Santa Carolina

Founded in 1875 by Luis Pereira and named after his wife, Carolina Iñiguez, Santa Carolina operates from Macul in the Maipo Valley. The 2010 earthquake that damaged the Santiago cellar led to an unexpected discovery. Beneath the rubble, workers found old documents detailing vinification processes from the 1950s, alongside a hidden library of rare bottles containing pais, semillon, and Romano. Those recovered recipes informed the Luis Pereira wine, launched in 2012. The program spends one year in barrel and then one year in old French casks, with 80 percent of production held back for later release. Under winemaker Andrés Caballero, the house sources grapes across five valleys. Bloque Herencia, initiated in 2011, preserves more than 40 grape varieties and 85 selections across 3.5 hectares, with Carmenere from Los Lingues holding particular symbolic weight. Santa Carolina now reaches more than 60 countries and ranks among Chile's top five wine exporters.