Wine Tasting - Day 2

Today's opening winery is Neyen. This is an organic and biodynamic certified winery.  Sophia starts in the vineyard with a look at their 129-year old cabernet vines and their process to clone these old vines before they die over the next 60 to 80 years.

Back in one of the original adobe building, we taste their 2014 and 2015 with a couple from California.

On the road again to the second tasting of the day at Montes and lunch at their famous restaurant.  Ricardo can be seen over CJ's shoulder.

CJ recognizes the background.  It's the fourth vineyards of, and winery we visited yesterday.

The Montes complex consists of a large futuristic building housing tasting rooms, winery, store and offices.  In front is a collection of antique wine making devices.  Mauricio claims all are in working condition. There is also a Feng Shui garden.

The barrel room is a work of art enhanced by the addition of Gregorian chants. Private tasting rooms catering to group size flank a hallway leading to the barrel room.

 CJ is standing on the first patio of the Montes winery.  The long black profile at his arms is the restaurant.

Fuegos de Apalta is a famous restaurant of the area.  Cooking is done by fire; wood fired ovens and grills.  Nearly everything served including breads and vegetables is cooked on the grills or in the wood-fired ovens.

 Up to this point, we didn't understand the Chilean infatuation with empanadas.  Now we understand!

 The burrata salad is heavenly.

When we arrived all outdoor tables were occupied and we were escorted to the warmest table in the place. We eventually realized that Mauricio reserved this one for us knowing Carol's love of cooking. Ours is the best seat in the house for observing the fascinating food preparation over fire.

The primary cooking device is large wood fired multipurpose gizmo.  It has grated grilling stations, griddle areas and one station dedicated to the preparation of the wood.  Dry wood is piled into the fiery area in the back right of the picture. Here is catches fire and remains until the chefs judge it suitable for one of the grills.

 

Four wineries the previous day was too much.  The afternoon is spent at the hotel preparing for the move to Santiago in the morning and dinner a d'Vino this evening.

Mauricio's d'Vino hotel, tasting room, restaurant and spa is one of the first things you see when entering the Apalta Valley from the direction of Santa Cruz.  Perched mid-way up the hill it jumps out as you make the first turn into the valley.

The common space and balconies are nearly complete. The four hotel rooms farther down the building are roughed in.

 

We have requested a simple dinner.  The first course is salmon carpaccio served with the "orange" (not made with oranges but with a light orange color) wine made from the same grape as our favorite Argentinean Torrentes. We purchased this bottle yesterday at the first tasting and had requested Mauricio prepare a food match for our first course.  Well done Mauricio.

 

 

The next course is a simple sautéed shrimp with a typical garlic preparation.  There is a chilli option which CJ dives into.

 

We enjoy the Mornade pinot noir with the shrimp and complete the evening sitting around the table enjoying the unique Vigno; a kind of club or cult wine.