Antiyal

Neal Martin on Antiyal from the Wine Advocate #204 December 2012

2010  Antiyal Antiyal    93 points
The 2010 Antiyal is a blend of 47% Carmenere, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Syrah. It has a very well defined bouquet with blackberry leaf, crushed stone, and limestone. This is very expressive. The palate is medium-bodied with super-fine tannins. It is very well balanced with grace and poise towards the natural, refined blackberry and sea salt tinged finish. This is another beautiful wine from Alvaro. Drink now-2017.

2008  Antiyal  -  93 points
The 2008 Antiyal has a penetrating, vivacious bouquet of blackberry, blueberry, crushed stone, and cedar. The palate is vibrant and beautifully structured with fine minerality. It is tightly wound towards the finish with impressive precision and poise. This is a great Chilean wine. Drink now-2018.

2010  Antiyal Carmenere Viñedo Escorial -   90 points
The 2010 Carmenere Vinedo Escorial is aged in Nomblot concrete egg tanks and sees no oak. It has a natural, minerally bouquet with blackberry leaf, wild strawberry and crushed stone, hints of rosemary and thyme in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with light tannins. There are plenty of crisp blackberry and mineral notes that segue into a linear, very focused, harmonious finish that is precise and long. Not a wine for those seeking big and brawny Chilean Carmenere, but it is utterly refined. Drink now-2016.

2010  Antiyal Kuyen -  88 points
The 2010 Kuyen is a blend of 57% Syrah, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Carmenere and 2% Petit Verdot raised for twelve month in a combination of one, two and three year old French oak. It has a refined bouquet of blackberry, wild hedgerow and raspberry leaf. The palate is medium-bodied with light tensile tannin. It is taut and natural; never entertaining the notion of complexity but with a soft, pleasing finish. Drink now-2015.

Note about the winery :
Although I met dozens of winemakers during my time in Chile, meeting with Alvaro Espinoza is the one that sticks in my mind. Having entered many large-scale wineries producing decent, if sometimes predictable wines, Antiyal came as an antidote with its bijou size, biodynamic practices, the alpacas standing guard at the winery and the charismatic winemaker himself. Alvaro actually studied with Telmo Rodriguez and has lived in Bordeaux. His vines cover just 8 hectares, which includes the original single hectare homestead, although he has purchased conjoining land where he has planted some Grenache. I found his wines to be full of character and personality, wines that demonstrated flair and originality that Chile is beginning to show more and more.

Antiyal Carmenere 2008

The 2008 Carmenere Alto del Maipo Valley (100%) was fermented and aged in cement tank. Deep purple in color with legs that coat the glass, it offers up a superb aromatic array of herbs, exotic spices, truffle, a hint of balsamic, blueberry, and blackberry. Plush, sweetly-fruited, complex, and pleasure-bent, this intense, powerful offering will benefit from 4-5 years of additional bottle age to fill out. It offers a drinking window extending from 2016 to 2023 and possibly longer. Carmenere does not get much better than this. JM
- 93 pts Robert Parker Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012

Antiyal 2008

Antiyal’s 2008 Alto del Maipo Valley is composed of 52% Carmenere, 25% Syrah, and 23% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 12 months in French oak. It offers up an already complex bouquet of Asian spice, herbal notes, incense, tobacco, blueberry, and blackberry. In the glass it opens to reveal full body, plush, layered fruit, succulent flavors, excellent balance, and a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. Give it 3-4 years of additional cellaring to reveal its full potential and drink this classy effort from 2015 to 2023.  JM
- 92 pts Robert Parker Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012

Antiyal 2008

The 2008 Antiyal is a blend of 43% Carmenere, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 18% Syrah. It offers up an inviting nose of pain grille, pencil lead, herbs, olives, and assorted black fruits. Structured on the palate and full-bodied, it will benefit from 2-3 years of additional cellaring. This lengthy effort will be at its best between 2014 and 2020.
- 91 pts Robert Parker Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012
Kuyen 2009

Antiyal’s 2009 Kuyen is composed of 40% Syrah, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Carmenere, and 2% Petit Verdot. Notions of spice box, incense, violets, black plum, and blueberry inform the nose of a forward, spicy, decently concentrated wine that will provide enjoyment over the next 8 years.
- 88 pts Robert Parker Wine Advocate #199 Feb 2012

Antiyal 2005 : 92 points.
Kuyen’s 2005 : 90 points,
Wine Spectator, Dec 31, 2007
Antiyal – “Lovely aromas and flavors of blackberry, bramble, grilled meat and lilacs, with plenty of guts, ample structure and a solid, loamy finish. Shows both polished fruit and rugged terroir.”
Kuyen – “dark and loamy, with fig and currant paste layered with hints of bittersweet cocoa, grilled beef and charcoal.”

Antiyal 2004 : 91 points
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate,
June 29, 2007
“Outstanding. Softly textured and forward, it delivers layers of plush flavors with ripe tannin hiding under all the baby fat.”

Antiyal 2004 : 92 points.
Wine Spectator, May 2007
“Muscular and rich. The lengthy finish pumps out dark fruit and terroir.”

Antiyal 2004 : 92 points.
Wine & Spirits, June 2007
* Named one of the year’s best Chilean reds. “A muscular carmenere-cabernet-syrah blend, this is young and tight. ”

Kuyen 2004 : 88 points
The Wine Enthusiast,
September 2007

Kuyen 2004 : 91 points
Wine & Spirits, October 2006
“tense acidity, juicy mocha flavors and a soft yet solid structure based on strong and refined tannins.”

Antiyal 2004 awarded 91 points
Wine Enthusiast, Nov 15, 2006
“Excellent with the essence of Maipo fruit. Licorice and black fruit carry the masculine bouquet, and next up is a palate of ripe berries that explode in a fireball of flavor.”

Antiyal 2003: 90 points.
Steven Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar, March/April 2006
“Powerful, smoky and inviting on the nose. Broad in flavor yet firm.” … Kuyen 2003 receives 88 points. “Powerful smoky aromas of dark cherry, licorice and sweet tobacco, with a floral topnote. Round and supple with suave, well-knit tannins.”

Kuyen 2003 : 89 points.
Wine & Spirits, June 2006

The Antiyal 2003 receives 90 points.
Wine Spectator, Dec 15, 2005
“Gutsy finish shows a nice second wave of dark fruit.”

Kuyen’s 2003 : 90 points
Wine Spectator, Nov 30, 2005
“Ripe, fleshy and focused, with lots of black currant, cocoa, tobacco, mineral and loam flavors…juicy and concentrated.”

Antiyal 2002 : 91 points.
Wine Spectator, Dec 15, 2004
Maipo Valley “Lovely aromas of crushed berry fruit, violets and spice, with supple layers of fruit, minerals, loam and tar running through the lengthy finish.”

Antiyal 2002 : 91 points
Wine & Spirits, February 2005
Valle del Maipo Red.

Antiyal 2002 : 91 points
Wine & Spirits, Fall 2004
Maipo Valley. In the same issue, Antiyal (and Apaltagua) winemaker Alvaro Espinoza named one of the 50 Most Influential Winemakers in the World.

Kuyen 2002 89 points.
Wine Spectator, January 2005
“shows the game, plum and sanguine notes of Syrah, along with ripe black currant, cocoa and coffee flavors.”