2017 Almaviva Red

Wine of the decade - James Suckling

Other Reviews....
2017 was an unusual year—warm and extremely dry, with 178 liters of rain, but there was some rain after the 2016 harvest, so the soil had some water]—and the harvest and the whole cycle were two to three weeks earlier than normal. That is the context for the 2017 Almaviva, whose vines saw extremely low yields (10 hectoliters per hectare in the older parts, 36 hectoliters per hectare in the young vines) and produced concentrated juice. The bottled blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Carmenère, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Merlot, quite similar to the 2016, and the alcohol level reached 14.6% with a pH of 3.65 and 4.9 grams of acidity (measured in tartaric acid). It matured in French oak barriques (825 of them new) for 19 months. It's a riper, rounder and softer vintage, with moderate acidity and a tender mouthfeel, and it is really marked by very high temperatures all year round. They used a little more Petit Verdot in the blend, but there is no over-ripeness. The wine shows some herbal aromas (I really notice the touch of the Carmenère this year). They harvested extremely early (three weeks earlier than normal!) and were able to keep the tension in the wine, and it has a polished mouthfeel and very round tannins. It's a nicely crafted red blend, and they were able to overcome the difficulties of the year; I see the style of something between 2016 and 2015, quite compact. It might require some more bottle age to open up, and it should develop nicely in bottle.
94+ points
Luis Gutiérrez - Wine Advocate (Feb 2020)

A Cabernet Sauvignon mixed with 23% Carménère, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Merlot from Puente Alto, Maipo that spent 19 months in French barrels. Reflecting a warm, dry year, the nose presents notes of black currant and raspberry jam, black tea leaves and sweet spices with a touch of kirsch. Gentle on the palate with firm, pleasant tannins, a loose structure, bold flavor and intriguing expression. A hint of menthol makes itself felt at the back of the mouth.
94 points
Joaquín Hidalgo - Vinous (March 2020)

The aromas of blackberry leaves and iodine are wild and exotic here with mussel shells and earth underneath. Full-bodied, tight and chewy with powerful tannins that show muscle. It’s structured and powerful. Dense and very, very deep. Don’t touch this until 2025.
100 points
JamesSuckling.com (April 2019)