The 2005 harvest season for Almaviva was the longest and latest ever, lasting from April 14th to May 17th. Meticulous ripeness controls and triple selection helped to obtain a very fine wine. Winter was warmer than average and marked nearly 30% less rainfall than an average year. The warm temperatures throughout the winter days, together with high temperatures in September, contribute to an early and homogenous budbreak on September 20 for the Cabernet Sauvignon, five days earlier than the average.
Dark ruby red, intense and opaque.
The nose is deep and complex, remarkably rich and concentrated, revealing fresh ripe fruits aromas, wild strawberries, black currant and blackberries nicely associated with mineral notes, spices, tobacco and coffee. The attack is powerful, ample and silky, immediately revealing a well-balanced and harmonious structure. The tannins are ripe and round, nicely enveloped by flavorful hints of vanilla, toasted orange zest, lavender, chocolate, and licorice.
The finish is long, mineral and silky, enhancing the richness of the ripe fruit and the elegance of the tannins.
A superb wine of an exceptional finesse and remarkable expression.
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"Dense but racy, thanks to plenty of fine-grained tannins that carry the shaved vanilla bean, black currant paste, fig and loam notes through a superlong finish. Additional tobacco and cedar hints chime in on the finish. Really well-built, showing a Maipo profile with a Bordeaux-like structure. Needs cellaring to fill out fully. Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenčre and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2009 through 2016. 10,000 cases made. –JM
" -Rated 95, Wine Spectator
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"The 2005 Almaviva continues the string of successes for this collaborative effort between Concha y Toro and Chateau Mouton-Rothschild. In this vintage, the wine is a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Carmenere, and 5% Cabernet Franc aged in 100% new French oak for 18 months before bottling without fining or filtration. Purple-colored, it offers an expressive bouquet of pain grille, pencil lead, tobacco, black currants, and blackberry. This leads to an elegantly styled wine with layers of sweet fruit, succulent, spicy, black fruit flavors, and superb depth and concentration. It has enough structure to evolve for 5-7 years and will be at its best from 2015 to 2030." -Rated 94, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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