2017 Almaviva Maipo Valley, Chile

Brilliant winemakers come into their own in difficult vintages and it's fascinating to hear Michel Friou talk about how he dealt with the contrasting challenges of the 2016 and 2017 growing seasons. If the former was very good indeed, the latter is the best young vintage of Almaviva I've ever tasted. It's a wonderfully complex, harmonious blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with 23% Carmenère, 5% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot and 2% Merlot. Fine, elegant and subtle, with good density, scented cigarbox oak and a lovely interplay between acidity, cassis and bramble fruit weight and 77% new oak. My Chilean red wine of the year. 2023-32.

Overall Red Wine of the year 2020 in Chile

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.

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.