Viu Manent Red Blend
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Red Blend is an enchanting and expressive wine that seduces with its aromas of black fruit like blackberry and plum with graphite, and floral notes like violets.
- This blend has big personality and structure thanks to the base of Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec, and Carmenere, together with another 5 varieties that add complexity both on the nose and on the palate.
- The grapes are principally from the San Carlos estate, located near Cunaco, while a small portion comes from our El Olivar estate near Peralillo. Both vineyards are found within the greater Colchagua Valley.
Varietal Composition: 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Malbec, 7% Carmenere, 4% Syrah, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Mourvedre, 2% Carignan, 1% Cabernet Franc
Elaboration: Grapes were destemmed into a stainless steel tank, where a cool pre-fermentation maceration took place at 8ºC for three days, extracting color and aromas. Alcoholic fermentation took place with three short, daily pump-overs to extract only the most elegant tannins and obtain a more fruit-forward and friendly wine. Malolactic fermentation took place naturally in
second-use French oak barrels. 34% of the wine aged for 10 months in second-use French oak barrels, while 48% of the
wine aged in stainless steel tanks, helping to maintain the intensity of the fruit in the blend. The remaining 18% aged in concrete tanks, 14% in tanks and 4% in eggs, adding freshness to the final blend.
Tasting Notes: With a deep red color, the wine’s nose shows complexity and great aromatic intensity, highlighting notes of red fruit such as cherry and fresh plum, with subtle nutty notes that mix elegantly with hints of black pepper. The palate has nice texture and balance, with firm, silky tannins that add concentration and structure to the wine. The wine’s finish shows great depth and length, with smoky notes in the aftertaste.
PRESS
2021 – 90 Vinous
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).