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90 By Robert Parker
The 2008 Almaviva, a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Carmenere and 8% Cabernet Franc aged in new French oak for 18 months, has a Bordeaux-like bouquet with crisp blackberry, graphite and mint aromas that are well defined. The palate has a smooth, supple entry and is more rounded and harmonious than the 2009, with a pure, pastille-like finish that perhaps does not possess the complexity or “meatiness” of the succeeding vintage. Nevertheless, this is a fine Almaviva. Drink 2013-2020. The collaboration between Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Vina Concha y Toro caused waves back in the late 1990s, a token of recognition for the progress of Chilean wines from one of Bordeaux’s grandees. Since the debut in 1998 it has achieved acclaim from around the world.
Producer
Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Concha Y Toro
A joint venture between one of Chile’s largest commercial wineries, Concha y Toro, and Bordeaux’s most famous family, Mouton-Rothschild, has led to the super-premium project called Almaviva. Beginning in 1997, the aim of this union was to produce Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines in Chile’s fertile Maipo Valley. More specifically, produce wines that are capable of rivaling Bordeaux’s greatest Grand Cru Classés. This amazing Franco-Chilean wine is now produced by over 85 hectares of vineyards, with 40 hectares of those being Concha y Toro’s best Puente Alto vines. Famed winemaker of Mouton and Opus One, Patrick Leon, also looks over Almaviva’s production, crafting complex, powerful wines that are reminiscent of Bordeaux’s magnificent blends.