Chile in pictures

Aside from its wines, Chile is well known for its llamas, including this chap, whom db’s Lucy Shaw snapped during an amble around sunny Santiago.

We’re not entirely sure what this courageous canine did to merit a statue in the centre of Santiago, but we like the way he poses against the snow-capped Andes behind him.

While winemaking is one of Chile’s most profitable industries, the country has grown to become the number one exporter of copper in the world – something we were reminded of while walking past this copper-coloured gate juxtaposing beautifully against the blazingly bright blue sky.

While much of the trip focused on wine, there was also time to talk pisco with Charles de Bournet of Lapostolle, who is soon to release his super-premium pisco – Kappa – in the UK market. Named after a star cluster within the Southern Cross Constellation, the pisco is made from 100% Muscat grapes from Chile’s Elqui Valley.

db also found time to check out one of Santaigo’s buzzing bars – Liguria – where the Pisco Sours packed a punch.

An hour away from the glinting skyscrapers of Santiago lies the coastal town of Valparaíso, affectionately known as Pancho due to its similarity to San Francisco. The place is best known for its jaw-droppingly beautiful street art, including this rose-hued mural.

Many of the murals pay homage to the greats, such as this paean to Van Gogh painted, fittingly, on the side of a yellow house.

It seems the Chileans have a thirst for craft beer as well as wine…

After the excursion to Valparaíso, db’s Lucy Shaw paid a visit to Cono Sur in Chimbarongo in the Colchagua Valley, where Pinot Noir pioneer Adolfo Hurtado whisked her off on a cycling tour of the vineyards on one of the many bikes ridden by the staff around the estate.

Look, no hands! Having suffered a flat tyre, the Cono Sur tour went a bit Alice in Wonderland at the encounter of this giant bike resting nonchalantly against a tree in the middle of the vineyard.

Moving on to Casa Silva, we were greeted by a gleaming fleet of classic cars, but alas, we not offered a tour around the vineyards in one.

During a dinner at Santa Carolina on the outskirts of Santiago, Lucy did her best to promote Anglo-Chilean relations.

Venturing further down Chile’s strip to Torres in Curicó, we were lucky enough to try the estate’s new 100% Pais, recently released in the UK through The Wine Society at £7.50 a bottle. Described by its maker as a “Marmite” wine, we loved its freshness and florality, which recalled a cru Beaujolais.

On the road again, the next stop was a visit to the green-thinking Emiliana in Colchagua, where we ventured into the vines to coo over its new fluffy fleet of lawnmowers.

Emiliana’s winemaking manager, Cesar Morales, was excited to show us his latest toy – an army of concrete eggs, which he’s currently experimenting with, increasing the proportion of wine fermented in the eggs each year. Tasting straight from the egg, the wines had an appealing vibrancy and vitality to them.

And finally…. it was time to (al)paca suitcase home.