In 1997, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild and Eduardo Guilisasti Tagle, then chairman Vina Concha y Toro, concluded partnership agreement between Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA and Vina Concha y Toro. From these agreements a Franco-Chilean wine was born: Almaviva.
The launch of this premium wine was announced on 8 september 1998 at Santiago, Chile, by Baroness Philippine de Rothschild and Don Alfonso Larrain, the current chairman of Vino Concha y Toro. Each company owns 50% of Almaviva.
The wine, from one of Chile’s finest vineyards, is produced under the joint technical supervision of both partners.
The name Almaviva comes from the famous play of Beaumarchais: the Marriage of Figaro. Count Almaviva is the hero of the play.
The label, meanwhile, pays homage to Chile’s ancestral history. You can see 3 reproductions of a stylised design which symbolised the vision of the earth and the cosmos in the Mapuche civilisation. The design appeared on the “kultrun”, a ritual drum used by the Mapuche. The label bears the name “Almaviva” in Beaumarchais’ own handwriting. Hand-in-hand, two great traditions thus combine to offer the whole world a promise of pleasure and excellence.
Sales of Almaviva are limited, and directed primarily at markets in Europe, the United States, Asia and Chile.
Almaviva is made from a blend of three classic grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (91%), Cabernet Franc (3%) and Carmenere (6%).
This great wine is the result of a encounter between two cultures. Chile offers its soil, its climate and its wines, while France contributes its winemaking skills and traditions.
The 100-acre Almaviva vineyard is situated in Puente Alto, recognised over twenty years ago as offering ideal conditions for growing the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. Characteristic features of Puente Alto includes its stony soil, cold, rainy winters, and the hot days and cool nights of its summers.
The entire vinification process is supervised by a French winemaker, on secondment from Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA.
There is no official classification of wines in Chile. However, the launch of Almaviva has given birth to “Primer Orden” quality, a Spanish term which corresponds to the French concept of a classified growth, or “Grand Cru Classé”. In order for the wine to qualify as “Primer Orden”, it must come from a vineyard and bodega devoted solely to the production of that single wine, under the viticultural and oenological supervision of a French producer that owns a “Grand Cru”estate.
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