Valle de la Concepción

The Concepción valley south of Tarija is the centre of Bolivian winemaking, and its distinction is altitude: vineyards here sit between roughly 1,700 and 2,400 metres, among the highest commercial plantings in the world, where intense ultraviolet light thickens grape skins and the wide day-to-night temperature swing keeps acidity, producing wines with strong colour and structure. The other product is singani, a grape spirit distilled from Muscat of Alexandria, protected as a Bolivian denomination and the base of the chuflay, the national mixed drink. Wineries along the valley range from large operations to family bodegas, most receiving visitors for tours and tastings. The valley is warm, dry and planted with vines against bare hills.

What you actually see

• High-altitude vineyards - plantings between 1,700 and 2,400 metres.
• Singani distilling - the Muscat spirit made and aged in the valley.
• Family bodegas - small producers alongside the larger wineries.
• The dry valley - vines against bare hills and irrigation channels.

When to go

February to April covers the vintage and the harvest festival; the wineries work then and the valley is busiest. Tastings run year round but tours are more interesting during picking and pressing.

Honest expectations

Larger wineries require booking and smaller ones may be closed without notice. Public transport is limited, so a driver or tour is usual, and tasting means someone must not drink. Bolivian wine is little known abroad and quality varies widely between producers.

Nearby

Tarija lies north; the Cinti valley is northwest.