EPU 2nd wine of Almaviva - Puento Alto, Maipo Valley 2020 Bottle

Description

The 2020 Epu from Almaviva is a rich Bordeaux-style blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Carmenère, 5% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. James Suckling scored it 94 points, noting roasted spices, sesame, blackberries, cassis, and cured meat, with a fleshy palate and long, savory finish. VinoUS rated it 93 points, describing intense blackcurrant and blackberry aromas, mint, herbs, cedar, and spice, with a warm vintage richness thanks to 15% alcohol. Jancis Robinson gave it 17 points, highlighting layered black cherry, herbal hints, liquorice, velvet tannins, and a chocolatey finish. Aged 12 months in French oak, it’s approachable now but promises further development, offering a powerful, elegant experience with balanced richness and finesse.

*****

THE WINE ADVOCATE 94 points
Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez
Drink Date: 2023 - 2030
The current release of their second wine is the 2020 Epu. It's selected from the same terroir and vineyard in Puente Alto, one of the most reputed places for Cabernet Sauvignon in Chile, but from the younger vines (five to 20 years old) and harvested a little earlier to preserve acidity and fruit. In the warm and dry 2020 vintage, the wine was produced with a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Carmenere, 5% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, usually higher in Cabernet and lower in Carmenere than Almaviva. It has red ripe berries, the textbook blackberries and cassis and some creamy oak. It's ripe at 14.8% alcohol and has mellow acidity, good freshness and balance, with a pH of 3.71 and 4.8 grams of acidity (tartaric). It matured for 12 months in French barriques, 10% new and 90% second use. The wine has a bright nose with a clean note of baked "morrón" peppers intermixed with red berry compote. It has a velvety palate with the luxurious texture of the modern Bordeaux, with abundant, slightly dusty tannins. It's approachable and round but should reward some time in bottle. This is a pretty serious Epu. 75,000 bottles produced. It was bottled at the end of 2021 and the first days of 2022. This is the second vintage sold through the Place de Bordeaux négociant system.
I tasted the 2020 Almaviva for its release through the Place de Bordeaux in September 2022. I am also including the note here for context and completeness of the Chile article. - Published: Apr 06, 2023

JAMES SUCKLING 94 points
"Lots of finely roasted sweet spice and roasted sesame to the blackberries, cassis and iron, together with hints of blue fruit and cured meat. A medium-to full-bodied palate, filled with rather generous sweet berries. Fleshy, supple and savory with quite fine-grained tannins and a long finish...."

VINOUS 93 points
The 2020 Epu is 4/5 Cabernet Sauvignon with rest made up of Carménère, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, all from Puente Alto in the Maipo Valley. Garnet-red in color. Presents intense blackcurrant and blackberry aromas with hints of mint and herbs over a bed of oak, accompanied by cedar and sweet spice notes. Indulgent and expansive in the mouth. The warm vintage's high alcohol content (15%) pumps up the voluminous, ripe expression while the tannins are refined. A long-lasting, rich combination. - Joaquín Hidalgo

JANCIS ROBINSON 17 points
81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Carmenère, 5% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 12 months in French oak.
Black cherry, herbal hints, liquorice. There's plenty of sophisticated layering here, and a chocolatey finish. Velvet tannins, ready to drink. Benefits from less extraction than the Almaviva 2017 and 2010 tasted alongside. (RH)