EPU is the second wine of Almaviva, which is one of the most prestigious wines in Chile. Don't underestimate it just because it's a second wine - its quality is not much different from Almaviva! In the Mapuche language, "EPU" means "two". The Mapuche people are one of the main indigenous cultures in southern Chile. EPU is modeled after the second wine of the famous Bordeaux - style wine, with a very limited production. However, it has many characteristics of Almaviva: it shares the same vineyards and grapes with Almaviva, and is made by the same winemaking team, ensuring its quality. The only difference is in the winemaking methods: Almaviva has a more Chilean - style, while EPU is more Bordeaux - style and more classic.
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"This wine has a pleasant and complex aroma of tobacco and black plums, with hints of minerals, flowers, and chocolate. Its strong structure gives the wine a full and solid body. The taste has a slight hint of spices such as pepper. Although I also really love the 2014 vintage, the tannins of this wine are more delicate. The wine is very well - balanced, with all the aromas perfectly combined. It is made from 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Carmenère, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. It will be even better after another five years of aging, but it is also very good to drink now."
Decanter 96:
"This latest release contains 2% Petit Verdot, adding a touch of dark pepper spice. It's a lovely wine, structured, intense but not tight, and beautifully balanced. There are some great licorice and soft berry spice flavors, with notes of dark chocolate, cinnamon, and sage. It has soft, smooth tannins which give the wine a supple texture. The wine gets better and better in the glass and has a freshness and grip that suggest great aging potential."
WS 95:
"Powerful and rich, this wine is full of juicy dark plum, cherry tart, and berry compote flavors that are creamy and lush. Hints of French roast and spice emerge on the mid - palate, with a long finish that is elegant and savory. It is made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. It can be drunk now through 2023."
RP93:
"2015 was a dry and warm year, and the 2015 Almaviva shows ripe and voluptuous, with a full body and sweet fruit on the finish. The varietal breakdown is 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Carmenère, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot; the high percentage of Carmenère, a constant in warmer years, comes from Puente Alto and also Peumo, the classical zone for the grape in Cachapoal. The élevage was in 82% new barriques and lasted 18 months. It's creamy and sleek, with polished tannins. It was a ripe and dry year, with higher yields than 2014, which is more concentrated; in 2015 the yields were a little higher with slightly larger grapes and bunches, and for winemaker Michel Friou, this results in better balance, with a ratio of skin to juice that is more balanced than in years when the grapes are smaller and might produce very tannic wines. However, the wines show very consistent in the last few years, always harmonious and combining power with elegance while showing the nuances from the year, which tend not to be huge. This has a little less alcohol than the 2014, and the day I tasted it, it showed more Cabernet Sauvignon personality. This is more approachable than the 2014. Rating: 93+"
