Monday, September 04, 2006

Almaviva

Almaviva

The Almaviva winery and its distinctive reds are a result of collaboration between Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Viña Concha y Toro. The Almaviva winery was established in 1996 with its first Primer Orden vintage. The winery was completed in 1999. These classic Bordeaux wines are refined with French tradition and possess the feel of the Bordeaux yet they are produced in the Chilean vineyards of Almaviva. The winery produces its famous reds in small quantity making way for exceptional quality.

Almaviva Red Blend 2003

This vintage is a splendidly dense and surprisingly flavorful wine. To open the bottle exudes heavy raspberry and black currant fruit flavors with a hint of fig and tobacco. Notes of warm cedar deepen on the palate and a toasty oak finish lingers on the mouth. This wine is finely balanced with a soft velvet texture that leaves a lasting impression.

Almaviva Red Blend 2002

This is an exquisite vintage bursting with flavor and texture. To open the bottle is dark ruby red with a sweet nose of spice and black fruits. Lashings of vanilla and smoky oak tantalize the senses. The wine flows on to the palate with a full, bold texture that reveals rich blackberries and cassis. Layers of liqueur and cherry deepen as the mouth is coated. This bottle is completed by a ripe, balanced, silk flow that lingers on the mouth.

Almaviva Red Blend 2001

The 2001 vintage is a strong sturdy wine with a diverse marriage of flavor, texture and aroma. Notes of dried currant and cigar smoke deliver the bouquet with underlying hints of iron. Layers of loam, plum and blackberry mingle with spice and mineral on the mouth. Power fruit flavors define this bottle with a rich layered texture and a lasting warm impression.

Almaviva Red Blend 2000

This Almaviva special opens with a deep plum tone, quickly revealing floral notes of lavender. The bouquet strengthens with lashings of plum, currant and black cherries layered upon mineral, smoke and spice. Onto the palate the wine flows with intensifying flavors of coffee and mocha mingling with leather and refined tannins. The feel is heavy and dense with a chewy saturating finish.

Almaviva Red Blend 1999

This bottle pours into the glass with an opulent red tone darkening to ruby at the edges. The aromas ascend with a dominant brown spice and black fruit nose. The wine expands with a complex delivery of oak and earth. These aromas deepen on the palate soaking the mouth with a heavy full-bodied entry supple with ripe tannins. This is a refined wine with a dry finish that will age well.

Almaviva Red Blend 1998

This is a dense wine with an intense bouquet of cherry and plum. Notes of earth, meat and tobacco integrate with a lively infusion of fruit and a full bold texture. The mouth is saturated with flavor and the long finish is completed with dry tannins.

Almaviva Red Blend 1997

This bottle possesses a warm opulent tone and a powerful bursting bouquet of aromas. Notes of earth and liquorices rise from the glass with currents of berries and green pepper underlying. On the palate the flavors intensify with layers of spice, plum and black olive. This is a finely balanced vintage with a silky long finish.

Almaviva Red Blend 1996

This 96 bottle is Almaviva's first vintage red. The bottle is rich and fragrant with a heavy dense fruit concentration on the nose. Black raspberries and cassis full the bouquet with underlying herbal notes. This is a classic Bordeaux wine with a velvet flow and a sensuous black fruit follow through.