Viu Manent Carménère “Secreto”
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Secreto means “Secret” because up to 15% of the wine has up to 15% of a “Secret Blend” that is only known by the Winemaker.
- The wine comes the winery’s “El Olivar” Estate, located in Peralillo, in the Colchagua Valley. The average age of the vines is 15 years.
- The red wines produced from this vineyard site are fresh with good fruit expression and very well-balanced palates.
- Certified Vegan.
Varietal Composition: 85% Carménère and 15% “secret”
Elaboration: The grapes were destemmed and crushed into a stainless steel tank, where they underwent a 3-day pre-fermentation cold maceration at 10ºC to achieve greater extraction of color and aromas. Alcoholic fermentation took place with native yeasts at 26º–28ºC with 4 short daily pump-overs to extract only the most elegant tannins and obtain a fruitier and friendlier wine. Malolactic fermentation later occurred naturally in tanks and oak barrels. Oak: 42% of the blend was aged for 8 months in French oak barrels. The remaining 58% was held in stainless steel and concrete tanks for greater fruitiness and freshness in the final blend.
42% of the blend was aged for 10 months in French oak barrels. The remaining 58% was held in stainless steel and concrete tanks for greater fruitiness and freshness in the final blend.
Tasting Notes: Intense violet in color and complex on the nose with aromas of fresh red fruits and spices typical of the variety such as black pepper and sweet spices with notes of red fruits and berries with a bit of blonde tobacco. The refreshing palate shows good balance, structure, and volume, along with round tannins and a pleasing and persistent finish.
PRESS
n/a
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
After working as a wine merchant alongside his father and brother since the 1930’s, Miguel Viu Manent made the decision to branch out on his own in 1965, purchasing a historic vineyard and winery in Chile’s Colchagua Valley. The estate was and still is one of the most well-exposed sites in the region, and it included 150 hectares of pre-phylloxera massal selections from France.
This company provides us with wines we consider the best value wines in the country (see “Reserva line), forward/experimental options (see “Secreto” line), some of the most solid “under $20” varietal wines you’ll find anywhere in the world (see “Gran Reserva” line), site specific/terroir driven releases (see “Single Vineyard” wines), and most famously the iconic “Viu 1.” Malbec is clearly the house specialty here – Viu Manent was the first Chilean winery to bottle, label, and market Malbec, and they’ve for years been Chile’s Malbec leaders both in terms of accolades and quantity produced.
After nearly 100 years this firm is still family owned and operated (a rarity in Chile, especially for a winery of this size), all farming is certified sustainable, and two of Chile’s top names consult with the winery on a permanent basis – Roberto Pizarro (vineyard management) and Paul Hobbs (winemaking).