It brings me great pleasure to write about one of the great wines of the world out of Chile. In 1997, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, Chairman of the Advisory Board of Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA, and Eduardo Guilisasti Tagle, Chairman of Viña Concha y Toro S.A., sealed a partnership agreement with a view to create an exceptional Franco-Chilean wine called Almaviva. Produced under the joint technical supervision of both partners, the first vintage had great acclaim upon its launch in 1998. The rest has been history. I have been drawn to these wines since I first tried them a decade ago. For those who have never had the cache to try Vina Almaviva, you are in for a great treat.
These wines are dense and massive, needing a lot of air prior to drinking. Like many great modern wines of the world, they are approachable in their youth after a long decant. I recently had the chance to try the two latest vintages of Vina Almaviva and was absolutely blown away with the quality of the wines. They are both massive and captivating wines with great terroir and tension. Here are my reviews of the 2016 and 2017 Vina Almaviva wines.
2016 Vina Almaviva Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2016 Almaviva Cabernet Sauvignon is a seductive, dense and chewy effort from this historic project in Chile. Aromatically a bit reticent and needing some time in the decanter to unwind, this beautiful Cabernet slowly unveils exotic spice aromas that parade with suggestions of creme de cassis, green bell pepper, and huckleberry pie. The silky mouthfeel really entices and captivates the senses. While obviously rich, this has a brightness and good sense of minerality that runs through the core of intense dark fruit, milk chocolate, pipe tobacco and dried herbal flavors that all push the envelope in intensity and decadence. While a delight to enjoy at this stage in its development, the 2016 Almaviva Cabernet Sauvignon will cellar well for the next two decades. Drink 2020-2038- 96
2017 Vina Almaviva Caberent Sauvignon- The 2017 Almaviva is a show-stopping effort from this storied Chilean Estate. This is a compelling blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Carménère with the remainder Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. As this begins to unwind in the glass it releases captivating nuances of crème de cassis and blackberry pie which are joined by red bell pepper, green olive tapenade and Turkish coffee that all come together to provide the stunning aromatics. On the palate this full-bodied red is possesses a gorgeous silky, seamless quality that is backed by a multi-layered texture that leaves behind flavors of ripe dark fruits, mocha, creosote and black olive that all leave a lasting impression. Elegant, yet rich and sophisticated, the 2017 Almaviva is gorgeous now and should also have a sensational future ahead of it. Drink 2020-2040- 97