Internationally-acclaimed winery sets new benchmark for top quality
‘New World’ wines
(Shanghai, November 16, 2017) – Chile’s internationally acclaimed organic winery Veramonte was launched in China today.
Viñedos Veramonte, which incorporates the top brands Ritual, Primus Neyen and Veramonte leader in producing sustainable, top quality wines.
Consistently acclaimed by wine gurus, Ritual, Primus, Neyen and Veramonte is the benchmark in proving that Chile, a country nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the mighty Andes mountain range, excels at making more than just red wines.
Part of the the González Byass Family of Wine, one of Spain’s most premium wine producers, Viñedos Veramonte was a trailblazer from the outset. Established in Casablanca in the 1990s by the Huneuss family from California, the winery soon became known for its Sauvignon Blancs and Chardonnay from the Casablanca Valley.
Veramonte’s winemaker Rodrigo Soto is passionate about promoting the regional diversity and potential to produce sustainable and organic wine in Chile.
Commenting on his wines, Soto said, “Our estates in the Casablanca and Colchagua Valleys will all be totally organic by 2018. I believe that this is the future for Chilean wine as well as promoting a sense of place. Our vineyards are given over to completely natural practices that focus on sustaining healthy soils, pure fruit and expressive wines. Organic practices ensure vigorous, balanced soils growing quality grapes that express their terroir’s maximum potential.”
“Chile is a beautiful country with an incredible geography and outstanding wines, with different characteristics and attributes from diverse soils and microclimates and we are now developing our own style of Chilean wines.
Organic viticulture included using compost from harvesting, cover cropping between rows to improve soil structure and bio-diversity, conserving biological corridors for a self-sufficient eco-system, using sheep to help cut the grass, aerate the soil, minimize compaction and provide natural fertilizer.
The Characteristics and Attributes of the Geography that are Reflected in the Wines
Today Chief Winemaker, Rodrigo Soto, is at the helm of one of Chile’s most ambitious, and most important, long-term organic vineyard projects which encompasses the Ritual and Neyen estates.
China became Chile’s No 1 wine market this year, with exports booming in the first two months by 25.1% in volume and 38% in value to US$28.1 million. Most popular varietals from Chile being Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.
González Byass ‘Family of Wine’
González Byass is a family-owned, collection of wineries founded in 1835 which spans across Spain’s most important wine producing regions. From its foundation the González family have been dedicated to making fine Sherries and brandies in Jerez, Spain, creating such well-known brands as Tío Pepe Fino Sherry and Lepanto Brandy de Jerez.
Today the fifth generation of the family are the custodians of these exceptional brands having built the company into a family of wineries which produces wine in some of Spain’s most famous regions; Bodegas Beronia (Rioja and Rueda), Cavas Vilarnau (Barcelona), Finca Constancia (Vino de la Tierra de Castilla), Finca Moncloa (Vino de la Tierra de Cádiz), Viñas del Vero (Somontano) and Pazo de Lusco (Rías Baixas). In each of these regions the family strives to make the best possible quality wines respecting the local terroir and the environment.
At the same time the company has also expanded its interests further in the premium spirits business and has created pioneering brands such as The London No.1, MOM Gin, Druide Vodka and Nomad Outland Whisky.
González Byass is now one of Spain’s most well-recognized brand owners world-wide. Their passion for quality wine production and respect for long-standing traditions -whilst at the same time innovating- have been the guiding principles that have led to the company’s global success.
Appendix: Wine Tech Sheets
Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc 2016 is vibrant and aromatic, and a Mundus Vini gold medalist, with intense flavours and a long finish; smooth and fresh Sauvignon Blanc with great acidity, elegant notes and a complex aromatic profile of lime and tangerine, blended with subtle floral notes.
Veramonte Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, from the Colchagua Valley, has “great concentration and structure…with terrific fruit and intensity of flavours” and aromas of ripe black fruit and black pepper complemented with cassis flavors and hints of spice with a long velvety finish.
Veramonte Merlot 2015 is velvety, elegant and intense, earning 90 points from Descorchados, and voted Best Merlot of the Year by La Cav. Intense aromas of blackberries and raspberry are combined with subtle aromas of currants and hints of species. Fresh red berry fruit flavors are complemented with oak notes, leading to a long persistent flavour.
Ritual Pinot Noir 2015 is medium-bodied with elegant notes and a complex aromatic profile – with remarkable floral, cherry and raspberry aromas, and bright fruit flavors with a wonderful texture and extraordinary acidity. Smooth and balanced with a long, silky and velvety finish, it is crafted by meticulous selection of specific vineyard lots and barrel selections from 20 hectares of Pinot Noir planted in the coolest sections of the Casablanca Valley estate.
Ritual Chardonnay 2016 is an elegant wine of yellow-green color, soft, elegant and creamy textured with remarkable roundness and a long finish, with expressive aromas of grapefruit, tangerine and soft hazelnut notes intertwined with subtle hints of oak and vanilla. The 2015 vintage produced great quality fruit due to low yields.
In the blended Bordeaux tradition for which the brand is also renowned, Neyen 2013 is a classic blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere that sincerely reflects the unique soils of Apalta in the Colchagua Valley. Though each year varies slightly, Neyen seeks balance and an elegant synergy between the characteristics of each variety. The 2013 is an intense, ruby red with hints of purple and complex aromas of strawberry, raspberry, plum and cassis mingling with hints of pepper and vanilla. Cabernet Sauvignon adds structured smoothness, while Carmenere, Bordeaux’s lost variety, delivers a soft texture and silky finish. Neyen is more than just a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere. It’s a coming-together of the new and old worlds; a powerful and vibrant interpretation of the estate.
Primus The Blend is led by winemaker Rodrigo Soto, who works closely with Álvaro Espinoza, a pioneer in organic and biodynamic practices in Chile, delivering wines of excellence with a distinctive character from the Colchagua Valley, with high concentration, and intense fruit flavours. In Bordeaux-style, the expressive blend combines Cabernet Sauvignon for structure, Carmenere for spices, and the freshness and red fruit of Merlot, achieving a balanced, elegant wine, with soft tannins and a lingering finish.
Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc 2016 and Veramonte Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Issued by GHC Asia on behalf of Veramonte
For more information and images, please contact:
Chris Chen/Alex Liu
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Tel: (21) 5213 3030
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