Almaviva
96 points - The Wine Advocate
96 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
94 points - The Wine Advocate
94 points - The Wine Advocate
Almaviva
96 points - The Wine Advocate
96 points - The Wine Advocate
95 points - The Wine Advocate
94 points - The Wine Advocate
94 points - The Wine Advocate
Regular price€264.00
€264.00
/
- In stock
- Inventory on the way
2020 was exceptionally dry, with 75% less rain than usual in the period between May and September, which resulted in an earlier harvest to produce a 2020 Almaviva with 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Carmenere (from Peumo), 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, so with no Merlot this time.
The process was as careful as possible, without using any pumps, doing manual and optical sorting of the grapes, pressing in small vertical presses and ageing for 20 months in French oak barrels, 73% of them new and the rest second use.
The wine reached good ripeness with 14.9% alcohol. It still shows the effect of the élevage a bit, with abundant notes of sweet spices, a creamy touch and some smoke. I tasted it next to the 2019, and the wines have a very similar aromatic palette with a clear note of baked peppers.
What was amazing in 2020 was that they harvested the Carmenere almost five weeks earlier than they normally would, and the result was not a green wine at all. As in all dry years, the wines show a little more tannic, a little in the style of the 2017—but the 2020 has more tension than the 2017, and the 2017 was more powerful and with a bigger tannic structure.
The 2019 Almaviva is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Carmenère (from Peumo), 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Merlot, higher in Carmenere and reflecting a warmer and drier vintage when then bottled wine reached 15% alcohol. It fermented with destemmed grapes in stainless steel and matured in French oak barrels, 75% of them new, for 18 months. Here, the Carmenere adds herbal freshness and changes the aromatic profile when compared with the 2019 Epu. 2019 was a good year for Carmenere, which suffers in extremely warm years like 2017, but in moderately warm years like 2019, the variety displays that herbal character and has good density. It's full-bodied and round, with saturated tannins, tasty, spicy and long, with a dry, serious finish. It's balsamic, with notes of camphor and a silky and velvety texture. 200,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2021.
I retasted the 2016 and 2017 next to the current 2018 to get some comparisons. Tasting the three years side by side, the 2017 Almaviva is clearly the one with more herbal notes and lots of concentration. It was a warm year with low yields and high concentration, but funnily enough, there are more herbaceous notes in the wine. This is a year of power and concentration, but the tannins are nicely coated by juicy fruit.
I retasted the 2014 Almaviva next to the current 2015 and 2016 for comparison's sake. 2014 is considered a very good year in the powerful and concentrated way. In Puente Alto, they didn't have problems with frost, but yields were some of the lowest in recent times. This vintage has more alcohol (the label reads 15% alcohol). It's developing at a slow pace—it still has some lactic notes that denote youth—and should have a long life ahead in the bottle. This could be a long-distance runner of a vintage; in fact, it remains more closed than the rest of recent vintages.
In 2015 the yields were a little higher with slightly larger grapes and bunches, and for winemaker Michel Friou, this results in better balance, with a ratio of skin to juice that is more balanced than in years when the grapes are smaller and might produce very tannic wines. However, the wines show very consistent in the last few years, always harmonious and combining power with elegance while showing the nuances from the year, which tend not to be huge. This has a little less alcohol than the 2014, and the day I tasted it, it showed more Cabernet Sauvignon personality. This is more approachable than the 2014.
Type: |
Red |
Country: |
Chile |
Region: |
Maipo Valley |
Producer: |
Viña Almaviva S.A. |
Grapes/Blend: |
Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot |
Serving temp: |
16° - 18° C |
ABV: |
14.9% |
Pairing Sugesstions: |
Charcuterie and Cured Meats, Red Meat, Asian Cuisine, Chilis, Grilled Meats, Hard Cheeses |
Local Delivery
We have a fleet of vans that deliver throughout the French and Italian Riviera, rates calculated based on distance at cart stage. Option to book time and date.
For deliveries further afield, please call for a quote: +33 4 65 84 99 51
France / Monaco
1 - 2 working days delivery in France, for orders placed before 2pm.
Options for couriers and drop off points available at checkout.
EU - Mainland
1 - 3 day delivery throughout mainland EU, for orders placed before 2pm. Allow an extra day for islands.
Options for couriers and drop off points available at checkout.
Rest of the World
Please call for a quote: +33 4 65 84 99 51
