Nobody in my family has ever owned a vineyard or has ever been a winemaker so I had to study like any mortal in order to get a job in the wine industry.

I remember drinking my first glass of wine when I was about 15 or 16 – I was on vacation with my father and I absolutely loved it. Perhaps that was the start...

I started drinking more wine when I was at university with friends, and although I didn't dream of being a winemaker throughout my studies, I knew that was what I wanted to do by the time my course had finished. I studied Agricultural Engineering as my main degree, and then specialized in winemaking afterwards. I certainly didn't want to sit in an office every day, and I wanted a job where I got to influence the final character of the product. Winemaking is really quite an artistic job.

There are a few techniques and philosophies I employ when working -

• Make sure you know your vineyards – they are the base of the chain
• Have good grapes, the most important thing (and the most difficult thing to look after)
• Take care of every tank of wine you work on (like you would a baby!) - everything is unique
• Do everything as naturally as possible
• Give the wine the necessary time for its best development and ageing. Do not force it to be ready early

Another factor I consider important is being green (my friends say that I'm green like an Alien because I'm always trying to be better with our planet!). With the winery, are green credentials are something we take very seriously, and every year our green organic conscience grows bigger and bigger...

So what do I love about my job? Well, there are several things I love about it... but one of the best things is to spend a big part of your days making, tasting and enjoying wine. Oh, and I always get to chose the wine when I eat out with friends!

And the downside to being a winemaker? Well, I have to go to the dentist more often! And the late nights during harvest can be extremely tiring (especially when you have to drive home having worked for 24 hours straight!). But nothing too bad! I have a great family who support me – my mother, who stays with my daughters when I'm away, Anita who also helps with the children when I'm working, and my husband Felipe who is also a winemaker and shares my passion for wines."

Constanza's finest wine-making moments

• "Tasting from barrels my first grand reserve cabs and realising they were tasting very good!"
• Best Cabernet Sauvignon "Guia de vinos de Chile 2005"
• Best Cabernet Sauvignon "LA CAV 2007"
• Best Pinot Noir from South America "Austral Spectator 2006"