Returning to Aruba for the first time since 2019 I knew there’d be changes. When traveling to a place I’ve been many times, I like to seek out new experiences and to my surprise, I discovered Aruba has its first winery offering a vineyard tour and tasting – with charcuterie. Count me in! I booked it immediately, especially after reading glowing reviews on Trip Advisor.

Aruba is the last place I imagined finding a vineyard as the terrain and weather are the polar opposite of the many vineyards I’ve visited since falling in love with wine at age forty. I was curious.

Tours are a reasonable $39 and about 2 hours. Guests are advised to wear comfortable walking shoes as especially the first phase of the tour is rocky and in the natural terrain. Started seven years ago on inherited property, the family tried farming (they still raise a lot of chickens) and after consulting with wineries in many countries, diligently worked the vineyard until they were producing quality wines. A mere eight months ago they opened for tours, starting a 4:30 and every half hour until 6:00 p.m. every day but Sunday. I opted for the first tour along with about 16 other people from various countries who shared my curiosity and a passion for wine was our common bond.

With a lovely young man as our tour guide, we entered through the Blue Door. This was the wild, untamed part of the property which was a nice hike; we were surrounded by cactus and indigenous plants and trees. Named for the Alto Vista Chapel, which we could see in the distance with the ocean beyond, he was fun and informative giving us a background of the early failures turned successes.

Onto the next phase of the tour, we entered the vineyard. Having recently harvested there was not much on the vines. They do two harvests a year of French Colombard, Chenin Blanc, Syrah and Tempranillo. While they could do three, they learned it was better to let the vines rest. Using sustainable techniques to water, feed and care for the vines, our guide gave us an understanding of the challenges and processes of producing wine in this climate. It was fascinating.

As if they don’t have enough to do, they’ve planted sugarcane and are now distilling Red Star Rum (named for the Red Star on the Aruban flag). We toured the distillery, learning the process from harvest to aging in oak barrels from Tennessee. Upstairs we did a tasting with a shot and a refreshing cocktail.

Onto the wine tasting! The tasting room was lovely – the aesthetic was reflective of the Dutch influence in Aruba. Taking our seats, a lovely wine flight paired with charcuterie awaited us as well as the owner who guided us through each tasting with the specific charcuterie bite. He was knowledgeable, clearly passionate about his craft – and entertaining!