Vina Almaviva 2012

Almaviva marries the intensity of Chilean terroir with French viticultural know-how.  Referred to as a “Chilean Bordeaux,” in many places, the wine was spearheaded by the Baroness Philippine de Rothschild of the legendary Château Mouton Rothschild in 1997 when she partnered with Eduardo Guilisasti Tagle, owner of Viña Concha y Toro .  The superb reputation of this sensual and hedonistic blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère and Cabernet Franc achieved recognition on a global scale when James Suckling awarded the 2015 Vintage 100 Points, crowning it “Wine of the Decade.”  Demand skyrocketed, and this exclusive wine earned a global reputation as one of the most coveted wines from Chile.

Baroness Philippine de Rothschild is a woman who needs no introduction.  For those unfamiliar, she is the daughter of Baron Philippe de Rothschild, the renaissance man who cemented the reputation of the formerly ranked Second Growth estate that catapulted into the rank of First Growth, Château Mouton Rothschild.  The Baron believed the estate’s ranking as a Second Growth in the 1855 Classification was a “monstrous injustice.” After acquiring the property in the 1920s, he perfected the viticultural practices at the estate until it received the  First Growth ranking it deserved.  It is wine that runs through the veins of this family, and it defines their way of life. The Baron and his descendants are constantly expanding their horizons and looking for the new frontier of winemaking.  Baroness Philippine de Rothschild set her sights on Chile in 1997 and was the first to bring the château system to the region, making Almaviva a pioneer within the Southern Hemisphere.  She took a similar path to her father, the Baron, when he partnered with Robert Mondavi in the Napa Valley to create the legendary wine Opus One in 1979. 

The Maipo Valley is one of Chile’s most prestigious regions.  This striking part of Chile rests at the snowcapped base of the Andes Mountains, and if one is fortunate enough to visit this place its otherworldly beauty is undeniable.  It is a region of extremes, perfect for growing Almaviva’s star varietal – Cabernet Sauvignon.  Almaviva hosts a 60-hectare parcel at one of the highest points of the valley, at the foot of the Andes cordillera.  It is one of the cooler-climate zones within the region, which is ideal for cultivating grapes with the perfect amount of acidity and structure.  The oldest vines at the property were planted in 1978, and a mixture of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc thrive in these ideal conditions.  The porous soil offers excellent drainage in conjunction with the steep slopes of the vineyards. 

Almaviva hosts a gravity-flow facility that focuses on gentle extractions, yielding a softer and more sumptuous wine.  Almaviva is vinified in stainless steel tanks to preserve the fresh quality of fruit and a sense of terroir.  Subsequently, the wine rests in new French oak barrels that impart a sense of structure.  Many compare Almaviva to a Margaux in its youth, with its delicate lacework.  The wine has a more, “Pauillac-esque” side with age, making it truly one of the great wines out of Chile.

"2012 was particularly dry in Puente Alto, the main appellation in Maipo where the 2012 Almaviva was produced. There was two-thirds of the normal rain and an early season in all senses: bud breaking to harvest, although the end of the picking was delayed and the late-ripening varieties, Carménère and Cabernet, were picked at cooler temperatures. Being close to the Andes Mountains, the zone is always later than other zones like Colchagua. It kind of became normal with lower temperatures in April after a very warm March and things slowed down. The blend in 2012 was 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Carménère, 8% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% /Merlot. The grapes are never pumped, and fermented in stainless steel vats with a total cuvaison of three to four weeks. The wine matured in 78% new French oak barrels for 19 months. As almost 90% of the grapes were picked at cooler temperatures, the wine does not really show in excess the heat of the vintage, certainly less than in other warm vintages in the past. There are notes of Mediterranean herbs and hints of tree bark over a core of ripe berries. The particularity of this terroir is to be able to achieve freshness because of its proximity to the mountains, and the ripening is slow. Winemaker Michel Friou tells me that 2012 is somehow similar to 2015, where the record temperatures in March were again surpassed. This 2012 is quite approachable, with its round and abundant tannins and soft acidity, flavors of ripe berries, good freshness and balance." - Luis Gutiérrez, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (12/30/2015, Issue 222), Ratings: 93