[PHOTO: Jo Diaz, all rights reserved]
The fifth in a series about Sustainable Chilean Wines…
- Intro – Chilean Wines that Collectively Underline Chile’s Historic Commitments.
- Chilean Wine Lineup ~ Viña Maquis Gran Reserva
- Chilean Wine Lineup ~ Viña Koyle Family Vineyards
- Chilean Wine Lineup ~ Viña Tarapacá
- Viñedos Emiliana Coyam
- Now – Viu Manent
Sustainability Efforts ~ Wines of Chile
Sustainable 365
The Wines of Chile Sustainable 365 program brought delectable samples to my door, from South America. The beginning of their terroir defined…
“Credit for Chile’s elevated sense of agricultural ‘health-consciousness’ can largely be attributed to one man: Claude Gay. In 1830, this French-born botanist, after carrying out some of the first investigations into Chilean flora, fauna, geology and geography, advocated in favor of creating a government agency to improve agriculture and protect the country from the perils of imported plant diseases. The government obliged and by 1850, records confirmed checks made on upward of 40,000 vines and 70+ varieties of Vitis vinifera. If you have ever traveled to Chile, it won’t have escaped you that its airports are far more vigilant about inspecting for fruit, veggie and animal products, with long lines of weary travelers waiting to pay fines of close to $200 for that undeclared packet of trail mix. Blame Claude Gay!
[PHOTO: Purchased: all rights reserved.
Colchagua Valley Snapshots
FROM: Wine-Searcher
Colchagua is a little cooler than its northerly cousin Maipo, but still maintains a consistently Mediterranean climate. As with most areas of Chile, the Pacific Ocean offers a natural cooling influence – a saving grace at a latitude of 34°S, which is closer to the Equator than any European vineyard. The degree of cooling provided by the ocean varies from east to west in the Colchagua Valley, demonstrated by the distribution of red and white grape varieties. As a general rule, white-wine varieties benefit from cooler climates, while the reds prefer drier, warmer conditions. The dominance of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Malbec and Merlot plantings in the warmer east is mirrored by that of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc in the ocean-cooled west.
FROM: Winebow
Colchagua is a large and varied wine region located in the southern portion of Chile’s broader Central Valley. It spans almost the entire width of the country, but most of its vineyards are found in warmer pockets nestled against the foothills of the Cordillera and near the interior Tinguiririca River…It is a fascinating region, and one that produces great wines at phenomenal value.
FROM: Meiningers ~ Wine Business International
While the international trade defines Colchagua as the source of Chile’s most classic wines, local producers prefer to talk about its diversity. The Colchagua Valley, with the second-largest vineyard surface in the country, is where some of the wine industry’s best-known figures are based, but is also home to small and diverse producers that are beginning to be recognised in their own right.
[PHOTO: Jo Diaz: all rights reserved]
Viu Manent
From their text to me:
Viu Mament Secreto de Viu Manent Malbec, 2019 / SRP $15
Family-owned since 1935, Colchagua Valley-based Viu Manent is one of the most respected wineries in Chile. The family have fun with the line of “Secreto” wines – a stated grape variety leavened with a “secret blend” (15%) of other grapes. The Malbec grapes come from vines that are around 19 years old. Fresh and fruity, the final blend offers a refined mix of red berries and violets on the palate.
Sustainability Pillar: Installation of four solar plants that generate 460 kilowatts at peak, implementation of a biodiversity protection program as Central Chile is home to more than 50% of the various species of floral and vertebrates in the country, and recycling (such as using old barrels in promotions or by local artists).
ADD PHOTO HERE WINE
[PHOTO purchased: all rights reserved]
Viu Manent Secreto de Viu Manent
From their text to me:
Viu Manent Secreto Malbec, 2019 ~ de Viu Manent / SRP $15
Family-owned since 1935, Colchagua Valley-based Viu Manent is one of the most respected wineries in Chile. The family has fun with the line of “Secreto” wines – a stated grape variety leavened with a secret blend of other grapes, by 15 percent. The Malbec grapes come from vines that are about 19 years old. Fresh and fruity, the final blend offers a refined mix of red berries and violets on the palate.
Sustainability Pillar: Installation of four solar plants that generate 460 kilowatts at peak, implementation of a biodiversity protection program as Central Chile is home to more than 50% of the various species of floral and vertebrates in the country, and recycling (such as using old barrels in promotions or by local artists).
[PHOTO purchased: all rights reserved]
Secreto de Viu Manent Malbec, 2019 / SRP $15
The Secreto de Viu Manent Malbec is 85 percent Malbec, with another 15 percent of other grapes – the blend of which is their closely guarded secreto…
I tasted this wine second in the series, because I’m very familiar with Argentina’s Malbec, so I wanted to see how they would compare, and could wait any longer to find out.
Now I’m going to tell you my own little “secreto.” I have what is called a “super palate.” This is not a blessing. In many regards it’s a curse. I have more taste buds than the average person. So, when I taste, there’s always a first flavor dominating. Then I go through more sipping and picking up more. This is why I do NOT open every single bottle as it arrives. To do so and then taste each one, one after the other, means that before long my palate would be on overload-tired; and, who on God’s green earth wants to have so much wine left over that it has to be dumped out? (Especially when you’re paying for and also have a “sustainable” headset.) It happens in wineries, but it doesn’t happen in my house. One wine bottle at a time allows for me to dig deeper on so many levels. This one lasted a few days, and this is what allows me to continue enjoying and judging its ability to hold. This wine was a super holder, hardly breaking down from day-to-day, and yet the tannins were soft. (The secreto is in the blend, I’m betting.) It had the staying power anyone would want, especially anyone who knows that tomorrow is another day, and another taste is waiting!)
I found this wine to be very sophisticated and very smooth. It was a bit smoky and rich, with a wonderful finish. It just felt ready to enjoy right now with its full-bodied flavors of ripe plums and black cherries. I could see lamb with this one, for those who love lamb. I’ve tasted lamb many times. While it wasn’t a favorite for me, I understand its robust flavors that are mostly pastoral… since most lamb is free ranging its days in meadows and on hillsides, versus other more manufactured options for meat.
[PHOTO purchased: all rights reserved]
About Viu Manent ~ From Their Website
Viu Manent is a Chilean winery owned by the Viu family. It was founded in 1935 when the Catalonian immigrant Miguel Viu-García and his two sons Agustín and Miguel Viu-Manent founded Bodegas Viu in Santiago de Chile. They bottled and sold wine on the local market under the “Vinos Viu” brand. Viu Manent is a Chilean winery that belongs to the Viu family since 1935. The winery, in the hands of the third generation since 2000 and led by Jose Miguel Viu, continues down the same long road, guided by the union that comes when blood ties are joined with a passion for wine.
What exactly is one’s own? … “That which identifies us and by which we can recognize ourselves.”
We love our property, our family and our traditions. We love our work, which we see as the motor that can propel us toward fulfilling our dreams. We believe in transcendence, in putting our heart into things and that the only way to do something is to do it to the best of our abilities.
We have a strong bond with wine; we love its living essence and its sensitivity. We believe that Chile is a privileged territory for the production of wines and that Colchagua is a magical valley where the soil, climate and grapes seem to be blessed.
We believe in attention to detail and in respecting the environment.
We believe that history and tradition provide us with knowledge and experience, while innovation and modernity help us to advance toward our goal.
We believe in teamwork and in the talented, professional and committed people who work with us.
We are committed to transmitting this philosophy into our daily mission…
Which is:
To produce outstanding wines that are consistent in quality. Our hallmark lies in our attention to detail and the special concern for quality that both the family and our highly committed and professional team give to the wines of Viu Manent.
Through experience and innovative spirit, our team is able to achieve the ultimate expression of both Colchagua and Chile in outstanding quality wines with a style of their own, which are able to satisfy the most demanding pallets of consumers around the world, thus contributing to the prestige of Chilean wine.
[PHOTO: Website of Viu Manent, all rights reserved.]
Welcome, especially if you’re also learning about Chilean wines. This story is part of a series, composed from the following:
- Research on other sites and wine books
- My own 29 years of being in the wine business
- 57 units in a wine-sales and marketing degree program
- Traveling to international wine regions
- Viu Manent’s Website
Finally, this YouTube video is a great resource.
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