Viu Manent Single Vineyard Carménère “Loma Blanca”
WHY WE LOVE IT
- The wines in the Single Vineyard series are extraordinary examples of the definition of their region and variety, which contributes to the complexity and personality of each wine. These are small productions made with the finest Viu Manent grapes from selected blocks.
- “Loma Blanca” comes from the El Olivar vineyard, located near Peralillo, in the Colchagua Valley. The vineyards average age is 18 years, with slopes between 20-25%.
- The vineyard is situated at the foot of the mountain (Piedmont) and the soils are porous and rich with sediment, or alluvium, carried down by rivers and streams.
- Drink now or cellar up to 9 years.
Varietal Composition: 100% Carménère
Elaboration: The vines are trained to low vertical shoot positions, and cane pruned or guyot. Shoots are pulled in the spring, and leaves are pulled manually in mid-January to ensure good ripening and sun exposure for the grapes. The grapes are hand harvested, destemmed and crushed into tank. Fermented in stainless steel tanks at temperatures between 26º and 28ºC. 4 short pump-overs daily. Post fermentation of 1 week. Malolactic fermentation occurred naturally in barrels. The wine aged in oak barrels and the wine was bottled after being lightly filtered. Aged 88% in French oak barrels for 14 months. 12% aged in concrete eggs.
Tasting Notes: Deep purple color, the wine’s nose shows typical varietal character of Carménère, highlighting notes of blackberry and wild berries, mixed with aromas of wet earth and white pepper. The palate Is elegant and fresh with good structure and firm, silky tannins that add texture and balance, and lead to a long, pleasing finish.
PRESS
2019 – 91 Wine Advocate | 91 James Suckling | 90 Vinous
2020 – 92 Wine Advocate
2021 – 03 James Suckling | 92+ Wine Advocate | 91 Wine Enthusiast | 91 Vinous | 90 Wine Spectator
2022 – 93 Vinous | 91 James Suckling
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).