B-21 Top Recommendation Read More
“All about elegance and class”
James Suckling
Living up to Decanter's description as “a New World Grand Cru," the rich and powerful 99 pt. 2022 Vina Almaviva reveals seductive, opulent dark fruit balanced by bright acidity on a strikingly long, silky smooth finish, a benchmark Bordeaux-style blend built on Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile’s top terroir and an exceptional value to enjoy over the next decade and beyond.
Designed to reflect the symbiotic partnership of its two powerhouse producers, the Almaviva winery is perched at the highest point in Puente Alto just south of Santiago, its curved roof mirroring the estate’s magnificent undulating vista of the snow-capped Andes Mountains. Sourced from a Chilean region that is “one of the best in the world for Cabernet” according to James Suckling, Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Concha y Toro established Almaviva to craft a Bordeaux style wine based on Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Chile’s emblematic Carmenere, utilizing a large parcel of Cab that was originally part of Concha Y Toro's iconic Don Melchor vineyard. Planted mostly to Cabernet Sauvignon along with Carmenere and other Bordeaux varietals, Almaviva’s 60-hectare vineyard is located on the northern bank of the Maipo River at 650 meters above sea level, enjoying the cooling influence of the Andes and boasting unique deep gravel and loam soils that contribute stony minerality to the signature cuvee. Described by Vinous critic Joaquin Hidalgo as “the French perfectionist” behind Almaviva’s “refreshingly nuanced style,” winemaker Michel Friou combined 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Carmenere, 4% Cab Franc and 1% Petit Verdot in the 2022 Almaviva and aged it in 70% new French oak for 20 months, blending the deeply textured Cabernet Sauvignon with the soft, velvety tannins of Carmenere to produce a “lush, layered opulence” according to the Wine Advocate’s Matthew Luczy that “will go the distance in terms of ageing potential” according to Inside Bordeaux’s Jane Anson, who sums it up as “sensational.”
Boasting rich concentration and freshness from the cooler, dry vintage, the elegant and refined 99 pt. 2022 Vina Almaviva boasts the signature tannic structure and aging potential rivalling the finest, top scoring Bordeaux blends at a fraction of the price, value priced for savvy collectors to lay down in the cellar next to the world’s greatest Cabernet Sauvignon wines and savor for years to come. |