We've visited wineries in the Casablanca and Maipo Valleys several times as day trips from Santiago but never had a chance to explore the more distant wine producing areas. This trip we've planned time to visit several valleys further from Santiago and will be staying in wine-oriented small hotels.

We left Santiago on a clear, cool day heading southwest toward the San Antonio Valley where several winemakers have planted vineyards near Chile's Pacific coast. Cooler weather, humidity and hungry coastal bird colonies offer a new set of variables, but the two wineries we visited have overcome the challenges to produce quality wines.

Viña Casa Marín is a family-owned winery located about 2 ½ miles from the coast. It is currently Chile's closest vineyard to the Pacific Ocean.

It was founded in 2000 by Maria Luz Marín, a nationally renowned winemaker and entrepreneur, whose goal of providing innovation to the local wine industry is being accomplished by her focus on premium wines created in this new "terroir."

As we sampled her wines in the tasting room, which looks out over the vineyards, she told us of introducing her first vintage of Pinot Noir to her Chilean wine friends. At the time they told her that her wine was very different from other Chilean Pinots, even though she produced it using the same techniques they used. The difference, she said was that salt, minerals and humidity in the wind from the ocean added new dimensions to her wine.

Now that her wines have won great respect, other wineries are acquiring vineyards in the San Antonio valley and producing quality wines there.

Viña Matatec is not only producing fine wines in the San Antonio Valley, but they are making it a destination for travelers on Chile's Wine Route (Ruta de Vina).

They have opened a guesthouse, Casona, in a fully restored colonial house built in the early 1800s. It is surrounded by beautiful gardens and located on 22 acres of woods and vineyards. There is a restaurant on the property which provides panoramic views of the gardens.

We enjoyed a beautifully presented and expertly prepared lunch at the restaurant with first a glass of white and then a red from Viña Matatec's San Antonio vineyard.

After lunch we toured Viña Matatec's winery, about five miles from the Casona.

This modern facility, designed by Norwegien architect Lawrence Odfjell, is built partly into the hillside and has curving lines of wood and class. The cellars are under the hillside to duplicate conditions of a natural cave so it requires minimum adjustments to temperate. Other buildings take advantage of indirect light to illuminate without raising the temperatures in the buildings.

Our tour ended in the tasting room where we sampled wines with Jose Ramon who also guided our winery tour.

After the tour we returned to the Casona and settled into our room. The doors in the three foot thick walls opened to a large, bright room with traditional furnishings including a king-sized bed piled high wirh layers of snowy down bedding.

This step back in time wasn't without contemporary touches. The large, modern bath with a glass enclosed shower had a heater to warm the tiled space. There was a large, flat screen TV and free WiFi was available in the living room/lounge at the front of the house.

At dinnertime we were served a starter in a comfortable parlor adjacent to the dining room where we were served an excellent and elegant meal prepared by the chef in the Casona's kitchen. This was served with a bottle of Matatec wine.

We were the only guests that night and the enjoyed the personal service. When there are more than four guests, meals are taken in the restaurant that's just a stroll away through the gardens.

After dinner we returned to our room and were very soon swallowed by the now turned-down bed. Seemingly minutes later the birds were singing and the countryside was waking up. After a break splendid breakfast served by the chef in the Casona's dining room we left the San Antonio Valley and headed south on the Ruta de la Fruta.

To be continued.