Single Vineyard San Carlos Malbec 2019

Located in the Colchagua Valley, in the heart of Chile's central wine region, the San Carlos vineyard belongs to the Viu Manent estate and is situated near the town of San Carlos de Cunaco. Planted on deep alluvial soils composed of clay, silt, and gravel, the vines benefit from a Mediterranean climate tempered by the influence of the Coastal Range and cool Pacific breezes. This combination of well-drained soils and significant temperature variations promotes a slow and even ripening of the grapes, ideal for expressing the full character of Malbec.

The Malbec grapes from the San Carlos vineyard are hand-harvested, carefully sorted, and destemmed before a cold pre-fermentation maceration. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks with regular pump-overs to extract color and tannins, followed by a post-fermentation maceration tailored to the desired profile. The wine is then aged in French oak barrels for several months, with a proportion of new and one-year-old barrels, to refine the structure, add aromatic complexity, and harmoniously integrate the oak.

This wine reveals notes of ripe black fruit , plum , and black cherry , complemented by floral touches of violet and spicy nuances of pepper and clove , supported by elegant oak with hints of vanilla and cocoa . The palate is ample and structured, with a velvety texture, fresh acidity that balances the richness of the fruit, fine tannins, and a persistent finish marked by a return of spice and a subtle mineral touch.

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.