Vina Almaviva, Chile: 10 Splendid Wines, Prices (2024)

Viña Almaviva is a Chilean winery born out of a joint venture between Baroness Philippine de Rothschild (who also owned Château Mouton Rothschild) of Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA and Eduardo Guilisasti Tagle of Viña Concha y Toro S.A in 1997. 

The joint venture aimed to put Chilean wines on the world wine map. 

It surely has succeeded, and how! 

Let’s explore everything about the Almaviva wine estate, its 10 delicious bottles, and their investment potential. We’ll also look at the area’s climate and the estate’s winemaking techniques.

A Quick Overview of Almaviva Wine

Located in Puente Alto, Viña Almaviva is famous for its exceptional Franco-Chilean wine, Almaviva. 

Named after Count Almaviva (a central character in the classic French play, The Marriage of Figaro), the Almaviva wine reflects the perfect marriage between Chile's unique terroir and France’s proficient winemaking traditions.

The elegantly complex Almaviva red wine is made from a blend of classic Bordeaux varieties - predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with small amounts of Carménère, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Merlot. 

10 Scrumptious Almaviva Wine Bottles to Buy in 2024

Here are ten Almaviva Chilean wines you need to add to your cellar.

• 2002 Viña Almaviva
• 2005 Vina Almaviva
• 2014 Vina Almaviva
• 2004 VIna Almaviva
• 2008 Vina Almaviva
• 2006 VIna Almaviva
• 2003 Vina Almaviva
• 2005 Vina Almaviva EPU
• 2018 Vina Almaviva EPU
• 2017 Vina Almaviva EPU

1. 2002 Viña Almaviva ($239)

A nose of minerals, mesquite, and nutmeg balance profound flavors of blackberry, bitter chocolate, and licorice. Aging in French oak barrels gives the wine subtle vanilla notes.

2. 2005 Vina Almaviva ($288)

The second wine on the list is the remarkably concentrated 2005 Vina Almaviva that packs ripe fruit, blackberry, and wild strawberry aromas accentuated by vanilla, orange zest, and bitter chocolate flavors.

3. 2014 Vina Almaviva ($209)

Made from 68% Cabernet Sauvignon grape, this proprietary red offers generous aromas of dark fruit like blackberry and blackcurrant. Round, ripe tannin balances the superb freshness and delicious acidity.

4. 2004 Vina Almaviva ($220)

A proprietary blend of just Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère, this vintage offers a nose of strawberries, raspberries, and wildflowers. Ripe fruit flavors of peach enhance the persistent tannin texture.

5. 2008 Vina Almaviva ($202)

The vintage offers delicate aromas of ripe cassis and wild strawberries on the nose that blend into a palate with a firm tannic structure and exceptional length.

6. 2006 Vina Almaviva ($200)

With just a hint of Merlot added, the 2006 Almaviva wine offers a nose of ripe cassis, plum, and blackberries. The palate provides outstanding balance, great acidity, and exceptional freshness.

7. 2003 Vina Almaviva ($235)

A profound nose layered with scents of fruit, tobacco, and spices. Flavors of plums, orange zest, and blackberries define the full-bodied palate.

8. 2005 Vina Almaviva EPU ($124)

Pepper, cassis, and fresh fruit aromas blend with a velvety palate that packs lively acidity and a long, refined finish. 

9. 2018 Vina Almaviva EPU ($80)

This red wine offers herbal notes on opening, while a tasting note of red fruit and creamy tannins define the palate. 

10. 2017 Vina Almaviva EPU ($107)

The nose of this Maipo Valley wine offers generous notes of ripe cassis accentuated by a smooth body with present acidity and robust tannins. 

Should You Invest in Almaviva Wine?

Almaviva wine offers excellent aging potential - the goal of Almaviva’s head winemaker Michel Friou is to make wines as delicious today as they are after 20 years. 

The wines have also received stellar scores from prominent wine critics and magazines like the Wine Advocate. For example:

• The 2016 and 2019 vintages received 95/100 from Robert Parker, while James Suckling scored the 2018 vintage with 98 points. 
• The 2014 vintage received 92/100 from Wine Spectator, and the 2017 vintage received a 93/100.

The wines have also undergone admirable price appreciation. For example: 

• The 1996 Vina Almaviva showed a 20% increase, going from $188 in 2020 to $227 in 2021.
• The estate’s 2015 EPU grew from $75 in 2021 to $116 in 2022, an increase of 55%. 

If you’re looking to invest in a Bordeaux-inspired Almaviva wine, an age-worthy Chenin Blanc, or any other fine wine, be sure to use a trusted wine investment platform like Vinovest. 

With Vinovest, you can safely invest in an Australian Wine, Italian wine, a Rhone Valley wine, or even a Cabernet Sauvignon from the United States.

Now let’s get into a bit more detail:

What makes Almaviva wines so fine? 

Almaviva: Climate and Viticulture

Perched on top of Maipo Valley in central Chile, the Puente Alto vineyard offers ideal growing conditions for the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. 

Since Almaviva only produces one wine style, a red Bordeaux blend, the Almaviva vineyard grows five grape varieties: 

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Merlot 
• Carménère 
• Petit Verdot 
• Cabernet Franc

The Almaviva vineyard is situated at an elevation of 650m on the bank of the Maipo River. It packs rocky soils with high concentrations of loamy clay. These alluvial soils allow for proper drainage, impart minerality, and lower pH levels, creating wines of extraordinary quality.

The cold winds from the Andes create warm days and cool nights. It slows down the ripening process, creating more pronounced acidity in the wine with aromas and a tasting note of fresh red fruit and deep red colors. 

How is Almaviva Wine Made?

Grapes are harvested at peak ripeness in shallow baskets to ensure minimal damage. The bunches are hand-sorted, destemmed, and lightly squeezed. 

The must is first cooled while the juice is left in contact with the skins to ensure they impart those rich colors and aromas. The wine is warmed before alcoholic fermentation, and final maceration occurs in stainless steel tanks. 

Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally, immediately before or after the wine is moved to new French oak barrels. 

After maceration, the wine spends about 10 months in new French oak barrels followed by extended aging of 6 to 8 months. The wine is fined with egg whites before draining into stainless steel tanks.

The skins and seeds are lightly pressed in basket presses to extract the press wine. Small amounts of this are added to the final blends to add depth. 

Enjoy A Delicious Almaviva Wine Today

A bottle of Almaviva wine is an excellent choice whether you’re looking to enjoy today or hold for a decade or two. 

Simply signup to Vinovest and start buying wines from New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the Russian River Valley in the United States, South America, or anywhere else.

The best part is that Vinovest not only stores and insures your wine bottle, but it also offers world-class customer service. You can also have your bottles delivered anywhere in the world - be it New York, the north coast, South Australia, or even South Africa.