-
97
/ 100
Patricia Tapia -
97
/ 100
James Suckling
Red
Classification
Cabernet Blend
Variety
2019
Vintage
750ml (Bottle)
Bottle Size
Chile
Country
Central Valley, Maipo
Region
15.0%
Alcohol %
15 Plus Years
Cellaring
Scores
97 / 100"The Tocornal Vineyard is the source of some of the classic wines in Chile's modern era—Don Melchor, Viñedo Chadwick, and, of course, Almaviva. It grows on a long, wide hillside of alluvial soils from the Maipo River. In the case of Almaviva, it was planted to cabernet sauvignon some 40 years ago on sandy soils and gravel, which, judging by the results, cabernet likes a lot. Those soils lend elegance to the tannins and the herbal tones that are so characteristic of the variety. And that is evident even in warm years, such as this 2019, which had a late bud break, although it ripened earlier. Winemaker Michel Friou says that they cut the bunches a week earlier that year. The 2019 Almaviva blend is 68% cabernet sauvignon and 23% carmenere (from the Peumo zone of the Cachapoal Valley), plus 5% cabernet franc, 3% petit verdot, and the rest is merlot. This is an excellent vintage and perhaps more succulent than the 2018 (one of the great vintages in the history of this classic). It has a bit more fat—the heat of the year shows itself in that broader aspect—but the fruit is perfectly ripe and juicy and delicious in its expression of place while leaving room for the herbal and menthol notes that are so typical of Alto Maipo cabernets."
- Patricia Tapia
97 / 100
"The aromas of iodine and blackcurrants with roses and lavender make the wine extremely perfumed. It’s full-bodied with a tight, fine-tannined palate that shows linear flow through the center palate. It’s vertical and integrated, adding depth and serious quality to the wine"
- James Suckling
Tasting Notes
Almaviva 2019 is yet another superb vintage produced by joint venture between Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Mouton Rothschild and the Chilean power-house Concha y Toro. The union brought together exceptional fine wine making expertise from Mouton Rothschild and the local savoir-faire and commercial might of Concho y Toro. To this end, it is the Chilean Opus One; the goal of Opus One was to create the First Growth wine of Napa Valley and that of Almaviva to achieve this in Chile.
Tasting Profile
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity