Graves, Shells and Bulls

After ending my day of museums with a special night-time tour of the horrendously bad collection at National Museum of Bellas Artes, I was ready to pack the whole thing in. But out of respect to Salvador Allende, and the history that had not yet made history, I decided to catch the train out to see his tomb, and try and redeem the situation.

Buried in the ‘general’ cemetery, as opposed to the more exclusive Catholic one across the road, I was told Allende’s resting place would be easy to find. And it was. Unlike Recoleta, in Buenos Aires, this place was full of genuine mourners – there to pay their weekend respects. Again, I was the only tourist interested enough to make it past the lines and lines of names, dates and lives past, set out in sterile blocks.

Located straight off O’Higgins Street, the Allende family tomb has been added to the collection of deceased Presidents of the Chile, right next to a tribute to Jesus Christ. And it is definitely one of the most modern ones here, sticking out of the ground with its marble plinths like a sore thumb. I can’t help but think: so it is in life and in death.

Realising then that my phone too has gone dead (bad pun, I know), I hurried back to the hostel, to meet up with Kylie and Nicole who are set to accompany me to Chile’s largest wine producer – Concha Y Toro. (Ok, so I guess I am all about second chances, and ending on a good note. Hence why I chose to submit myself to more South American wine, despite previous shadey encounters. Oh, and there is nothing better than sitting in the sun and indulging).

Surprisingly close to the city centre, it seems you can take the metro train all the way there, and within an hour, we were touring the beautiful gardens of the estate. Set up by the Concha y Toro (Shell and Bull) family in 1883, the vineyard was established on the original site of their summer home, and includes more than 23 hectares of park alone. Now privately-owned by a group of investors, it is also the largest international exporter in Latin America – with very good reason.

Clearly out to impress their guests, our guide treats us to a taste of their 2005 “Amelia” Chardonnay, which has spent 8 months in French oak before completing its fermentation in oak too. Definitely no ‘Musuem’ red here. Our second glass, taken in the underground cellar, comes from the Casillero de Diablo range – of which its Cabernet Sauvignon has been named fourth best in the world – and has also spent eight months gestating in American oak. Do I need to say anymore?

Top this off with the individual plate of cheese we all receive, with another glass accompanying it, and the free “regalo” (gift) glass we get at the end, and we are definitely satisfied. Argentina could certainly learn a few things from their neighbours.