Experience the traditional Chilean way of life

Fancy horse riding in the hills in the morning, an afternoon of wine tasting, then strolling through the vineyards to enjoy an evening polo match or rodeo display before watching the sun set over the Andes with a glass of top quality Chilean Sauvignon Blanc?

Family-owned Viña Casa Silva, one of Chile’s most prestigious wineries located just two hours south of Santiago, has extended its stunning tourist facilities at their estate in Angostura, Colchagua Valley, and now offers visitors a unique insight into some of Chile’s best loved customs and traditions.

Attached to the family’s winery in one of the original estate buildings, the Viña Casa Silva luxury boutique hotel, the first of its kind in the area, offers seven luxury bedrooms, each furnished to an exceptional standard in traditional Chilean country style, together with a swimming pool and a top restaurant and wine bar. The hotel now offers free bicycle hire for residents to tour the vineyards and a comprehensive concierge service organizing tours and tastings in the winery as well as tours and information about other local attractions.

The Silva family has been making wines in the Colchagua Valley for decades, but they are also passionate about equestrian sports – and the family has a rodeo stadium and polo ground on their estate set amongst the vineyards with the

Andes Mountains as a backdrop. The Casa Silva polo team features members of the Silva family, several of whom have played at international level. However, all Viña Casa Silva employees and their families are encouraged to use these facilities which are a central part of local community life.

A brand new equestrian centre and spectator pavilion has just opened next to the existing facilities, to give tourists a unique opportunity to watch and take part in these Chilean traditions. In addition to the weekly polo matches and frequent rodeo shows featuring traditional Chilean cowboys, known as ‘Huasos’, traditional Asado barbecue parties for tourists offer the chance to try out the popular local Cueca folk dance.

Visitors are encouraged to try horse riding and can take lessons, horse trek through the vineyards and the local area, or even try Show Jumping. A programme of special tournaments and events also takes place throughout the year attracting participants from all over Chile.

Mario Pablo Silva, managing director of Vina Casa Silva, says: “We are incredibly lucky to live in the Colchagua Valley - which is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Over the last 10 years we’ve seen a steady rise in tourist numbers, thanks to the growing international reputation for Colchagua’s wines. At Viña Casa Silva we’re very proud of our heritage and felt it was only right to offer visitors a proper insight into the rich and traditional lifestyle we enjoy in the Colchagua Valley.”

For more information, visit Casasilva.cl