SPANISH
19 Oct Morandé Black Series: Wines from New Frontiers
One of the lines that best represents Viña Morandé’s pioneering spirit is unquestionably Black Series.
The quest for new origins is a hallmark that began with Pablo Morandé but has since permeated our entire team. Examples of this include our pioneering work in the Casablanca Valley and, guided by Pablo, significant milestones like the bottling of the first Carignan grapes from the Maule Valley and Cinsault from Itata.
It is with this legacy that we’ve continued our work. A couple of years ago, we ventured to one of the southernmost regions of Chile, Araucanía, specifically Traiguén in the Malleco Valley. In this extremely southern latitude, nestled between the Andes and the Nahuelbuta mountain range, with volcanic soils and a predominantly cold and rainy climate, we decided to create wines using Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes.
Thus, Black Series was born, a line dedicated to crafting wines of unique elegance and complexity in one of the country’s most extreme terroirs for wine production. However, it’s an ideal terroir for high-end Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with a distinct style compared to other renowned regions like Limarí or Aconcagua, which offer wines with pronounced minerality and sharp acidity.
Shortly after the line’s inception, we journeyed to another new frontier in the national wine world: the Limarí Valley. Here, we were drawn to the unique climate and soil conditions of a 2012 Syrah vineyard planted in vertical espalier. With its limestone-rich soil, common in the coastal areas of this valley, this location benefits from the low coastal fog, or ‘camanchaca,’ which cools the vineyard in the mornings and, as it dissipates in the afternoons, allows the vines to bask in abundant sunlight, enabling the grapes to achieve their maximum expression.
As a result, today we introduce Black Series Syrah, a wine distinguished by its freshness, balance, notes of fresh black fruit, and fine tannins. A Syrah that represents a commitment to this valley’s great potential and our belief that in Chile, there are always new frontiers and places to produce high-quality wines. All it takes is audacity, curiosity, and a strong spirit of exploration.
Welcome, Black Series Syrah!
The Black Series line currently consists of Black Series Chardonnay, a refined and complex wine with a crisp, fresh acidity and a vertical mouthfeel. It boasts a long finish that highlights the austerity of its fruit and delicate minerality. It features notes of citrus fruits and green apples, along with hints of nuts such as hazelnuts and roasted chestnuts.
Black Series Pinot Noir is an excellent representation of volcanic breccia soils rich in iron. It is a wine that feels deep, fresh, and juicy, with a delicate yet firm structure and fine tannins that suggest great aging potential. It showcases notes of red fruits and almost sanguine mineral character, along with floral notes reminiscent of violets.
Finally, Black Series Syrah is characterized by its varietal purity and a complex nose of black cherries, fresh blackberries, and well-integrated wood notes. It offers a firm-textured palate, intense and elegantly balanced, with a strong focus on the fruit.”
