Almaviva 2020

Almaviva, Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Concha Y Toro, Puente Alto. Maipo Valley, Chile 2020 

Grapes: A blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Carmenère (from Peumo), 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, aged 20 months in 100% new French oak barrels

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"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% Carmenère (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 bombs, doing manual and optical sorting of the grapes, pressing in small vertical presses and aging of 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 is 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 had more volume than the 2018, and the 2020 is closer to the 2019 than the 2018. 200,000 bottles produced. It was bottled during the second half of February 2022."

96/100 points, Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate, August 2022

"Coming from this very dry vintage, the 2020 Vina Almaviva is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon with 24% Carmenere and small portions Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that were all stored for 20 months in 100% new French oak. Roasted dates and black currants all fill the nose, with wet gravel, cigar box and yellow bell pepper notes that give this insanely good aromatic range. The palate is plush and concentrated, with a beautiful verve and lush texture. Finishing exceedingly long with dense dark fruits, sweet pipe tobacco and graphite, this is sensational wine to enjoy now and over the next twenty years."  Drink 2022-2042

98/100 points, Owen Bargreen, October 2022

Estate: Located in Puente Alto, this bodega was designed by the famous Chilean architect Martín Hurtado. Built in 1998, and inaugurated in the year 2000, Almaviva winery is recognized as a perfect integration of both esthetic design and functionality. For its construction, native woods were brought from the south of Chile, interlacing the warmth of indigenous materials with contemporary, modern austerity. The undulating curves of the roof simulate the shape of the Andes Mountains, harmonizing with the surrounding natural landscape. The decoration of its interior is inspired by the native people of Chile, using symbols and artifacts representative of the Mapuche culture throughout the bodega.