Maipo Valley: Wine Bus Day Tour with Tastings & Lunch

Summary

Maipo Valley wine tasting day trip from Santiago with lunch

You’ll taste Maipo Valley wines straight from family cellars and top wineries, share laughs over brunch in an art-filled garden, and linger over lunch by the river—all with Santiago pickup included. Expect good company, plenty of pours, and small moments you’ll remember long after you’re home.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Wine tour in Maipo Valley

• Pick up at hotel in Santiago
• Brunch with wine at La Espina del Arte
• Visit Los Mesa cellar and taste wines
• Visit Santa Ema winery and taste premium wines
• Experience sensory room at Santa Ema
• Visit TerraMater winery and taste premium wines
• Visit De Martino winery and taste premium wines
• Enjoy traditional lunch by Maipo river
• Wine activity at La Era winery
• Drop off at hotel in Santiago

Top questions

How long is the Maipo Valley wine bus tour from Santiago?

The tour lasts a full day with pickup in Santiago in the morning and drop-off in the evening.

Are all wine tastings included on this Maipo Valley day trip?

Yes, all tastings at each winery are included in your booking.

Is lunch provided during the Maipo Valley wine tour?

Yes, a traditional lunch is included at a villa near the Maipo river.

Does this tour include hotel pickup in Santiago?

Yes, pickup and drop-off at your hotel or address in Santiago are included.

Which wineries do we visit on this Maipo Valley wine tour?

The itinerary usually includes Santa Ema, TerraMater, De Martino, Los Mesa family cellar, plus brunch at La Espina del Arte.

Is there an English-speaking guide on this wine tour?

The tour may be operated by a multi-lingual guide; English is available.

Can dietary requirements be accommodated for lunch?

Please advise any specific dietary requirements when booking; accommodations can be made.

What is the minimum age for drinking on this tour?

The minimum drinking age is 18 years old for all tastings.

What’s included

Your day includes pickup from your hotel or chosen address in Santiago, brunch with local wine at an art gallery garden, guided visits and tastings at several Maipo Valley wineries—including Santa Ema, TerraMater, De Martino—and a traditional lunch by the river before returning to Santiago in the evening.

What’s the experience like?

I’ll never forget the way the bus smelled that morning—like coffee and a little leftover perfume, mixed with that excitement you get before something good. Our guide, Pilar, greeted us by name (she somehow remembered everyone’s) and cracked a joke about “wine o’clock” being earlier in Chile. I’d barely finished my first coffee when she handed me a glass of something crisp and white at La Espina del Arte. The garden was still damp from last night’s rain, and there were these bright red flowers everywhere. I remember thinking: so this is how you brunch in Maipo Valley.

We stopped at the Los Mesa family cellar next. The owner’s hands were stained purple—he laughed when I asked if it ever washes out. He poured us this homemade liquor that burned a little but tasted like figs and woodsmoke. I tried to say “salud” like a local; pretty sure I got it wrong because everyone grinned at me. There was this quiet moment where we all just stood there, glasses raised, listening to the wind in the vines. It felt honest.

The big-name wineries—Santa Ema, TerraMater, De Martino—were slicker but not snobby. At Santa Ema they had us guess wine aromas in this sensory room (I failed miserably; apparently black pepper isn’t always black pepper). Lunch was at a villa right on the Maipo riverbank: slow-cooked beef, bread still warm from the oven, and more wine than I probably needed. Pilar told stories about her grandfather picking grapes here as a boy. By then we were all swapping WhatsApps like old friends.

I didn’t expect to feel so… relaxed? Or maybe connected is the word. The Andes looked close enough to touch through the bus window on our way back to Santiago. Someone started singing quietly (not me), and nobody minded if you nodded off for a bit. The day trip Maipo Valley wine bus isn’t fancy or forced—it’s just real people sharing wine and time together. I still think about that view over the river sometimes.