Juan Francisco Calderón is the Head Winemaker at Viña Casa Silva in Colchagua Valley, Chile, where hre he was born and raised. He holds an MSc in Horticulture and is an Agricultural Engineer and Oenologist from the University of Talca. He began his career at Casa Silva as an intern in 2010, working in the cellar, and quickly advanced through roles of increasing responsibility. By 2013, he joined the team full-time, and in 2015, he was appointed Head Winemaker and Winemaking Manager.
A key focus of his career has been innovation and quality. He collaborated with Dr. Felipe Laurie on research into oxygen and wine during his master’s studies and worked alongside renowned winemaker Mario Geisse to develop Casa Silva’s sparkling wines, Dominga Brut and Dominga Brut Rosé.
Under his leadership, the winery has produced standout wines such as Cabernet S38, Carmenere S7, Romano, and Riesling from Lago Ranco, all reflecting strong terroir expression. In 2025, he was named Young Winemaker of the Year by Master of Wine Tim Atkin in his Chile Special Report.
Media Inquiries: juanfrancisco@casasilva.cl | https://www.casasilva.cl/en/
What’s the ONE THING most unique, authentic, & memorable about your brand?
Casa Silva’s winemaking heritage dates back to 1887, when Emilio Bouchon Poitvin arrived in Chile from the Saint-Émilion region of Bordeaux. In the early 20th century, he and his sons established vineyards and a winery at the Angostura Estate in the Colchagua Valley—today the home of Viña Casa Silva.
In 1978, Mario Silva Cifuentes, together with María Teresa Silva Bouchon, began restoring the family’s historic vineyards and winery, initially producing bulk wines. A turning point came in 1997, when their son Mario Pablo launched the Casa Silva brand, shifting the focus to estate-bottled wines with a strong identity rooted in tradition and terroir.
Today, Casa Silva is recognized as a pioneer of the Colchagua Valley and one of Chile’s most awarded wineries of the 21st century. With vineyards spanning from the Andes foothills to the Pacific coast—and a pioneering project in Lago Ranco in southern Chile—the family continues to combine heritage, innovation, and a deep respect for place.
Describe how and what you’d do with your winemaking career or winery business if you were not constrained.
I would dedicate myself to buying land in the world’s most renowned wine regions (France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, USA, Argentina, etc.) to plant the most characteristic grape varieties of those terroirs. Furthermore, I would design and build wineries to vinify and produce exceptional white, rosé, red, and sparkling wines.
What is the One Wine most emblematic of your brand and/or winemaking style? Tell us its story.
The Casa Silva Microterroir de los Lingues represents the highest expression of quality in our Carmenere program. This wine is crafted from the best vines within each plot and is the direct result of Chile’s first Microterroir study. It is complex, smooth, and spicy, with excellent aging potential.
This wine stems from two pioneering research initiatives led by Viña Casa Silva in collaboration with leading academic and scientific institutions. In 2005, Casa Silva partnered with the University of Talca on a three-year study to understand how small variations within vineyard plots—despite similar conditions—produce distinct wine profiles.
Building on this, the 2011 Genome “Microterroir” Project—one of the first of its kind globally—focused on identifying the optimal conditions and genetic material for producing top-quality Carmenere and other varieties. The study analyzed 72 Carmenere phenotypes from across Chile, planted in a dedicated experimental vineyard in Los Lingues.
In collaboration with international experts, including the Max Planck Institute, the research used advanced genomic and metabolic analyses better to understand the grape’s genetic diversity and expression. Together, these projects have deepened our understanding of terroir and Carmenere, enabling us to produce wines of greater precision, consistency, and identity—exemplified by our Microterroir Carmenere. Read my review of this outstanding Carmenere.
Bonus Question: Why Winemaking?
In 2005, I began studying Agronomy at the University of Talca, initially planning to focus on fruit trees as part of my family’s business. In my final year, I discovered winemaking and oenology—and quickly fell in love with it.
A key influence was my professor, Felipe Laurie, who later guided both my thesis and master’s studies. In 2010, I completed an internship at Viña Casa Silva, where I experienced the full world of wine—from vineyard to cellar to hospitality—and knew this was my path.
That experience, combined with the winery’s deep traditions and vibrant wine culture, shaped my decision to dedicate my career to winemaking.