The 2011 Riesling Clos Ste Hune (in the market now, and which Pierre Trimbach compares with the 1983) is super ripe, rich, intense and complex on the nose. On the palate, this is a rich and concentrated, powerful but elegant and balanced Sainte Hune that currently lacks a bit of tension and vitality. However, the tannins will take the 2011 through many years, even though there is an initial hint of maturity already. Some caramel flavors in the finish. Bottled with 13.9% alcohol plus 6.6 of residual sugar. 231, The Wine Advocate, 1 Jul 2017, Stephan Reinhardt
Carrying 14% alcohol with negligible residual sugar, Trimbach’s 2009 Riesling Clos Ste-Hune leads with high-toned pear, kirsch, and almost bitingly piquant holly berry distillates. Huckleberry, holly, and fruit pit bitterness are well woven into a tight-grained, seamless fabric of fresh white peach, with further chalky and alkaline accents. The finish is a veritable rolling block of mineral and fruit distillate, boasting energy and grip, if also a bit of heat. I suspect that the Frederic Emile will retain an edge in elegance over this, which I would drink on the early side for a Ste-Hune, say over the next 10-12 years. The Wine Advocate (194), 2 May 2011, David Schildknecht
The Fallers’ 2004 Riesling Schlossberg Vendange Tardive Trie Speciale – representing a further selection of the fruit that informed their “regular” Schlossberg V.T. – leads with glazed pineapple, quince and apricot preserve, red currant, and honey; fills the mouth with creamy, honeyed richness; and offers fabulous refinement and delicacy. This displays a less overt sense of citricity than the “regular” V.T., but its acids clearly efficacious in balancing nearly 90 grams of residual sugar and aiding in the remarkable impression of delicacy and buoyancy in this beauty’s long finish of spiced fruit preserves, citrus and honey. The standards of the dry Weinbach Rieslings of 2004 may have been dragged down a bit by their botrytis character, but when it comes to the botrytis selected for sweet wines, its quality was obviously unusually noble for the vintage. This should remain glorious for 15-20 years. The Wine Advocate, Feb 29, 2008, David Schildknecht
Complex aromas of blueberries, pie crust, fresh flowers and currant bush with hints of baking spices like nutmeg. Medium- to full-bodied with extremely fine tannins that are integrated and gorgeous. Graceful and refined, with super length. Interestingly, 20% of the wine was aged in large oak casks (2,500 liters), mostly from Slovenia. James Suckling
The 2020 Cheval des Andes was harvested from the last of February for the first time ever. It was Gabillet's second vintage at Cheval des Andes, and that year, he had to start without waiting for Pierre Olivier Clouet and Pierre Lurton from Cheval Blanc; when they arrived, they had finished picking the Malbec, which surprisingly was fresher in Las Compuertas (because of the higher percentage of clay?) than in Altamira (where the vines suffered more stress), saving the freshness. They now harvest using cold trucks (for the first time), and they also started earlier in the morning (six in the morning, impossible earlier in Mendoza...), which he reckons was very good for the precision of the wine. They used 40% 225-liter barrels, 40% 400-liter oak barrels and 20% 2,500-liter foudres, half of them new and with an élevage of 15 months on average, depending on the lots and varieties from 12 to 18 months. The final blend was 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot, which makes a comeback as it was not used since 2016. The key was to finish the fermentation of the Petit Verdot without skins, and that way, they have been able to use it in the blends of 2021, 2022 and 2023 in small but increasing percentages. This is slightly riper than 2019, with a little more alcohol (14.5%) and with very good structural tannins but saving the freshness, and it has the spicy side from the Petit Verdot (Gabillet talks about white pepper). The wine has the ultra sleek and polished texture and the elegance and the balance that is the signature here; the wine is very clean and precise. I see very good regularity across the three vintages I tasted next to each other—this 2020 and the 2018 and 2019. Overall, this is a triumph over the adverse conditions of the vintage. They produced their usual 100,000 bottles (since 2018), as they are renewing their vineyards and want to keep the volume stable. They produce this volume from the 36 productive hectares they have in Las Compuertas and Altamira.There are some more changes: in 2020, they went for a lighter bottle, weighing 100 grams less than the one they used in 2018 and 2019, but close to 300 grams less than the bottle from before. It's also a slimmer bottle, always thinking about the environment. They are very focused on agroecology, accelerating the regenerative viticulture and using cover crops; they have planted 1,900 trees in the last three years, creating small clusters of biodiversity for birds. They have transplanted some centenary olive trees and keep their sheep and lamas on the property. Very green-minded. Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate,
The 2019 Cheval des Andes had a more reductive vinification and élevage, making the wine a bit shy and in need of time to open up, as one of their objectives was to make it more age-worthy. Another objective is to get to a 50/50 blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, which they achieved in this vintage for the first time, going back to the initial character of the wine that was the idea of Argentinean winemaker Roberto de la Mota; so, they are closing the circle and going back to the initial idea, with more implication from the Cheval Blanc team. This is the first vintage fully under the charge of the new French winemaker, Gerald Gabillet, who fermented by plot, isolating some specific parts of the vineyard, like the borders where you tend to get higher yields because of the irrigation. It matured in 225- and 400-liter oak barrels and in oak vats. They used more barrels and vats from Stockinger, which they like and rotate; the wine spends an average of 13 to 14 months in oak, but some lots get 11 months and others get 16. 2019 was a mild vintage, cooler than 2017 and warmer than 2018, with rain at the right time, which helped to avoid hydric stress, and without extremes (which they had in 2020 with three weeks of extreme heat). The wine is young and tender and a bit oaky, which Gerald attributed to the reductiveness; it's ripe without excess, with around 14.2% alcohol, mellow acidity and velvety tannins. There's more Cabernet here, so the aromatic expression can be something between 2017 and 2018, but Cabernet marks the palate a lot and makes the wine more age-worthy, as it provides the structure and length that the Malbec lacks. So, the wine might be less accessible when young and should develop slowly in bottle. It's tasty and supple and has the ingredients and the balance for what they are aiming for. In the following vintages, they follow this path, and Gabillet feels that having more precision allows the wines to reflect the differences between vintages better. They keep producing around 100,000 bottles. It was bottled in late January 2021. The way they want to describe the wine is the Argentinean expression of Cheval Blanc. And I can only agree. Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate,
This is a plush, rich Cheval with blueberry and floral aromas and flavors. Hints of tar and fresh lavender. Full body. The depth and richness are impressive, as are the ripe yet fresh tannins. Very long and structured, yet controlled and in balance. This will be a great wine indeed. Release in September 2021. Drink after 2023. James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
Incredible purity of fruit in the nose, offering crushed, perfectly ripe blackberries and currants with raspberries and citrus. Some black licorice, too. It’s full-bodied with density, precision and gorgeously fine tannins. Great length going on for minutes. A blend of mostly Chanares with some old-vine fruit from Marchiori and Sengeretti. Such precision to this. Tight now. Try after 2026. James Suckling, Mar 2021
No.1, Zweigelt - Nouvelle Vague 95+ points, Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate “Vinified in new barriques for more than two years, the 2020 Trockenbeerenauslese No. 1 Zweigelt Nouvelle Vague displays a brick, almost dark salmon color. It is intense and finely concentrated yet also super pure, fresh and elegant on the exotic, tropical nose with candied orange zest and sugared pink grapefruit aromas intertwined with notes of dragon fruits, lychee, plums, cherries, fresh strawberries, raspberries, coconut (Bounty) and nougat notes. Dense, round and sweet but elegant and refined on the palate, this is an intense yet balanced, stimulatingly saline and nicely bitter reddish/pink TBA with a serious and long finish structured by tart but fine tannin bitters. Try it with game dishes, classic tartes and chocolate desserts. 10.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork.” No.2, Traminer - Nouvelle Vague 96 points, Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate “Aged for 24+ months in new barriques, the 2020 Trockenbeerenauslese No. 2 Traminer Nouvelle Vague is very clear and concentrated on the detailed and saline nose with lemon zest, pepper, lychee and dragon fruit aromas intermingled with notes of caramel and nougat. Lush and generous on the dense yet fresh and even stimulating palate, this is a very elegant and remarkably refined yet intense Traminer with a concentrated but mouthwatering finish. There is great precision and finesse here. Try it with foie gras and brioche or drink it on its own. 11% stated alcohol. Natural cork.” No.3, Scheurebe - Zwischen den Seen 96 points, Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate “Fermented for several months and aged for about two years or more in stainless steel tanks, the 2020 Trockenbeerenauslese No. 3 Scheurebe Zwischen den Seen opens with a clear, intensely aromatic and fruit-driven bouquet of passion fruit, lemons and grapefruits as well as candied pineapples, mango and maracuja. Dense, lush and round on the palate, this is a sweet and intense but savory, lively, very elegant and tropical TBA with typical Scheurebe features and a stimulatingly tart and bitter finish. The terroir salinity is still very discreet but palatable on the finish. The wine is really sweet on the palate but also balanced and even delicate. It will gain enormous complexity over the next 20-25 years and become more of a terroir wine than a Scheurebe varietal wine. 10.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork.” No.4, Grande Cuvee - Nouvelle Vague 98 points, Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate “The 2020 Trockenbeerenauslese No. 4 Grande Cuvée Nouvelle Vague is based on 70% Welschriesling (vinified in large oak casks) and 30% Chardonnay (aged in barriques) and opens with an intense and concentrated bouquet with spicy quince aromas, lemon chutney, candied lemons, ripe and lush apricots and pineapples, hints of nougat, caramel and salt. It is very deep and complex but also refined, fresh and very elegant! Round, intense and highly refined on the palate, this is a saline and elegant, seemingly weightless Grande Cuvée that develops a spectacularly long and intense finish with salts and concentrated fruits such as melons, apricots, lemons, quinces and grapefruit. The aftertaste is intense and very long but of great finesse and elegance. This is a gorgeous wine, indeed, that is stunning a day after the opening and will need about a decade or more to gain even more complexity. 10% stated alcohol. Natural cork.” No.5, Rosenmuskateller - Nouvelle Vague 97 points, Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate “Aged in new barriques for 24-28 months, the 2020 Trockenbeerenauslese No. 5 Rosenmuskateller Nouvelle Vague offers a clear, deep, intense and pure yet complex bouquet of blood oranges, roses, herbs, Italian salami, game, coffee, toast and nougat and, initially, also sage and chamomile aromas intertwined with herbal tea, candied bitter oranges and buttery aromas. Round, sweet and lush on the palate, this is a noble, very elegant, dense, refined, finely tannic and persistently saline TBA with citrus-bitters on the long, structured yet still very young finish. This is another great 2020 TBA from Gerhard Kracher! 9.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork.” No.6, Welschriesling - Zwischen den Seen 97+ points, Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate “Vinified in stainless steel, the 2020 Trockenbeerenauslese No. 6 Welschriesling Zwischen den Seen is pure and intense on the concentrated, saline and caramelly nose that displays candied lemon, strawberry, raspberry and ripe pear aromas. Full-bodied, intense and concentrated on the palate, this is an elegant, refined, finely saline and beautifully juicy TBA with sweet pear and peach aromas and a long, intense, crystalline and mouthwatering finish. It was bottled with 310 grams per liter of residual sugar but is nevertheless highly stimulating. 8.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted in Lütjensee, Hamburg, in June 2023. Only 2,500 to 3,000 0.375-liter bottles were filled from four vineyards totaling five hectares due to very strict selections.”
A fresh and discreet Almaviva with subtle pencil shavings and cigar box to the cassis and hints of chili chocolate and peppermint. Nuanced and subtle on the nose. This is medium-bodied and subtle on the palate with silky tannins in the seamless finish. Very long. 71% cabernet sauvignon, 22% carmenere, 5% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Drinkable now, but it will take its time to deliver complexity. James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
“A fresh and discreet Almaviva with subtle pencil shavings and cigar box to the cassis and hints of chili chocolate and peppermint. Nuanced and subtle on the nose. This is medium-bodied and subtle on the palate with silky tannins in the seamless finish. Very long. 71% cabernet sauvignon, 22% carmenere, 5% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Drinkable now, but it will take its time to deliver complexity.” James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
Extremely aromatic with red currants, blackcurrants, spices, iodine, paprika and subtle hints of white pepper. Fresh flowers, fresh sage, lavender and some pine needles and sandalwood. Medium-bodied with perfectly integrated tannins that go on for minutes with refined and harmonious fruit that integrates beautifully into the wine, giving it a weightless structure that shows class and verve. Endless balance and length. It’s so balanced that you could drink it now but it will age for decades. A blend of 75% carmenere, 18% cabernet sauvignon and 7% merlot. Best after 2028 James Suckling
Fresh and deep nose, full of blueberries, minty cassis, mussels, cigars, dark spice and roasted sesame oak, which will need a year or two to fully integrate. A medium-to full-bodied Almaviva with supple, silky tannins and a wealth of black and blue fruit that provides a lot of charm now. Voluptuous and flattering on the palate, hallmarked by its tension and taut texture. Very long. This is the 25th anniversary bottling. 68% cabernet sauvignon, 24% carmenere, 6% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Drinkable now, but better from 2024. James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
The 2020 Seña is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Malbec, 15% Carmenere and 7% Petit Verdot (a little higher in search of acidity) from grapes harvested early, the second week of March, and fermented mostly in stainless steel and 10% in concrete eggs. It has a moderate 13.5% alcohol and good freshness. It's subtle and layered, not only fruit but with more spice; it has polished tannins and very integrated oak after 22 months in barrique, 78% new, and with 10% of the volume in large Stockinger barrels. The warmer years seem to be nicely managed, so that it's not reflected in the ripeness but is more a matter of texture and quality of the tannins; in the warmer years, like 2017 or this 2019, the wines have a little more grip, but these are definitely finer than those from the 2017 vintage. This wine has intensity and complexity, with no mintiness or herbal notes; it's spicy and juicy, with energy and depth. It has structure, color, stuffing and acidity to develop nicely in bottle. 100,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2022. Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate
The aromas of iodine and blackcurrants with roses and lavender make the wine extremely perfumed. It's full-bodied with a tight, fine-tannined palate that shows linear through the center palate. It's vertical and integrated, adding depth and serious quality to the wine. James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
The 2019 Clos Apalta was produced with a blend of 70% Carmenere, 18% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot, extremely high in Carmenere and low in Cabernet Sauvignon in a ripe and warm year. It fermented with indigenous yeasts for four to five weeks, with manual punch-down of the cap, 67% in 7,500-liter French oak vats and 33% in new French oak barrels followed by malolactic in new French oak barrels. The élevage was 24 months in 90% new barrels and 10% second use. It's powerful, big and ripe, with 15% alcohol and a pH of 3.57. It's creamy and juicy, with very high ripeness and a notable absence of herbal notes; it's oaky, smoky and decadent, coming through as luxurious, round, lush and velvety. It's full-bodied and has abundant, small and powdery tannins. 103,944 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2021. Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate
The 2019 Seña was produced with a Bordeaux blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, 15% Carmenere and 4% Petit Verdot with the Chilean character of the high percentage of Carmenere. Most of the volume fermented in stainless steel with some 10% in concrete vats, and the final blend matured for 22 months in French oak barrels, 80% of them new, and 10% in Stockinger vats. It's 13.5% alcohol and has good acidity and freshness, coming through as medium-bodied, elegant and balanced. This is incredibly elegant, subtle and harmonious even at this early stage. It has floral aromas, notes of orange peel, a touch of creamy sweet spices and great freshness. The palate is medium-bodied, seamless and pure, with pungent flavors and a soft texture. It's long, clean, defined and super tasty. I feel this wine is getting better and better by the vintage. The grapes were picked quite early, and that helped to contain the ripeness and seems to have been a great decision. There was also an exception in the Panquehue zone where the Seña vines are, where the summer was cooler than the average, so quite different to many other regions in Chile. Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate
This is such a beautifully nuanced red with tobacco, dried herbs, wet earth and currants. Some leather and rose petals, too. Full-bodied and chewy, yet refined with great polish. It’s rich and intense at the same time. Very focused center palate. Broad layers of tannin and fruit. A blend of 72% cabernet sauvignon, 19% carmenere, 6% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. Better after 2024, but already a joy to taste. James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
The aromas of blackberry leaves and iodine are wild and exotic here with mussel shells and earth underneath. Full-bodied, tight and chewy with powerful tannins that show muscle. It’s structured and powerful. Dense and very, very deep. Don’t touch this until 2025. James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2019
A glorious and complex nose of tobacco, blackberries and hints of stones and flowers. Hints of bitter chocolate. Full-bodied, very tight and compacted. Linear backbone gives this form and tension. It has the same character on the palate as well as cayenne and other spice. Loved the 2014 but this shows more fine-grained tannins. So balanced and harmonious. A blend of 69% cabernet sauvignon, 24% carmenere, 5% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Needs four or five years in bottle but a joy to taste now. James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, May 2017
As a comparison to the 2014 vintage of this wine, the 2015 Seña resulted in 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Carmenere, 12% Malbec, 7% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, with now 12% of the wine matured in new Stockinger oak foudres and the rest in barrique for some 22 months. 2015 might have been a slightly warmer year, but the resulting wine is lower in alcohol and higher in acidity, which provide for a more vibrant mouthfeel and a more focused expression of the character of the place. This vintage has half a degree less alcohol, and the acidity is a little more pungent; and, the amount of wine in foudre seems to help the oak to show better integrated. This is dry, nicely textured, and the replacement of the Merlot by Malbec seems to have also added to the refinement of the tannins that are super-elegant. 66,000 bottles were filled in February 2017. The price has not yet been set. The Wine Advocate (230), 28th Apr 2017, Luis Gutiérrez
The 2013 Almaviva couldn't have had a more different growing season from 2012, as 2013 was wetter and cooler than the average. It was a good year for Cabernet Sauvignon, which took the leading role with a 72% in the final blend alongside 19% Carmenère (a grape that tends to suffer in cooler years), 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Merlot. It had a classical vinification in stainless steel and an élevage of 18 months in 74% new French barriques. In the last few years, the blend comes from approximately two-thirds older vines (37-years-old) and one-third from younger ones (11-years-old); for other parts of the world, this might seem young, but in this part of Chile where the vines do not tend to have a long life, they are relatively old. 2013 was also a higher yielding vintage, which somehow helped produce balanced juice. The wine is fresher and more fluid, not as concentrated as previous vintages. It has a subtle nose with very nicely integrated spicy aromas from the élevage. The palate is very approachable, soft and velvety, with very good balance and a fine texture because of the very fine tannins. In a way it reminds me of the texture of the 2006, which is possibly the most Burgundian of their vintages. Yes, it's still a baby, but a baby that is approachable from now on, and should have a long life and development in bottle. 165,000 bottles were filled between January 5th and 14th of 2015. The Wine Advocate (222), 31st Dec 2015, Luis Gutiérrez
A young red that shows dark and intense fruits overflowing from the glass with aromas that diffuses into spices, nuts and iron. Also dusty like the vineyards of Puente Alto on a hot summer's afternoon. Full body, ultra-fine tannins and a gorgeous wet clay, currant and blackberry aftertaste. Very refined and pretty texture. Bordeaux blend. Better in 2017 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, September 2014
The 2011 Almaviva, from a cool, dry vintage, is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot which feels young, fresh, serious and quite classical-styled with notes of cassis, graphite and ripe black fruit, but also some raspberries and aromas of sweet spices, licorice and fennel. It has a special brightness and light, starting to slowly develop some complexity. The palate is concentrated, medium to full-bodied with ripe, round tannins, no edges, good concentration and weight. It’s still a baby, a little marked by the oak, but with enough density and freshness to come into greater balance. It should grow up slowly and live a long life. Today I see this 2011 slightly above the 2010, slightly more complex. Drink 2016-2029. Wine Advocate (213),, Jun 2014, Luis Gutierrez
This is a powerful and structured red with currants, minerals and blackberries. Full and very silky plus has firm tannins and a chewy finish. Stoney. Needs another three years to soften. A beauty. James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
Almaviva, the joint venture between Mouton-Rothschild's Baroness Philippine de Rothschild and Chile's Concha y Toro has fashioned a worthy successor to their vaunted 1996 (rated a 92 by Robert Parker in The Wine Advocate's Issue 122). The dark ruby-colored 1997 Almaviva exhibits aromas of black currants, blackberries, and loads of grilled oak spices. Cassis, assorted dark fruits, and layers of creamy wood flavors are found in this full-bodied and superbly concentrated wine. It is opulent, complex, intense, and loaded with ripe, round tannins. Projected maturity: 2003-2012+. Wine Advocate (129), Jun 2000, Pierre Rovani
