Viu Manent, 'Tiny Trials' Cinsault, Valle del Itata 2021

'Tiny Trials' Cinsault Valle del Itata 2021, Viu Manent

Itata Valley, Chile

Grape Variety: Cinsault

Alcohol: 13% ABV

The Story

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. 

Viu Manent wines are made with grapes from their own properties in the Colchagua Valley in Chile’s Central Zone, 130 km (80 mi) southeast of the capital, Santiago. The winery’s 254 hectares (627 acres) are divided among vineyards in San Carlos, La Capilla, and El Olivar.

“Tiny Trials” is the result of Viu Manent’s enthusiasm for innovaton - exploring the most unique and radical spots, with soils and climatic influences that determine the style of the wine. This, together with small batch, careful vinifications, focuses on highlighting the grape variety and the pronounced influence of the origin, allowing us to produce these pure wines of outstanding character.

Vineyard & Winemaking

The grapes come from two 30-year-old vineyards, located in the Guarilihue area of the Itata Valley, just 20km from the Pacific Ocean. Thanks to this closeness to the sea, there’s a strong coastal influence that translates into a slow ripening for the grapes, meaning excellent quality potential.

The soil is decomposed granite the colour of café con leche with a predominance of red clays in the presence of high levels of quartz and low levels of organic material. 

The grapes were harvested by hand on March 18, 2021 - Vinification techniques: After destemming, the grapes underwent a cool maceration (8ºC), some of the wine with the stems (25%), in small stainless steel tanks (7%5), and concrete eggs (25%), 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 7 months. 

Tasting Notes:

Intense, lively red colour. The nose is perfumed with fresh aromas of strawberry and
cherry, accompanied by an elegant note of pink peppercorn that links to a floral finish.
The palate is fresh and lively with smooth tannins that lend a saline–mineral sensation
and a long, pleasing finish. 

Cellaring & Service

Cellaring Potential: 5 years  

Serving Temperature: 12-14°C

Allergens: This wine contains sulphites