2021 Almaviva Roth­schild Puente Alto

The 2021 Almaviva Rothschild Puente Alto is a benchmark Chilean red that unites First Growth Bordeaux savoir-faire with one of Maipo Valley’s most prized terroirs. Crafted from handpicked grapes in Puente Alto and aged 20 months in French oak, it delivers both power and finesse in a distinctly Chilean expression. Born from the 1997 partnership between Baroness Philippine de Rothschild and Viña Concha y Toro, Almaviva has quickly become a modern classic and a global reference for premium Central Valley wines.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2021 Almaviva is deep, opaque ruby with youthful purple highlights clinging to the rim, signaling both concentration and long life ahead. The nose is immediately seductive: pure blackcurrant and sweet ripe plum meet violet and blue flowers, layered with refined notes of vanilla, dark chocolate, and delicate baking spices from its predominantly new French oak. Subtle hints of tobacco, graphite and a distinctly Chilean eucalyptus lift the bouquet and add complexity. On the palate, this is full-bodied yet beautifully poised, showing the elegance of the cooler 2021 vintage. Dense, sweet dark fruit—cassis, black cherry, and mulberry—unfolds gradually, framed by cocoa-powder tannins that are velvety yet firm enough to give real structure. The Carménère brings a plush, spicy core and a touch of savory greenery, while Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot add precision and length. Acidity is fresh and vibrant, giving the wine tension and energy, and the finish is long, floral, and gently minty with a lingering echo of chocolate and vanilla. Still very youthful, this wine will reward patience: expect a prime drinking window from about 2027 onwards, with aging potential of 15–25 years in a good cellar.

Production
Almaviva’s 50-hectare vineyard lies in the heart of Puente Alto in the Maipo Valley, one of Chile’s most renowned high-quality terroirs, characterized by poor, well-draining alluvial soils and a cooling influence from the Andes that promotes slow, even ripening. The 2021 vintage followed a long dry spell with a wetter winter, a warm, dry spring and a relatively cool summer punctuated by unexpected rain around véraison, conditions that favored gradual maturation and wines of notable finesse and balance. Grapes are meticulously hand-harvested and transported in small crates to preserve integrity, then carefully destemmed and sorted using both laser technology and human selection so that only pristine berries proceed to fermentation. The fruit is gently crushed and transferred by gravity into stainless steel vats for fermentation, allowing delicate extraction of color, flavor, and tannin. The final blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Carménère, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot is then aged for 20 months in French oak barrels, 71% of which are new, bringing polish and complexity without overwhelming the fruit.

Food & Serving
Almaviva 2021 is a natural partner for refined, flavor-packed dishes. Think dry-aged ribeye or grilled lamb chops with rosemary, slow-braised beef short ribs, or venison with a dark berry reduction. The wine’s structure and aromatic profile also suit truffle dishes, wild mushroom ragout, and richly sauced game birds, while its herbal-eucalyptus notes harmonize beautifully with dishes featuring thyme, sage, or roasted peppers. Serve at 16–18°C (60–64°F) for optimal expression. In its youth, decanting for 1.5–2 hours is strongly recommended to let the tannins soften and the bouquet fully unfurl; as it evolves in bottle, a shorter decant of around 45–60 minutes will be sufficient.

Producer
Viña Almaviva was founded in 1997 as a pioneering joint venture between Baroness Philippine de Rothschild of Bordeaux’s Château Mouton Rothschild and Don Alfonso Larraín, then president of Viña Concha y Toro. The vision was clear: to create a grand vin from Chile that would stand shoulder to shoulder with the world’s finest wines, blending French viticultural and winemaking expertise with the distinctive character of Puente Alto’s terroir. Named after the hero of Beaumarchais’ play “Le Mariage de Figaro,” Almaviva quickly gained international acclaim and is now widely regarded as one of Chile’s foremost icon wines. Its consistent critical success and role in elevating the global reputation of Maipo Valley have made Almaviva a standard-bearer for top-tier South American reds.

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