Our mission

Wine Travel was established to provide top quality tourist services spanning the fascinating worlds of wine, nature and gastronomy. Our services are geared towards travellers with exacting tastes and great sensitivity to new experiences.
The people who embark on our tours have the opportunity to learn about the culture and tradition of wine in Chile and to enjoy special interest activities such as agricultural and ecological tourism, hot springs and spas, skiing, golf, fly fishing and cruises.

• Services and wine tours provided for corporate clients.

Who we are

Our multidisciplinary team comprises professionals of the highest level, with experience in Chile and abroad.

DIRECTOR

Karen Gilchrist With extensive experience in tourism development, marketing and communications in Chile, France, and the United Kingdom, Karen saw the opportunity to build a service revolving around the fascinating worlds of wine, fine gastronomy and the natural beauty of Chile. Karen is a graduate of the School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences of the Sorbonne University in Paris and the holder of diplomas in wine tasting, tourist studies and marketing from the London Chamber of Commerce and the British Industry Examinations Board, the fruit of studies during her eight years of residence in Europe. Her experience in connection with wine routes in Europe, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Chile stood her in good stead as the General Manager of the Maule Valley Wine Route in Chile, which she successfully developed over a period of three years. During this time, Karen organized Chile’s first ever Carménère event, which was attended by the national and international press. She is currently a consultant in wine tourism and a freelance writer and columnist with a number of wine trade publications.

THE TEAM

	Pascual Ibáñez A sommelier with studies completed in Spain. Member and founder of the Sommeliers Association in Chile. Organizer of the Sommeliers school. Panellist for the Chilean Wine Guide. A wine and gastronomy critic and columnist for a number of prominent specialized publications, Pascual Ibáñez has officially represented Chile in wine-related matters abroad.
	Margaret Snook – Food & Wine Writer North American anthropologist and long-term resident in Chile, where she turned her passion for fine wine and great food into a career. She holds a Diploma in Chilean Wine and is an active member of the Chilean Association of Sommeliers. She is a permanent member of major national and international wine tasting panels and writes on food and wine for specialized magazines and web sites.
	Marketing: Katharina Kastowsky Broad experience in marketing and communications in major national and international companies in several sectors of industry. Katharina has a traveller’s spirit and a curiosity which have led her to explore the Middle East, Europe, and America. Katharina’s mission is to use her experience in communications to encourage the travelling spirit of anyone who approaches Wine Travel.
	Events Producer: Rosa Elena Aravena Rosa Elena´s experience in executive television production and her professionalism have taken her to the top of a major events production company in Chile.
	Guide: Lisa Barra An English teacher with a degree from the University of Concepción in Chile. She has experience in the hotel sector as a director of marketing and public relations. Lisa has lived in the United States and Puerto Rico and has extensive experience of travelling in Europe and the Middle East.
	Editorial Content: Patricio Rojas Specialized reporter and editor with the Chilean wine magazine Placeres, Patricio Rojas is a columnist and consultant of high repute among prominent national and international media.
	Photographer: Fernando Gomez A photographer experienced in matters of wine and gastronomy and a contributor to major books on Chilean wine and to the specialized magazine Vinos y más (www.fgomez.cl).
	Cecilia Durán Graphic Designer
	Specialized mountain tours: Franz Schubert An Austrian with ten years’ experience as a mountain guide in different parts of the world. In 1993 he settled in Chile to start up his own mountain tour company and establish a guest house 250 km. south of Santiago, near the city of Talca. He is the author of the first adventure guidebook for Central Chile "Adventure Handbook Central Chile" www.trekkingchile.com.
	Specialized Ornithology Tours: Gonzalo González An agricultural engineer, ornithology guide, he has travelled throughout the Chilean Altiplano, central zone, Argentina and Atlantic islands for bird watching. A member of the Board of Directors of the Chilean Ornithologist Association from 2000 to 2001. He is currently working as a co-author of a Field Guide of Chilean Birds.