have limited time in the capital but still want to see vineyards and cellars beyond the city center.

The two stops are not identical, which is the tour’s main strength. Santa Rita focuses heavily on the story of the estate, its production process, and the famous tale of the 120 Patriots. Undurraga puts more attention on grape varieties, vineyard planting, underground cellars, and a broader tasting of white and red wines.

I like that combination. You get more than two tasting rooms with similar menus. You see gardens, vines, storage areas, and cellar spaces, then taste wines connected to what you have just seen.

Still, you should think about the pace. Two wineries in one day means the tour gives you breadth rather than a slow, private tasting. If you want long conversations with a winemaker or time to linger over every glass, a smaller specialist tour may suit you better.

Starting from Santiago at 9:00 am

Pickup begins at 9:00 am from most hotels in Providencia, Las Condes, Vitacura, and central Santiago. Transportation is included both ways, which is a major help because the wineries are outside the city and wine tasting is a poor match for driving yourself.

The stated pickup area is limited to the urban radius. If your hotel falls outside it, the operator will provide the closest pickup or drop-off point. Check this before paying, since the convenience of direct hotel service is a central part of the tour’s value.

The group can contain up to 25 people. I would expect a shared outing with a clear guide-led structure rather than a private day. A group of this size can work well for a winery visit, though you may have less freedom to pause or wander at your own speed.

The tour is offered in English, an important point if you want the wine production details and Santa Rita story explained in a language you understand comfortably. The booking confirmation is provided at the time of reservation.

Santa Rita and the story of the 120 Patriots

Santa Rita is the first major stop. The visit begins in a varietal garden, then moves through the vineyards before covering the winemaking process and wine storage. This order gives you a useful sense of the full chain, from grape varieties in the garden to finished bottles in the cellar.

The estate’s best-known story is the tale of the 120 Patriots. The tour uses that story as part of the identity of the winery, giving the visit a historical thread instead of treating the property as only a place to drink wine.

You will also hear about younger wines, Reserva wines, and Gran Reserva wines. The tasting finishes with two Reserva wines and one Gran Reserva. That lineup is useful for comparing different levels within the winery’s range, especially if you are still learning how Chilean wine labels relate to quality and aging.

One particularly appealing detail is the old decoration and atmosphere described by the tour provider. You might find the setting as interesting as the tasting itself, especially if you enjoy traditional wine estates rather than sleek modern tasting rooms.

Santa Rita also offers access to the Andean Museum of the Claro Vial Foundation. The museum is presented as something you can add to the visit, so confirm how much time is available if it is a priority. It may be a good option for you if you want a cultural stop alongside the wine, but the supplied schedule does not make clear whether museum entry or extended museum time is part of the standard route.

The Santa Rita section is listed as four hours. That may include the guided visit, tasting, time around the estate, and transport or waiting time, but the exact breakdown is not stated. I would ask for clarification if you need to be back in Santiago by a fixed hour.

At the end, you receive a carved wine glass. It is a small but appealing extra, and it gives the Santa Rita portion a clear finishing touch.

Undurraga’s vineyards and underground cellars

Viña Undurraga lies in Talagante, about 34 kilometers from Santiago in the Maipo Valley. It is described as one of Chile’s oldest vineyards and offers a different style of visit from Santa Rita.

The guided route starts with a walk through the vineyards. You then hear about the winery’s story and plantings, visit a garden showing different grape types, and continue into the underground cellars. For me, the grape garden is a useful part of the visit because it links the wine in your glass to the varieties growing outside.

The cellars provide the strongest visual contrast with the vineyard walk. Moving from open vines and grape plants into below-ground storage gives you a better sense of how wine production changes from agriculture to aging and storage.

The core Undurraga tour lasts about one hour and fifteen minutes. After the walk and cellar visit, you taste white and red wines. You also receive a vineyard glass as a gift, so the second stop has its own souvenir rather than relying only on the Santa Rita gift.

The schedule gives the Undurraga stop four hours, even though the guided visit itself is listed as 1 hour and 15 minutes. That difference is worth checking. It may reflect transport, meal time, free time, or a broad allocation for the stop, but no lunch is included and no additional activity is specified.

I would not book this outing assuming you will have a long restaurant lunch at either winery. Lunch is specifically excluded, so bring enough money for food if a meal stop is arranged or eat beforehand according to the final schedule.

What you actually taste

The Santa Rita tasting is clearly defined: two Reserva wines and one Gran Reserva. That gives you three wines and a simple comparison within the producer’s range.

Undurraga adds white and red varieties. The exact labels and number of pours are not stated, so you should not assume a particular grape or premium bottle. The emphasis is on sampling different styles rather than promising a specific vintage.

The supplied comments about the experience highlight the quality of the explanations about young wines, Reserva wines, Gran Reserva wines, and different barrels. That makes the guide’s presentation important to the day. The strongest praise is for the clear explanations and the good wine, not for lunch, scenery, or a luxury setting.

The tour includes an expert wine guide, but no guide’s personal name is provided. The provider’s replies are signed by Guido from ParaViajantes Chile, though that does not establish that Guido leads the winery visits. If you want a named specialist or a particular guide, ask before booking.

The minimum drinking age is 18. Alcoholic drinks are provided only to people who meet that age requirement. This is not a good fit for anyone under 18 who expects to take part in the tasting, though the supplied information does not explain the policy for non-drinking participants.

Is $135 a fair price?

At $135 per person, this is not the cheapest way to sample Chilean wine. The price includes hotel transportation, an expert guide, guided vineyard visits, tastings at two producers, and at least one vineyard gift glass. The convenience matters because arranging two out-of-town winery visits independently can take time and may require private transport.

The value is strongest if you are staying in the covered Santiago districts and want a ready-made day with no driving. It also improves if you care about learning the production process, not just drinking wine. You receive explanations at both wineries, a look at cellars and vineyards, and a chance to compare two established producers.

The value is weaker if you want a relaxed meal, a private tasting, or a large number of high-end wines. Lunch is not included, and the tasting details at Undurraga are not specific enough to promise an extensive premium flight.

The two gift glasses help, but I would treat them as pleasant extras rather than a reason to book. Your main purchase is the transport and guided access.

Argentine visitors should pay close attention to the payment note. The price shown in pesos does not include taxes for Argentinians or Argentine payment methods, because the booking service bills in US dollars as a foreign transaction. Your final charge may therefore be higher than the displayed local-peso amount.

Who will enjoy this winery day most

I would recommend this tour to you if you are staying in Santiago, want an easy route into the Maipo Valley, and prefer a guide to explain what you are seeing. It is also a good fit if you want two winery names on one day without organizing separate reservations and transport.

Wine beginners may find the structure helpful. The route introduces grape varieties, winemaking, barrel storage, wine categories, and cellar spaces in a straightforward order. You do not need advanced wine knowledge to get something from the tastings.

It also suits couples, friends, and small family groups with adults over 18 who want a planned day outside the capital. The 25-person maximum keeps the group from becoming enormous, though it is not a private experience.

I would hesitate if your priority is a long, slow lunch or an intimate tasting. I would also be cautious if you have a tight afternoon schedule, since the advertised eight-hour duration and the unusual four-hour allocations need confirmation.

The tour is not designed as a broad sightseeing day around Santiago. Its purpose is wine, vineyard grounds, production details, and cellar visits. That focus is a plus if you know what you want, but it leaves little room for unrelated stops.

Booking, cancellation, and practical checks

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before departure are not accepted for a refund.

The outing requires a minimum number of participants. If the operator cancels because that number is not reached, you will be offered another date or experience, or receive a full refund.

Before you book, I would check three things:

• Your hotel is inside the stated pickup area, or you know the alternate meeting point.
• The eight-hour schedule fits your plans.
• You understand the final payment amount if you use an Argentine card or payment method.

Those checks take little time and remove the main sources of surprise.

FAQ

What time does the tour start?

Pickup begins at 9:00 am.

Where is hotel pickup available?

Pickup and return are offered from most hotels in Providencia, Las Condes, Vitacura, and Santiago de Chile within the stated urban radius.

How long does the tour last?

The full outing is approximately eight hours. Santa Rita is allocated four hours, while the main guided visit at Undurraga lasts about one hour and fifteen minutes.

Which wineries does the tour visit?

The tour visits Viña Santa Rita and Viña Undurraga, both in or near Chile’s Maipo Valley.

What wine is tasted at Santa Rita?

Santa Rita includes two Reserva wines and one Gran Reserva wine.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch and other unspecified activities are not included.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before departure are not refunded or accepted.

Should you book the Santa Rita and Undurraga tour?

I would book this if you want two established wineries, included transport, and clear English-language guidance in one organized day from Santiago. Santa Rita supplies the stronger story and structured Reserva tasting, while Undurraga adds grape varieties, underground cellars, and white and red wines.

I would skip it if you want a private wine expert, a guaranteed long lunch, or a tightly timed half-day. The $135 price can be fair for the convenience, but you should confirm the timing and final payment before committing.

For a first wine outing from Santiago, this is a sensible, well-rounded choice. Just treat the title half-day with caution: the schedule reads much more like a full day outside the city.