One of the great wines of the world, today we present Vina Almaviva. An illustrious story dating back to 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 so impressed since I tried these wines decade ago. For those who have never had the cache to try Vina Almaviva, you are in for a great treat. The wines show incredible terroir and a wonderful veil of tension. They age gracefully too, as I tried the 2011 bottling not long ago and it was truly singing. One thing I love about this blend is how it captures the art of truly exceptional Carmenère. A varietal that has been a shining star for Chile, this wine really is one of the finest expressions of Carmenère that you will find. Although the blend is Cabernet Sauvignon dominant, Carmenère adds the lovely herbal tones and scorched earth accents to this formidable wine.
Almaviva wines dense and massive, needing a lot of air prior to enjoying. Like many great modern wines of the world, they are approachable in their youth after a long decant. I recently had the chance to taste the 2019 Vina Almaviva and was absolutely blown away with the quality of the wines. The 2019 Almaviva Red Wie (OB, 98) is a spellbinding blend of nearly all Cabernet Sauvignon with 23% Carmenère blended in. This is a magical, one of a kind wine, that has a long life ahead of it. Learn more about this famed winery at http://www.almavivawinery.com/en/ Here is my review of the new 2019 Almaviva.
2019 Vina Almaviva Cabernet Sauvignon- The stunning new 2019 Vina Almaviva Cabernet Sauvignon is a benchmark Bordeaux style wine from this storied partnership between Concha y Toro and Baron Philippe de Rothchild. Sourced from vineyards in the Puente Alto region, this vintage they have a higher percentage of Carmenere blended in, as the finished wine is comprised of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Carmenère (from Peumo), 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Merlot. The Carmenere is immediately gratifying on the bouquet, showing its hallmark green bell pepper and a dusting of white pepper alongside a seamless core of dark fruits with espresso ground undertones. The palate is utterly seamless as this glides throughout the drinking experience working like a fine Swiss time piece, with every component singing their five part harmony in unison. Soft and impeccably balanced, this very approachable wine is sensational to savor now and will provide drinking enjoyment for at least another fifteen years. What a wine! Drink 2021-2038- 98