Malbec 'Massal 1945' Clos de Luz 2021

The Malbec “Massal 1945” from Clos de Luz comes from a Chilean winery, founded in 1892 and located precisely in a small strip of land that has been involved in vine cultivation for centuries, extending over approximately 120 hectares. It is considered the winery that highlighted and gave longevity to the Carmenere grape, grafted already during the early Spanish colonization. Grandma Luz in 1945 started the activity as it is known today, which is also why the name of the winery refers to her. Around the vineyards, aromatic herbs, mustard, broad beans, and oats are cultivated, contributing to maintaining biodiversity, ensuring good growth and development of the vine plants.

The pure Malbec grapes of the Malbec “Massal 1945” from Clos de Luz grow in predominantly Mediterranean climates: rains are concentrated in winter, while in spring and autumn, mild temperatures and sunny days are recorded. There are important temperature excursions that allow for a

slow but complete ripening of the grapes at the time of harvest. The vineyards extend over an area of about 33 hectares, and the soil is mainly composed of quartz, iron, and granite rock sediments that provide character to the final product. Human intervention in the vineyard is kept to a minimum, and everything is done with non-invasive equipment and using horse-drawn methods. The harvest is manual, and in the winery, the grapes are still crushed by foot. Fermentation is spontaneous thanks to indigenous yeasts and ages in wood for about a year.

In the glass, the Malbec “Massal 1945” from Clos de Luz presents an intense violet color with clean and bright reflections; given the age of the vineyard, aromas of dark fruits such as blueberries and some notes of dark chocolate and violet are recorded. On the palate, light tannins are felt, well integrated into the structure, in harmony with the freshness for a long and pleasant finish. It pairs excellently with pasta and seafood or pesto, grilled meat, or stewed and game; interesting also with spoon desserts based on dark chocolate. It is a product to reserve for formal lunches with work colleagues or for special celebrations, sipping a wine that expresses all the wonderful potentials of the Chilean land and conveys the wisdom and experience of those who have been working the land for over a century.