Almaviva 2012 6000ml

96 POINTS

James Suckling

This is starting to come around now even if the ripe fruit is still prevalent now with beautiful aromas of black cherries, dark plums, spices, dust and tobacco. Full body, velvety tannins and a long finish. Lovely terracotta undertones.

96 POINTS

James Suckling

A young red that shows dark and intense fruits overflowing from the glass with aromas that diffuses into spices, nuts and iron. Also dusty like the vineyards of Puente Alto on a hot summer's afternoon. Full body, ultra-fine tannins and a gorgeous wet clay, currant and blackberry aftertaste. Very refined and pretty texture. Bordeaux blend. Better in 2017.

95 POINTS

James Suckling

Aromas of hazelnuts, currants, blackberries, hints of chocolate and walnuts. Medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins and a creamy texture. Just starting to open now. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 24% carmenere, 8% cabernet franc, 2% merlot and 1% petit verdot.

94 POINTS

Peter Moser - Falstaff

Dark ruby, with a deeply coloured core, subtle brightening on the rim. Fresh orange zest, with notes of dark wild berry fruit underneath, ripe cherries, some notes of aromatic herbs, still somewhat restrained on the bouquet. Juicy, elegant, with a sweet texture, and a chocolatey body that betrays the warm vintage, subtle hints of caramel, in an opulent style but not baroque, sweet black fruit, good length, sufficient freshness, some toffee on the finish, still needs time to mature.

94 POINTS

Josh Raynolds - Vinous

Dark purple. Sexy, highly perfumed aromas of dark berry liqueur, cherry-cola, pipe tobacco, cedary oak and vanilla, along with smoke and floral topnotes. Smooth, broad, appealingly sweet blackcurrant and cherry flavors show outstanding depth and energy, with a suave spicecake note coming up with aeration. The smoke and floral notes resonate on a strikingly long, seamless finish that features fine-grained tannins and sappy dark fruit character. This flamboyantly aromatic wine was aged in 100% new French oak.

94 POINTS

Jane Anson - Decanter

A big hitter vintage, and boy can you tell. I love how these differ, blowing away the idea that Chile doesn't see vintage effect. Wonderful levels of spice here, and a great sense of lift that balances the high alcohol. Luscious mocha and cassis flavours mingle with deeply concentrated liquorice root and coffee. Full of pleasure.

93 POINTS

Luis Gutierrez - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

2012 was particularly dry in Puente Alto, the main appellation in Maipo where the 2012 Almaviva was produced. There was two-thirds of the normal rain and an early season in all senses: bud breaking to harvest, although the end of the picking was delayed and the late-ripening varieties, Carménère and Cabernet, were picked at cooler temperatures. Being close to the Andes Mountains, the zone is always later than other zones like Colchagua. It kind of became normal with lower temperatures in April after a very warm March and things slowed down. The blend in 2012 was 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Carménère, 8% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% /Merlot. The grapes are never pumped, and fermented in stainless steel vats with a total cuvaison of three to four weeks. The wine matured in 78% new French oak barrels for 19 months. As almost 90% of the grapes were picked at cooler temperatures, the wine does not really show in excess the heat of the vintage, certainly less than in other warm vintages in the past. There are notes of Mediterranean herbs and hints of tree bark over a core of ripe berries. The particularity of this terroir is to be able to achieve freshness because of its proximity to the mountains, and the ripening is slow. Winemaker Michel Friou tells me that 2012 is somehow(more...)