1999 Almaviva
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Tasting notes
Cabernet Sauvignon 78%, Carmenère 19%, Cabernet Franc 3%. Dark lustrous crimson. Complex decidedly bordelais nose – much less obviously sweet than earlier vintages. Lovely balance and real zest. Dry finish – a wine with a real beginning, middle and end. Great delicacy. This was a drought year apparently but it certainly doesn’t taste dried or overripe. The right decision was obviously taken re picking date! Delicious already though obviously still has lots to give. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The first vintage made in the new winery also benefited from a great growing season. Very full, opulent, proudly Chilean nose. Extremely sweet early palate impression followed by exciting subtlety. Sophisticated yet crowd-pleasing. Lots of ripe fruit but reined in with a dry, tannic finish. (JR)
The medium to dark ruby-colored 1999 Almaviva, a joint venture of the Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Vina Concha y Toro, has a Margaux like red currant, blackberry, and violet scented nose. While its fruit remains youthfully reticent in the mid-palate, this wine's attack and finish reveals loads of red cherries, raspberries (both red and black), currants, and cassis liqueur. It is a well-structured, full-flavored, and mouth-coating wine armed with admirable concentration. Its tannin is exquisitely ripe, supple, and angle-free. As this wine ages, its middle should fill out to reveal the density of fruit evident in its attack and finish. When this occurs it may well merit an even loftier score. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2015. Importer: Excelsior Wine & Spirits, Old Brookville, NY
About the producer
Almaviva is a collaboration between two giants in the world of wine – Bordeaux’s Ch. Mouton Rothschild and Concha y Toro.