2003 Viña Almaviva S.A. Almaviva- Chile, Maipo Valley, Puente Alto (11/3/2017)
My last bottle from a case. This wine has provided a pleasant journey for the last dozen years. Good right from the start until tonight’s finish. Pop and pour. The wine has an inky garnet color. On the nose olive, blackberry, earth and a little leather. Nicely balanced with a little acidity and faint tannins. Flavors of dark fruit, eucalyptus, licorice and earth. I would suggest that this has reached its peak and if I had more I would be drinking them over the next few years. I do not have a lot of experience with Chilean wine but this is certainly my favorite so far. (94 pts.)
I had an 2001 Almaviva few years ago. While it was a pleasant drink it lacked excitement and thus it did not make me think that I actively need to seek any more. Not sure how 2001 compares to 2003 as a vintage.
2004 Viña Almaviva S.A. Almaviva- Chile, Maipo Valley, Puente Alto (2/10/2015)
Decanted at 1:30 pm, poured back into the bottle after cleaning the bottle (tons of sediment) at 6:30, brought to Mortons for dinner and followed for about an hour.
WOW. This wine is in an incredible spot right now. Balanced fruit - neither sweet nor dark and brooding. A bit of cherries but nothing like the Glaetzer Anaperenna we drank after it, some plums and some dark berries. The flavors were so well integrated that it was difficult to distinguish one from another, but it didn’t matter because the overall flavor was just great and it went down so well. There was a bit of cocoa but very light along with a touch of berry. The tannins have quietly disappeared into the night. Color was very dark, finish was average.
AND in the “You can’t make this up” category, I notice that a guy at the table next to us has called over the waiter and it obviously talking about our wine, so I lean over to talk to him. It turns out that he is a member of the family that controls or runs Concha y Toro. Alma Viva is a Chilean project of Baron Rothschild and Concha y Toro, much the same way as Opus is a project of Mondavi and Rothschild. He told me that they have a periodic event at Mouton and they pour the Alma Viva, the Opus and the Mouton together. He claimed that the Alma Viva always comes out on top. After this bottle, I am not surprised.
According to the tech sheet on the web site, this is 72% Cabernet and 28% Carmenere. The exact blend varies vintage to vintage. I was surprised at the lack of merlot because this has a very velvety merlot feel to it.
NOTE: This is the third Alma Viva bottle I have opened. There has been a lot of sediment in all the bottles. A careful decant is essential to the enjoyment of this wine. (94 pts.)
I had the 2003 a couple years ago and thought it was exceptional.
2003 Viña Almaviva S.A. Almaviva- Chile, Maipo Valley, Puente Alto (7/7/2018) Boom This is a dead ringer for a left bank Bordeaux, strongly resembling the better wines of Pauillac. Nose of dark red fruits and fresh green notes - both herbs and eucalyptus.
Rich and expansive on the palate; the tannins are nicely integrated. Truly an iron fist in a velvet glove; at once both powerful and displaying great finesse. A panoply of flavors – blackberry, cassis, pencil lead, tobacco and eucalyptus on the palate. Fruit is fully ripe but not overripe. Finishes long-.
Beautiful and at its apex; this should drink well for another decade. Unbelievably delicious. The best wine I have ever had from Chile and probably the best wine I have had this year. (94 pts.)