The joint venture between Baron Philippe de Rothschild (Mouton) and Concha y Toro began in the mid-1990s, launched with the 1996 vintage. The winery was constructed in the midst of the 148 acres of vines dedicated to...
The joint venture between Baron Philippe de Rothschild (Mouton) and Concha y Toro began in the mid-1990s, launched with the 1996 vintage. The winery was constructed in the midst of the 148 acres of vines dedicated to Almaviva at Puente Alto. It’s an ideal site for cabernet sauvignon, a plateau at 2,130 feet, nestled into the Andes on a terrace above the north bank of the Maipo River. In 2017, the blend includes cabernet sauvignon (65 percent), carmenère (23 percent), cabernet franc, petit verdot and merlot, the wine aged 19 months in new French oak barrels. It’s a dynamic red, its distinctive red fruit seriously concentrated yet carrying the freshness of mountain air. The tannins have a cocoa richness and subtle nuances of truffles. While the vintage may have been hot and dry, there is no apparent heat in the wine, just plump ripeness and impressive power, ready to carry it for a decade or more in the cellar.