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Puente Alto
Puente Alto lies in the Maipo Valley, at the foot of the Andes near Santiago. Meltwater and cool nights from the mountains define the character of the cabernet sauvignon here.
Our range includes wines from Puente Alto by Almaviva. Also browse our full range of wines from Chile.
Grape and style
Puente Alto is known for cabernet sauvignon, which here attains great concentration and elegance. The wines are dark in colour and have aromas of blackcurrant, mint, cedar and spices, with firm but fine tannins. They are often complemented with small amounts of other grapes, such as merlot or cabernet franc.
The style is a mix of New World fruit and European structure: ripe fruit and a full palate, combined with a fresh, almost Bordeaux-like structure. This makes the best wines suitable for longer ageing.
Location and soil
Puente Alto lies south of the capital Santiago, at the foot of the Andes, in the upper part of the Maipo Valley. Its position close to the mountains means large differences between day and night: warm, sunny days ripen the grapes well, while cool air from the mountains preserves freshness at night.
The soil is mainly alluvial and consists of boulders, gravel and sand that the river Maipo has carried down from the mountains. Such poor, free-draining ground forces the roots to go deep and yields small, concentrated grapes.
Classification and rules
Chile works with a system of Denominación de Origen (DO), in which origin is indicated in areas from large to small. At the top is a region, followed by sub-regions and zones. Maipo Valley is one such DO, and Puente Alto is a well-known wine zone within Maipo, situated in the upper part of the valley.
The DO regulates the origin of the grapes and gives no guarantee of quality or style. Designations such as Reserva and Gran Reserva say something about quality level and ageing, but the exact requirements vary. It is therefore worth looking at the producer and the label as well.
Ageing and serving
The better cabernet from Puente Alto can easily age for several years, and for a good wine for several decades. When young, an hour or two in the decanter is worthwhile to let the tannins open up. With older bottles, careful pouring is advisable.
Serve the wine at 16 to 18 °C. It goes well with roast and grilled red meat, lamb, braised dishes and hard, mature cheese. The fresh, spicy note also makes the wine a good partner for dishes with rosemary or thyme.
Producer in our range
This producer features in our Puente Alto range: Almaviva.