I've been to a lot of vineyards, both in and out of Chile. And this is by far one of the coolest I've seen. Whoever designed this place is an architectural genius. We didn't get here until a little after 4 PM on a Wednesday. It felt like they stayed open just for me and my friend, though there was one French guy who joined us on the tour. What would he know about wine? The tour and tasting will run you about $45 US, but that includes their renowned 2012 Clos Apalta, which I actually found less enjoyable than their 2014 Merlot for about 1/6 the price. Our guide was excellent and explained the vineyard's operations in great detail, including their system of gravity, which was certainly a first for me. When you get to the tasting room, you'll soon realize you got your money's worth. The guide will offer you a robe to keep you warm before you head in toward the table which sits atop the owners' 6,000 bottle private collection. Apparently, access to the basement was off-limits, as was the wine in it. Bummer. read more

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TOUR AND GROUNDS Lapostolle's Clos Apalta Winery is a must if you are visiting Colchagua Valley. The fact that their wine is among the most highly rated in Chile is only part of the reason. If you are coming from the US, you are unlikely to purchase any wine here since it's cheaper to buy it in the US. But you have to come see this winery... from beginning to end, the design and the process.. it's like a love story to wine. The grounds are just stunning. In every room and part of the tour, they say something that makes you go "wow". I also learned a lot of new and very interesting things about winemaking and distribution. The tasting includes a white (Chardonnay/Semillion, from which I learned the Semillion takes away from the harshness of the Chard, softening it), the lower end red (a Merlot) to their high end Clos Apalta that sells for less than $100 in the US, mid $100s at the winery and $200 and up elsewhere in Chile. Tours are offered in English and Spanish and although a bit steep at 20.000 CLP (~ $33), it's the same price that they charge for a tour at Viu Manent. After coming this far to visit wine country, I can't imagine trying to skimp on the price of a tour. Just do it. LUNCH We stayed for the wine pairing lunch, which is served at the Residence at tables overlooking the vineyard. We had the "Menú Lapostolle Clos de Apalta" (60.000 CLP or $100 USD per person); for 40.000 CLP we could have had it paired with the Cuvée Alexandre wine instead. The menu includes Aperitif, Starter, Main Course and Dessert with coffee and chocolates and is the same regardless of your pairing. The only difference between the two menus is the wine served with the main. They are very accommodating of dietary restrictions, and I was served chicken instead of angus loin for the main because I don't eat red meat. Aperitif: Casa Sauvignon Blanc Grand Selection 2013 Organic Apple & Blueberry Gazpacho Cup Blue Cheese Grilled Scallop Spoon Chive & Cheese Empanadita Starter: Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre Chardonnay 2013 Preserved lemon seasoned shrimp over pumpkin & cinnamon cream, vanilla oil, flowers from the garden Main: Lapostolle Clos Apalta 2010 *** (better than the one they give you on the tour) Masala Chicken with pan seared organic tomaotes Dessert: Grand Marnier (by the way, this vineyard is owned by the Marnier Lapostolle family, which owns both, as well as Kappa Pisco.. a French family with a long history in the business) Cherimoya cream stuffed Meringue with homemade dulce de leche & Armagnac ice cream I don't need to go into each item and what was good and not because everything was outstanding. Really. The pairing was perfect, each item was perfection, I just loved the whole thing. Ranks up there with the best meals ever. Expensive? Sure. But considering the wine pairing and the amount of food we got, it was totally reasonable. Much better than meals I've paid more for in the US. Our lunch was relaxed and we spent well over two hours enjoying our food, wine, and the view. It was really a lovely afternoon and the highlight of our visit to Colchagua. read more

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If you are visiting this region you simply must tour Clos Apalta. The scenery is breathtaking. Their process for creating their masterpiece of a wine is incredulous. It's a 1st class operation all around. And the wine! What a special opportunity to get to taste a 100 point earning driver. The best I've had! Do not miss it! read more

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Wow and wow again! This winery is amazingly beautiful and has a stunning view of the region. Make sure to reserve! We managed to enter the gate even if we didn't have one, asking the guard if we could go and take pictures. The lunch is supposed to be wonderful too. You can stay there for the night (around 1000$ usd a night). It's a Relais Château classified establishment. read more

Viña Lapostolle - Fall 2017 - Wineries Near Me - Santa Cruz, LI

The best wine I tasted during my trip "Clos Apalta". The winery is just as beautiful as the scenery. It is a long drive from Santiago but well worth the visit. I highly recommend it. This winery is built inside a mountain. It is really a must see for any wine lover. The winery tour guide was very nice and informative. Can't wait to go back! read more

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This property is absolutely exquisite!!! The views and architecture are absolutely stunning and worth the trip alone. The wine is wonderful and the tasting lunch was one of the highlights to our trip. Highly recommend!! read more

Viña Lapostolle - Unreal landscape and architecture - Wineries Near Me - Santa Cruz, LI

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First thing to say: this place has a beautiful building--a sort of 1970s shape, but much more elegant. There is a massive Foucault's pendulum hanging from the top of the third above-ground floor right down to the bottom of the second cellar. The grounds are also quite beautiful, so be sure to bring a camera for your whole tour. Also be sure to bring a sweater or five, because the tasting takes place in the cellar, which is held at 14C. The tour guide was maybe not our favorite. We were with some wine aficionados, who seemed to be very excited about the reserve wine made at the facility, but we were more partial to the two more "ordinary" products made elsewhere from the same grapes. To be honest, we enjoyed the facility itself more than the wine. read more

My husband and I were so fortunate to spend two nights as guests at this stunning property! i consider us to be fairly seasoned travelers and we both had the same reaction - that we had not previously been to a place of this caliber. I believe there are only four very private and luxurious rooms on the property. Each is a private building. If you are so inclined, the delightful staff will gladly give you a ride in a golf cart or you can walk. Our room was situated close to the top of the hill so we had amazing views of the entire winery and surrounding area. The food is amazing. The staff is genuinely concerned for any dietary restrictions a guest may have. Of course the wine, grand mariner and pisco are all quite free flowing! We had the full board package which included a wonderful massage for each of us which we were able to take on the terrace outside our room! The property is large so my husband and I were able to get in really nice runs each morning staying right on the property. This was at the end of our three week long trip to South America so we used the time to rest and relax. That being said, there are many wineries and maybe other attractions in the area to visit - we just didn't have the time or inclination to get out and see what was available. I would highly recommend this property and the wine - if you see it in your local shop! read more

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I visited the winery four weeks ago. It was one of the highlights from our Chile trip. It was not cheap, but the experience was fantastic. The view was spectacular, the whole architecture of place was fantastic. To quote from Flora H.'s review: " But you have to come see this winery... from beginning to end, the design and the process.. it's like a love story to wine. The grounds are just stunning. In every room and part of the tour, they say something that makes you go "wow". " I could not agree more. We stayed for the lunch, which was expensive for Chile but then again was one of the best experiences we had. Everything was terrific and they did not hurry us as in NY, instead we had a 3+ hour leisurely experience enjoying the view. read more