The story begins in 1935 with a Catalan immigrant setting up a wine business in Santiago de Chile. After 30 years, his son buys a hacienda in Colchagua Valley and starts making his own wine there. The vineyard grows to 250 hectares and the Viu family becomes world-famous! Meanwhile, the Chilean image of lots of oak, lots of sweetness and lots of alcohol has changed and their bottles with a lighter flavour profile are selling like hot cakes. The current manager and co-owner is José Miguel Viu, who we speak to about his fresh wines and his work.
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Why is Chile special?
'We have excellent conditions for viticulture. Chile is long and thin, there is the influence of cool breezes from the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Cordillera de los Andes to the east, plus our Mediterranean climate and our diversity of soils. Within this, Colchagua is a magical valley where the soil, climate and grapes seem to be blessed. The best way to understand what I am talking about is to visit the Chilean wine regions, I invite you!'
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We love to come! Did you fall in love with Colchagua Valley as a boy?
'I grew up surrounded by vineyards, horses, stories and characters of the countryside. Undoubtedly, these ingredients shaped my passion for winemaking. The year I was born, my father acquired the first vineyard in the valley. Planted with 100-year-old vines, with a wine cellar and a beautiful house where we stayed with the family during long summer holidays and many weekends.'
Further reading? You will find more information in WINELIFE Magazine, issue 86. You can order this one here.
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