South of the Border!

We slipped away from Quito for a quick visit to Santiago’s beloved grandfather in Buenos Aires. Well, the flight just happened to stop in Santiago de Chile’s wine region and Mendoza, Argentina on the way, so we had to stop for a drink… of wine and a small bite ... of red meat.

Twelve days, dozens of sampled wines and cuts of beef, bushels of kid-eaten grapes, and endless days of gorgeous weather later, we’ve returned to Quito with overweight luggage and waistlines. High iron counts and healthier hearts. And huge smiles on our faces. One of the best vacations we’ve had…

So great, I'm going to blog it over several posts...

The boys were master travels, hanging in with their parents’ winery jaunts, six flights in 12 days, and lots of miles in the car through the Argentine and Chilean countryside. And their dogs travelled well too!

After a flight over the gorgeous Andes, we started our journey in Santiago, Chile checking out the city.

The 31st was Santiago’s birthday (don’t ask the number. Just know that he is older than his young wife! That's me, Nicole. He hasn't remarried.) and he wanted to visit the famous fish market. We had a delicious seafood lunch in the market, before heading off to Casablanca valley.

We headed northwest toward the coast to one of Santiago’s key wineproducing areas, Casablanca Valley. It is best known for its whites, particularly Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, as well as its Pinot Noir.

Before even checking into the hotel, we visited William Cole Winery, a beautiful winery owned and run by a Denver retiree.

We got a tour where the boys were able to taste their first glass of wine – before the fermentation process, of course.

Thursday morning brought two beautiful wineries, Indomita and Matetic, and a trip to the coastal city of Valparaiso.

The boys were, as usual, oh so shy about getting to know the wine experts and visit the cellars.

Matetic is one of the best restaurants in the region, and lived up to its reputation. While the boys slept in the car (fortuitious) out had a table (near the car!!) for a spectacular meal. A pristine setting off the beaten path, Matetic was worth the trip.

Naturally, the boys were most enthralled by the riding mower.

Friday brought a trip to Emiliana winery which is the largest organic wine producer in the hemisphere. Their wine was excellent, and the grounds were beautiful.

The boys started what would turn into a daily grape eating habit. What a wonderful way for them to start their appreciation for wine! Yes, it was dripping from Timmer’s chin.

And there were animals, so it was all good in their mind.

We spent the afternoon on the beach in Vina del Mar, Chile’s most popular beach city. We had great weather, and boys loved feeling the sand between their toes … but only after some ice cream of course.


Between the sand, water, and ice cream, pants became a non-option


On Saturday before heading back to the airport, we hit one more winery, Verramonte, which is one of the largest producers in the region.

The boys…yes, ate grapes, while we sipped our last glass of Chilean pinot before heading to the land of Malbec.

And with that...we were off to Argentina. More to come soon.