Viña Casa Silva

The winery

The Casa Silva story begins in 1887, when the French winemaker Emilio Bouchon arrived in Chile from near Saint-Émilion. In the early 20th century he and his sons began growing grapes and making their own wine on the Angostura estate, near San Fernando, where vines planted in 1912 and the 19th-century cellar still survive. Mario Silva Cifuentes, married to a great-granddaughter of Bouchon, began restoring the old vineyards and the historic cellar in 1978, and in 1997 his son Mario Pablo pushed for bottling under the family's own brand: that is where Viña Casa Silva as such was born. Today the fifth and sixth generations of the family take part in the company.

The vineyards are spread over five zones with very different climates. Los Lingues and Angostura, at the foot of the Andes, concentrate the Carménère and Cabernet Sauvignon; Lolol and Paredones, near the Pacific, yield the Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Pinot Noir of the Cool Coast line; and Futrono, on a slope running down to Lago Ranco in Patagonia, is a pioneering project planted in 2006 that produces sparkling wine, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. The Carménère from Los Lingues is the wine that has brought the house the most recognition, including a Best in Show at Decanter 2023. Every vineyard (100%) holds the Wines of Chile sustainability certification, all the wines are certified vegan and two carry an organic seal.

The visit starts at the Tienda de Vinos (wine shop) with a bilingual guide, takes in the Angostura vineyard, the barrel rooms of the Bodega Centenaria (the century-old cellar) and the manor house turned boutique hotel, and ends with a four-glass tasting that can range from the Terroir de Familia line to the icon wines or those from Lago Ranco. As an extra you can visit the stables: horses and polo are part of the family's identity. On the same property are the Club House restaurant, overlooking the polo field and the mountains, and the boutique hotel in the old family home. All tours require advance booking; the shop and the restaurant close on Mondays.