Past Issues: Bargain Wine, oct/nov 2004 --
Viu Manent Reserve

In this regular feature, we spotlight those wines that offer great bang for the buck -- under $15 bucks, to be exact. Here you'll find our everyday wines, house pours, and occasionally a great new find. Have a favorite Bargain Wine? Tell us about it at editor@wineskinny.com! 

Viu Manent winery is located in Chile's Colchagua Valley and produces three lines of wines exclusively from its three vineyard holdings in the region. For this issue's Bargain Wine, we're featuring the Reserve Line - grapes harvested from selected areas of the vineyards. We've found these wines to offer delicious varietal expression, with loads of body, ripeness and richness. Truly Bargain buys at just $12 each! Here are our notes:

Viu Manent 2003 Sauvignon Blanc Colchagua Valley Reserve ($12). Full-bodied texture includes ripe melon, concentrated citrus, and dried grass and herbal notes. Lovely mineral finish keeps things crisp and refreshing. Ready to drink now.

Viu Manent 2002 Chardonnay Colchagua Valley Reserve ($12). Extracted nectarine and melon flavors are balanced with a juicy citrus note and buttery, toasty oak. Ready to drink now.

Viu Manent 2002 Merlot Colchagua Valley Reserve ($12). Spicy blackberry and blueberry aromas introduce waves of ripe berry flavors laced with baking spices and mocha notes that linger on the finish. Ready to drink now and over the next year or two. (Weekend Wine 07/04)

Viu Manent 2002 Malbec Colchagua Valley Reserve ($12). Densely colored, with spicy dark chocolate aromas and flavors that lace lip smacking, medium bodied cherry and black plum fruit. Moderate finish includes light tar and herbal notes. Easy to drink. Ready to drink now.

Viu Manent 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley Reserve ($12). Spearmint and sweet tobacco aromas and flavors accent concentrated black currant and cherry fruit, picking up a touch of black pepper on the full finish. Would stand up nicely to grilled meats. Ready to drink now and over the next couple of years.

To learn more about Viu Manent and its wines, visit www.viumanent.cl.

Check out previous Bargain Wines selections!
This now-fabulously-named column used to be called Easy To Find One Figure Wines, for reasons that we cannot currently remember but were surely enthusiastic about at the time. Anyhoo, check out our Past Issue Index for more great value-priced wine selections!