What can be said about a country that is more than 4000 kilometres long? About a country that goes from sea level to mountains of more than 6000 metres in just 180 km. About a country whose extremes touch each other on one side with deserts where it never rains, like the Atacama, and on the other side with the end of the world, the polar ice cap.

It just has all the climates you can imagine.

The winery we present to you today is VIU MANENT.

The winery

The story of this winery began when a Spaniard of Catala

In origin, Miguel Viu, decided to move to Chile with his family a year before the Spanish Civil War.He settled in the capital Santiago and started marketing wines under his own brand name.

In 1966, they decided not only to market but also to produce wine and bought the Hacienda San Carlos de Cunaco in the heart of the Colchapa Valley. A vineyard with vines from before the phylloxera plague. They gradually acquired new vineyards until they owned more than 250 hectares.

The varieties planted there are mainly of French origin. Thanks to the different orography, orientation and climate of the region, each variety is planted in the vineyard that corresponds to its biological cycle.

The selected wine of this winery is the Secreto Viu Pinot Noir.

 

 The Grape

The Pinot Noir grape comes from France, more specifically from Burgundy. Its name comes from the conical and dense shape of its grapes, which resemble pinecones, and from the fact that it is a red grape ( noir).

The great Spanish writer on agriculture in the Roman world, Columella, described as early as the 1st century a variety which can be completely identified with the Pinot Noir grown in Burgundy.

It is an extremely delicate variety and difficult to work with. Because of its thin skin, it is very susceptible to all kinds of fungal diseases. It is also sensitive to wind, frost, excessive heat and drought. Other aspects such as pruning, yield and soil are also crucial for the quality of the fruit.

On the other hand, when the grapes ripen well, the result is pure elegance. These are well-structured but harmonious wines that are easy to drink, silky and smooth in the mouth.

The most expensive wines in the world come from this grape variety and from the Cote d'Or area and in particular from the Vosne Romanee, where they reach a price of $25,000 per bottle in recent vintages.

The vineyard

The Secreto viu Pinot Noir vineyard is planted on gentle granite slopes in the Leyda Valley in the city of Casablanca, in the province of Valparaiso, just 20 km from the Pacific Ocean.

The plantings have a density of 5000 plants/hectare, with low trellis training and pruning in the loader.

Throughout the year, numerous operations are carried out in the vineyard to promote the health and proper ripening of this delicate variety. The most important are to promote aeration of the grapes while covering them to keep them out of direct sunlight. The year 2019 was exceptional, with a summer of good temperatures that brought the harvest forward by a week compared to other years.

The grapes are harvested by hand in the first week of March. In the winery, the grapes are selected before destemming and fermented in steel tanks without crushing.

Prior to fermentation, a 7-day cold maceration (8ºC) was performed to achieve better extraction of colour and aromas. Alcoholic fermentation was carried out with indigenous yeasts at temperatures between 25ºC and 26ºC. During fermentation, 2 short pump covers were performed daily to extract only the most elegant tannins, thus obtaining a more fruity and friendly wine. Natural malolactic fermentation followed in French oak barrels and vats.

20% in French oak barrels for 6 months, 30% in used French oak barrels.

The remaining 50% in steel tanks to give the wine a blend of fruitiness and complexity.

The secret wine

The line VIU MANENT SECRET means that 15% of the wine is a secret blend of the winemaker.

It is marketed in a Burgundy bottle with a label designed by Chilean painter Catalina Abbot.

Red wine, clean on the surface and transparent on the whole. It has a cherry red color with a meniscus and violet hues. Medium depth.

Red fruit and colored flowers (violets) on the nose. Notes of black spice on an earthy and mineral background. In the background, woody notes with lightly roasted coffee, cocoa, and vanilla.

After a while, it becomes more expressive and complex. Balsamic, black tea, and some lactic notes. 

Dry, medium-bodied and refreshing on the palate. Lively acidity that stretches the wine into the background. Light fruit tannins well complemented by the oak. Spicy finish with alcohol warmth.

   

 

 

 

 

 

Pairing

Pasta with meat, beef cheeses, stuffed turkey or chicken, bluefish, slightly spicy food, smoked meat, mushrooms, paella, octopus in sauce.