Viu Manent Tiny Trials Cinsault
WHY WE LOVE IT
- The “Tiny Trials” are the result of Viu Manent’s enthusiasm for innovating, exploring the most unique and radical spots, with soils and climatic influences that determine the style of the wine.
- Small batch, careful vinifications, focuses on highlighting the grape variety and the pronounced influence of the origin, allowing them to produce these pure wines of outstanding character.
- The grapes come from two 30-year-old vineyards, located in the Guarilihuearea of the Itata Valley, no more than 20km from the Pacific Ocean.
- This small corner has been stuck in time, among forests and ravines, and you can find old, twisted Cinsault vines that have adapted to the sandy granite soils, with just a bit of clay and lots of quartz, influenced by the closeness of the sea.
Varietal Composition: 100% Cinsault
Elaboration: Grapes were harvested by hand. After destemming, the grapes underwent a cool maceration (8ºC), some of the wine with the stems (25%), in small stainless steel tanks (50%), and concrete eggs (50%), for a period of 3 days. Alcoholic fermentation lasted 10–12 days, with native yeasts at temperatures of 22–25ºC. Malolactic fermentation occurred in 100% of the wine in concrete eggs, where the wine also remained in contact with its fine lees, for the purpose of increasing the perception of volume on the palate. 100% of the blend aged in concrete eggs for 8 months.
Tasting Notes: An intense ruby-red color. The expressive nose highlights fresh aromas of red cherry, together with notes of violet that mix with a hint of pink peppercorn. On the palate the wine is fresh and lively with smooth tannins that add freshness and lead to a long, pleasing finish.
PRESS
2022 – 92 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).