Almaviva 2024 vintage released after presentation at Place de Bordeaux
The 2024 vintage of Almaviva, recognized by O Globo as Latin America’s most important wine, has been officially released after being presented at the Place de Bordeaux, with commercial availability in Brazil slated for January through specialist importers and wine shops.
French Firm Partners with Concha Y Toro
In 1997, the French firm Baron Philippe de Rothschild—renowned for Château Mouton Rothschild—established a partnership with Chilean winery Concha y Toro to create the label, launching the 1996 vintage in 1998, as detailed by UOL. The name Almaviva originates from French literature, specifically Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais’s play The Marriage of Figaro and its character Count Almaviva. The typography on the bottle’s label directly reproduces Beaumarchais’s handwriting.
Climatic Shifts and the 2024 Harvest Profile
The 2024 harvest in Chile followed a period of severe drought driven by the El Niño phenomenon, which warmed Pacific Ocean waters and altered local viticulture. In Puente Alto, where the majority of Almaviva grapes are sourced, annual rainfall increased from 140mm during the 2019-2023 period to 592mm for the 2024 harvest between June 2023 and May 2024. Winemaker Michel Friou noted that 460mm fell during winter and early spring to replenish water reserves, followed by 130mm in May 2024. Although spring temperatures between October and December 2023 stayed below average, summer 2024 temperatures rose 1.5 to 2 degrees above historical norms, delaying grape maturation by two to three weeks.
Cabernet Sauvignon Dominates 2024 Vintage Blend
Almaviva is crafted from varying percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and occasionally Merlot. The 2024 vintage consists of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Carménère, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, according to O Globo. The 2024 wine undergoes 18 months of aging in French oak barrels, 76% of which are new. Michel Friou described the resulting vintage as producing refined wines with rounded tannins and a fresh style characterized by extraordinary fruit, freshness, and density.
Market Availability and Pricing Across Vintages
While the 2024 harvest arrived on the international market via the Place de Bordeaux, physical distribution in Brazil begins in January. Current retail prices for earlier releases vary significantly across specialized Brazilian wine merchants. Mistral and Wine list the 2022 vintage at approximately R$ 2,400. World Wine prices the 2021 vintage at R$ 3,200. Super Adega offers the 2023 vintage for R$ 2,000. For the upcoming 2024 release, prices are expected to align with previous vintages, ranging between R$ 1,800 and R$ 2,000. Alongside the flagship label, Michel Friou also introduced the winery’s second wine, the 2023 Epu—a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Carménère, 3% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc aged for 12 months in French oak barrels with 10% new wood—which is expected to retail around R$ 600.