Almaviva 2000
This is the third vintage of the joint-venture between Chile’s Concha y Toro and Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA, proprietor including of Chateau Mouton Rothschild. Almaviva – although it has an Hispanic ring to the name – is taken from the French play The Marriage of Figaro, which hero is Count Almaviva. Written by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, Philippine de Rothschild (1933-2014) had married a descendant of Beaumarchais. Her youngest son – Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild – is involved in the family business. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, carmenere and cabernet franc, this 20-year old is showing very well. Ripe blackcurrant cassis and liquorice notes. The controlled sweetness of fruit is wrapped in smooth tannins. Because I had wanted to show all the aromatics of this fruity, full-bodied red, I served it straight out of the bottle without any decanting (but after uncorking the wine 90 minutes ahead). The vineyard is in Puente Alto, about 20 minutes south of the capital Santiago.