Explore The Central Valley
The Río Maule flows into the sea almost 75km west of Talca at the industrial port of Constitución, south of which a coast road leads to the seaside villages of Chanco, Pelluhue, Curanipe and Buchupureo. To the east of Talca, the river has been dammed, resulting in Lago Colbún. Just east of Talca, the Villa Cultural Huilquilemu is a handsome nineteenth-century hacienda, now a museum, closed at the time of writing following earthquake damage, while further east, high in the cordillera, the Reserva Nacional Altos del Lircay provides trails through dramatic mountain scenery. Further south, you’ll find the neighbouring hot springs resorts of Panimávida and Quinamávida and, down on the valley floor, a proliferation of vineyards, many of them conveniently located between the town of Villa Alegre and village of San Javier on a route served by plenty of local buses from Talca.
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San Javier and Villa Alegre
San Javier and Villa Alegre
Twenty kilometres south of Talca is a massive iron bridge over the Río Maule, followed by the turn-off to SAN JAVIER, a bustling little town sitting in the heart of the Maule Valley’s wine country. Its main interest lies in its proximity to two dozen local vineyards spread between and around San Javier and the nearby village of Villa Alegre, all of which are marked on a map distributed by Sernatur in Talca.
Nine kilometres further south South from San Javier, you approach VILLA ALEGRE through a stunning avenue of trees whose branches meet overhead to form a dense green canopy. A stroll down the village’s main street, lined with fragrant orange trees, takes you past grand casas patronales in luxuriant grounds.
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Reserva Nacional Altos del Lircay
Reserva Nacional Altos del Lircay
As you travel east along the road to the Argentinian border, a left fork onto a poor dirt road some 30km from Villa Huilquilemu leads 27km to the mountain village of Vilches Alto and from here to the entrance of the RESERVA NACIONAL ALTOS DEL LIRCAY, 2km beyond. This is an extremely beautiful part of the central cordillera, with a covering of ancient native forests and fantastic views onto surrounding mountain peaks and volcanoes streaked with snow. The road is difficult to pass in winter months, so the best time to visit is between October and May. The hiking trails here are among the best in the region. Close to the entrance, an information centre has displays on the park’s flora and fauna and the area’s indigenous inhabitants, whose traces survive in the piedras tacitas (bowls used for grinding corn) carved out of a flat rock face a few hundred metres away along a signed path.
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Ruta del Vino Valle del Maule
Ruta del Vino Valle del Maule
The Ruta del Vino Valle del Maule includes four wineries which are open to the public, and visits can be arranged independently or through the Ruta del Vino Valle del Maule office at the Hotel Casino in Talca at Av Circunvalación Oriente 1055 (valledelmaule.cl). While the office doesn’t provide package tours or transport to the vineyards, staff can refer you to private Talca-based operators.
Getting to the wineries
All these wineries are easy to visit on day-trips from Talca, either by taxi or on public transport down the Panamericana, into Villa Alegre, up to San Javier and back to Talca. Unless otherwise specified, all these wineries should be contacted in advance.
Viña Balduzzi Balmaceda 1189 in San Javier, 73 322138, balduzzi.cl. One of the best wineries to visit on your own, as you can drop in without a reservation for a 45min guided tour of its bodegas. With 200 acres of vineyards and beautiful grounds featuring an old casa patronal, a chapel and a parque centenario full of 100-year-old trees, this is a very picturesque example of a Central Valley winery.
Viña Coral Victoria Camino San Clemente Km 11, 71 621404, corralvictoria.cl. On the road east from Talca to San Clemente, this boutique winery has a small but perfectly formed 27 acres of vineyards and also offers horseriding. The meat-centric restaurant is good value.
Viña Gillmore Camino Constitución Km 20 in San Javier, 73 197 5539, tabonko.cl. This family-run winery is one of the oldest vineyards in Chile. Also known as Tabontinaja or Tabonko, it has a good set-up for tourists, with tours examining the ecology of its vineyards. There’s also a guesthouse – rooms have Jacuzzis – and spa where you can indulge in a wine bath.
Viña Via Wines Fundo La Esperanza s/n in San Rafael, 08 429 1158, www.viawines.com. North of Talca, covering 1300 acres, this is the flagship vineyard for the brand best known for its Oveja Negra (Black Sheep) variety.
