Secret Malbec 2022

Originating from the Colchagua Valley, in the heart of Chile's Central Valley wine region, this wine comes from vineyards surrounding the town of Peralillo, where the Mediterranean climate is characterized by sunny days and cooler nights. The vines benefit from alluvial and colluvial soils, a blend of sand, clay, and gravel, which promote excellent drainage and even ripening of the grapes. This mosaic of terroirs allows the wine to express a generous aromatic profile while maintaining freshness and balance.

The grapes for Viu Manent's Secret Malbec 2022 are hand-harvested and then undergo cold pre-fermentation maceration before alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks with regular pump-overs to extract color and tannins. Malolactic fermentation then takes place in tanks and barrels. The wine is aged for several months in French oak barrels and stainless steel tanks to preserve the fruit while adding complexity and structure, before light filtration and bottling.

This wine reveals notes of ripe black fruits such as plum and blackberry, combined with hints of fresh red fruit and violet , complemented by spicy nuances of pepper and clove, as well as delicate woody accents of vanilla and cocoa. On the palate, the texture is supple and velvety, supported by moderate acidity that maintains freshness, fine and polished tannins , and a medium-length, harmonious, and flavorful finish.

It was Hernán Cortés who ordered the cultivation of vines upon the conquest of Mexico in 1524. It gradually spread from Mexico southward, reaching Chile in 1555. During the first three centuries of colonization, only país, a characterless and very productive black grape variety, was cultivated in Chile. It was not until the mid-19th century that noble varieties were introduced: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay, mainly. Twenty years later, winemaking was modernized under the impetus of wealthy landowners and French experts who had been forced out of work by phylloxera in Europe. Chile stretches 4,300 kilometers from north to south. It is sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Andes Mountains to the east, the Atacama Desert to the north, and the Patagonian plains and glaciers to the south. These natural barriers prevented phylloxera from entering the country. Although the country is only 160 kilometers wide, it enjoys ideal conditions for growing grape varieties from warm, intermediate, and cool regions, so much so that it is often described as a vineyard paradise. With nearly 300 estates producing bottled wines, Chile ranks between 6th and 8th in the world.