Almaviva - Puento Alto 2023
Almaviva, two cultures, one great wine
In 1997, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild (1933-2014), Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of Baron Philippe de Rothschild S.A, and Don Eduardo Guilisasti Tagle (1920-1998), Chairman of Viña Concha y Toro S.A, sealed the birth of Almaviva, a profound alliance between two historic wine families: Baron Philippe de Rothschild, founded in 1853, and Viña Concha y Toro, founded in 1883.
Almaviva is the extraordinary result of this encounter between two worlds and two cultures. Chile offers the force of nature, expressed through a perfect terroir with passionate people, remarkable climate conditions and spectacular soils, whilst France contributes with its unique savoir-faire, long-lasting traditions, and pursuit of elegance.
The 2023 Vintage
The video of the vintage: https://youtu.be/ewTphwzOlc4
The winter was extremely dry, with only 119 mm of rainfall from June to September 2022 in Puente Alto. However, this level of winter rainfall was significantly higher than last year, when we had only 51 mm during the same period.
The period October-December was globally warmer than average. Spring was dry, with only 7 mm of rain between October and December. The summer was extremely hot, with temperatures higher than historical figures (average temperature 2°C above normal) and the hottest March ever in Chile. April and May were also warmer than usual. Given a ripening process fastened by the extremely high temperatures of the Summer, the grapes had to be picked early to maintain the fruit and the acidity.
2023 is a great vintage that maintains the fresh character of Puente Alto in this dry and hot vintage, a well-structured vintage with a great expression of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Tasting notes:
Deep, intense and opaque ruby red. The nose is nicely layered, broad and complex, seducing us with the freshness of its fruit, its delicate aromas of cassis, strawberries and dewberries,
accompanied afterwards by elegant and discreet notes of tobacco, cedar, earth, olives and soft spices. The mouth shows outstanding amplitude and balance, a smooth texture, a great acidity, elegance and persistence. The tannins are round, refined and well-polished, enhancing the juicy and approachable character of the year. The wine is well-built, precise in its character, combining harmoniously volume, finesse and freshness. A great and faithful expression of the unique terroir of Puente Alto in this particularly warm vintage.