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A tropical country like Colombia doesn’t exactly top the list of wine producing countries, but near the town of Villa de Leyva, a few Colombian winemakers think they’ve found the perfect balance to make good wine.
Introduction to Colombian Wine in Boyacá
Villa de Leyva and its surrounding areas in the department of Boyacá have much cooler average temperatures and drier climate than the rest of tropical Colombia. Coupled with soil rich in minerals, it’s not perfect but it’s an ideal place for grapes to grow and produce Colombian wine.
Viñedo Ain Karim
Our first stop was at Viñedo Ain Karim, which works with vines imported from France and Napa Valley. It opened in 1994 and its Marqués de Villa de Leyva branded wines have been internationally recognized.
Viñedo Ain Karim is open daily except Tuesdays. There are a few different plans available, and minors are admitted free of charge. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to visit the store only. Prices are current as of October 2025:
- The Plan Otoño is COP$79,000. It includes a guided tour and wine tasting, which lasts just under an hour.
- The Plan Verano is COP$99,000. It includes everything above plus three tapas.
- The Plan Picnic Pareja costs COP$250,000 per couple. It includes the tour, a full picnic basket, and a bottle of wine. You’ll have to bring your own blanket.
- The Plan Trópico costs COP$179,000 per person and is for adults only. It includes the tour, four glasses of wine, and a five-course meal.
Tour at Viñedo Ain Karim
The tour is a fairly straightforward introduction on wine production. It starts with a walk through the vineyard where the guide explains the cultivation process and how the grapes are harvested. He also touched on the climate of Boyacá and how it was good for wine production.
It then moves to the fermentation tanks, where the guide talks about how the grapes are processed and how the tanks work. From there, it’s a short stop in the cellar before heading back upstairs to the tasting area.
For the wine tasting, we were given two very generous pours of their cabernet sauvignon reserve and merlot. The guide finished the tour by talking about proper wine tasting methods and pairings.
Store at Viñedo Ain Karim
At the store, it’s possible to buy wine and other local products. We took home a couple bottles of wine (Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve), but unfortunately they were out of their award-winning Sauvignon Blanc. We also got a plate of meat and cheese and two glasses of cab to enjoy on the beautiful patio.
Viñedo Umaña Dajud
The second vineyard we visited was Viñedo Umaña Dajud. It’s a much smaller operation than Ain Karim and has only been selling wine to the public since 2015. The vineyard is open 9am to 6pm Friday through Tuesday.
Like Ain Karim, it has a pleasant patio to enjoy your wine with a tabla. There’s no admission charge unless you purchase one of their package plans. Prices are current as of October 2025:
- The general tour is COP$79,000 for adults and COP$57,000 for minors. It lasts about 45 minutes and includes two glasses of wine per person and a tabla of assorted meats and cheeses.
- The Plan para Tardear is COP$115,000 per person. There’s no tour, but you’ll get a picnic blanket, and cushions to enjoy two glasses of wine, a tabla of assorted cheeses, a baguette, local chocolates, bottled water, and a souvenir hat.
- The Plan Premium is COP$175,000 per person. It includes a private tour along with three glass of wine per person and a tabla of assorted meats, cheeses, and local chocolates. The experience lasts about 90 minutes.
Tour at Viñedo Umaña Dajud
The tour starts with a walk through the vineyard where you get the same explanation about the climate of Boyacá and how the grapes are harvested.
It then moved to the production area, which is a small building with only a few fermentation tanks. We were shown the machinery and how the wine is bottled by hand before a visit to the tiny cellar.
The wine tasting was more of the same. We were given another generous pour and taught how to properly taste wine, but it wasn’t paired with any fruits or chocolate like at Ain Karim.
Store at Viñedo Umaña Dajud
At the store, we were only allowed to purchase two bottles due to their low volume of production. We bought their Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Reserve and weren’t too impressed with it.
Before leaving, we purchased a glass of rosé and cabernet sauvignon along with a tabla of meat and cheese. The setting on the patio was wonderful as I mentioned earlier, but the wines were below average.
My Thoughts on Colombian Wine in Boyacá
Based on our strange experience at Casa Grajales in La Unión, our expectations with the vineyards in Villa de Leyva were extremely low. Thankfully, the two vineyards we visited completely redeemed our faith in Colombian wine. No, it’s not France, Italy, Argentina, or Chile, but the information we received, the professionalism, and overall quality of both the tours were a pleasant surprise.
As for the wine, Viñedo Ain Karim wins hands-down. The wines were average to slightly above average. The Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve we took home was my favorite and exceeded my expectations. Viñedo Umaña Dajud does have potential as a very young winery, but they still have a long way to go before making drinkable wines. I’ll have to go back and give it another shot.
