Almaviva Maipo Valley Puente Alto 2015

100 points/ '#1 Wine of 2017,' James Suckling: "A glorious and complex nose of tobacco, blackberries and hints of stones and flowers. Hints of bitter chocolate. Full-bodied, very tight and compacted. Linear backbone gives this form and tension. It has the same character on the palate as well as cayenne and other spice. Loved the 2014 but this shows more fine-grained tannins. So balanced and harmonious. A blend of 69% cabernet sauvignon, 24% carmenere, 5% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Needs four or five years in bottle but a joy to taste now. (5/29/17)"

97 points and '#18 Top Wine of 2018,' International Wine Report: "The 2015 Almaviva is a total beauty, which impresses on all levels. Year after year this Bordeaux inspired red from Puente Alto in the Maipo Valley is one of Chile's finest wines and it certainly does not disappoint in this vintage. Composed of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Carmenere, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot which spent 18 Months in new French oak. The resulting wine begins with striking aromas of ripe blackberries, dark cherries, tobacco, spices, fresh violets, expresso bean and a lovely herb character all come together in the glass. This leads to a gorgeous full-bodied and remarkably structured wine, backed by gorgeous polished tannins which are seamlessly integrated. Balanced, concentrated and tremendously complex, this is a complete success from this estate which should have a wonderful future ahead."

Producer notes: "69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Carmenere, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. An alliance of ripe fruit and subtle floral aromas give way to caramel, licorice and graphite notes. On the palate, flavours of raspberry, blackcurrant, and black cherry are framed by a broad structure of fine, velvety tannins. This tannic presence is carried with flavors of vanilla and cocoa, leaving a silky and mineral finish. Precise and elegant, Almaviva 2015 is a great combination of complexity and harmony, a superb vintage to celebrate Almaviva’s twentieth anniversary."