“A New World Grand Cru.” – Decanter

Ladies, gentlemen, dear Operatives. We interrupt your TGIF and upcoming weekend plans with a very special surprise….

Just when we thought that the constant begging for another allocation of the lightning-fast sellout 2022 Almaviva was being ignored, they asked: How about some 2021?

And we’re like, WHAT?! You still have that around? Well, not anymore!

If you know the wine, you’re just as excited. Always awarded in the 95-100 range by everyone. James Suckling calls them “one of the greatest wine producers in Chile, if not the world.” It usually lands on multiple critics’ Top 100 lists (this vintage is already in James Suckling’s current Top 10 Wines of Chile and has in a past vintage been named the ‘Wine of the Decade.’)

In the mid-90s, hot off the success of Opus One, the next generation of Mouton-Rothschild began to search for their next project in the new world. They zeroed in on the Maipo Valley’s highest terraces, Puente Alto, which Wine Advocate praises for its “luxury Cabernet Sauvignon.” Baroness Philippine de Rothschild foresaw what Decanter now calls “a New World Grand Cru.”

Teaming up with Chile’s equally reputable Concha y Toro, just as they did with Robert Mondavi in Napa back in the day, Almaviva was born. She deployed elite winemakers from Bordeaux: first Patrick Léon of Mouton, succeeded by current winemaker Michel Friou, a Château Margaux alum. The result, one of Chile’s most elite reds. As Opus One is pure Napa, the team of Almaviva crafts a wine uniquely fresh and vibrant that showcases the best of high-altitude Andean fruit – yet it’s a fraction of its sibling’s price tag.

Check out those scores! An icon at an unbeatable price… secure yours or regret.

98 Points – Tim Atkin MW “Michel Friou compares the brilliant 2021 Almaviva to the 2018, and I think he’s right in terms of the quality and complexity of the Cabernet Sauvignon that sits at this wine’s core… A wine that’s proudly Chilean, it’s a pan-regional cuvée that partners Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot from Puente Alto with 22% Carmenère Peumo. Cassis, mulberry and Mediterranean herb avours of fennel and lavender… lots of texture and weight, bright acidity and minerality, and a precise, focused fi nish. An impressive wine from one of the very best recent Chilean vintages.”

98 Points – James Suckling “A fresh and discreet Almaviva with subtle pencil shavings and cigar box to the cassis and hints of chili chocolate and peppermint. Nuanced and subtle on the nose. This is medium-bodied and subtle on the palate with silky tannins in the seamless finish. Very long. 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Carménère, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. Drinkable now, but it will take its time to deliver complexity.”

97 Points – Decanter “Crafted by Michel Friou from a legendary vineyard in Puente Alto, this is a precise red blend that balances opulence with elegance. The nose delivers blackcurrant, cherry, redcurrant and liquorice aromas with hints of violets, eucalyptus, spice, and pencil shavings. Fleshy, with a juicy, energetic core and polished tannins that promise ageing potential. A classy, harmonious wine. A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Carmenère, with dashes of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it was aged for 20 months in new French barrels. Drink 2024-2040.”

96+ Points – Wine Advocate “The 2021 Almaviva leads with a lively bouquet centered around black fruits, sweet tobacco, fresh herbs and well-integrated, high-quality oak. The palate is precise and coiled, finishing with a delicious combination of expansive, juicy sweetness framed by structured, finessed tannins that gradually gain grip with aeration. The seductive style at Almaviva dovetails very nicely with the effortlessness of this vintage, offering a darker, more open-knit drinking experience than the comparatively buttoned-up, red-fruited 2022. This is accessible now, but an additional two or three years in the cellar is recommended. Drink 2027-2041.”