In the heart of Santiago’s trendy and antique district of Lastarria you will find Bocanáriz, a newly opened wine bar with a difference.

Bocanáriz offers a wine and food experience like no other in Santiago, where you can sip on one of their 304 selections of wine while learning about them and pairing them with a range of specially created dishes. “We as winemakers saw a need for something like this”, says co-owner Daniela Lorenzo. “Chile is a viticulture paradise and yes we have a lot of wineries, but each one will only tell you about their own wine. We offer you an insight into the climate, geography, culture, history and future of wines from all over Chile.”

Bocanáriz is the result of a business idea that won funding through the Corfo Innova government funding program. More than a business idea, it has been a dream of Daniela and fellow winemaker Katherine Hidalgo to help people enjoy and understand more about food and wine.

They met their third business partner, Jerome Reynes while looking for their location in Lastarria. Jerome owns 12 restaurants in Santiago and was looking to open another, “Destiny brought us together.” Daniela says. The fusion of three different visions and the combination winemaking and business knowledge are a big part of Bocanáriz’s success. “We never expected to open and be packed ever since.”

It was the “Developing tourism in historical neighborhoods” area of the Corfo Innova program that Bocanáriz won funding from, so it’s no wonder that their business is tourism orientated. All the waiters are bilingual as well as qualified sommeliers which helps ensure an easy and informative experience.

The wine bar is also working with owners of various hotels and hostels to help realize their dream of sharing a well rounded experience of Chilean wine with the rest of the World.

There are 35 wines by the glass and wine tastings or “Bocanáriz Flights” which are hosted by their sommelier who guides you through major trends shaping the Chilean wine industry.

The food menu includes dishes from 9 families of flavors; iodized, light, matured, smoked, creamy, sweet and sour, spicy, stewed and sweet. And your sommelier-waiter is there to suggest which ones to eat depending on the wine you have chosen to drink.

Every Thursday evening Bocanáriz hosts a signature winemaker and musician. For a small entrance fee you can enjoy the music, which is carefully chosen to compliment the evening, as well as listen to the knowledge that the winemaker has to share.

The overall experience is enhanced by the 1920’s style house which went through a lot of renovations to make it the restaurant you see today. Daniela says. The modern touches range from their tasteful choice of décor to the latest and best wine dispensing machine which allows opened bottles of wine to last up to 21 days.

The bar itself is white which allows you to see the color of the wines easily, an important aspect of the tasting experience. Because the restaurant used to be a house, you will find different rooms each with different functions.

The bar area has high tables and chairs giving a relaxed atmosphere. The lounge area is perfect for sharing a few glasses of wines with friends and there are also more formal dining options, including a private room with its own big table.

The cellar was an original feature of the house and has been re-done into the aesthetically pleasing cellar it is today. It can hold up to 1400 bottles and is always kept at an appropriate temperature and humidity level.

Among a huge variety of other Chilean wines, you will find a great selection of Concha y Toro’s. Bocanariz offers various selections from our Amelia, Trio, Marques de Casa Concha and Casillero del Diablo lines as well as Don Melchor iconic wine. “We chose to include Concha y Toro because it has great wines and is Chile’s most famous winery.

We also like the fact that they are constantly updating and looking for new proposals in terms of wine valleys. For these reasons we think it is important to include their different lines. We offer Don Melchor by the glass which gives our clients the opportunity to learn about Chile’s best wines.” Daniela explained.