|
by Manos Angelakis
When Viña Montes, the partnership of Aurelio Montes with Douglas Murray, Alfredo Vidaurre and Pedro Grant started in 1987, the goal was to produce premium wines in Chile. Today, with five estates, three in Curicó, and two in Colchagua, and winemaking ventures in Argentina and the Napa Valley, the initial goals have been not only met but surpassed with a lineup of outstanding flagship, premium and super-premium wines that include the Montes Alpha line, Montes Purple Angel, Montes Alpha “M”, Montes Folly from Chile and the Kaiken line from Argentina, plus a new line in development in California’s Napa Valley.
 |
During my Chilean winery trip, we visited the new, modern, Montes winery in the Apalta property in Chile’s Colchagua Valley. The bodega (winery) was built to incorporate the latest production technology for gentle grape handling, gravity feed, fermentation in temperature-controlled either stainless steel or French oak casks and aging in mostly French oak barriques. Interesting tidbit, in the barrique room a tape of Gregorian chants plays in a continuous prayer. Feng Shui principals were incorporated in the design and construction of the building utilizing all the basic elements – water, earth, wood, and metal – to optimize harmony and optimal positive energy. On the technology side, the gravitational flow system is one of the most modern. The grape-clusters are handpicked in the vineyard and gathered in small crates to minimize fruit breakage. The crates are lifted to the winery’s roof where further bunch selection, de-stemming and careful berry hand selection takes place. Bücher-Vaslin computerized presses – stainless steel and oxygen free to avoid oxidation – gently crush the fruit and the juice and pulp are gravity-fed through ducts into the fermentation tanks.
 The vineyard plots surrounding the winery are planted with red grapes. Syrah and some Cabernet vines are growing on the steep slopes of Condor Mountain behind the bodega, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère and Merlot are growing on more even ground. The original Estate in Marchigue is much larger with vineyards as far as the eye can see. Rows and rows of grapevines are growing on hillsides and the valley floor, each plot meticulously tended.
During our visit, we tasted numerous bottles both with meals - lunch in El Arcángel de Marchigue vineyard and dinner in the “Eagles Nest” in the Finca de Apalta vineyard - and a formal tasting at the bodega in the Apalta property.
From my notes:
 Even the entry level wines in the Montes Classic Series were good tasting, especially the young 2006 Sauvignon Blanc which was nicely aromatic with tropical fruit and peach on the nose and an off-dry, soft, lightly fruity and herbal palate with good acidity. For the MSRP $8 to $10, you can’t go wrong.
The Limited Selection line at an MSRP of $14 to $16 was a line of well-made whites and reds with the very young 2006 Pinot Noir, mostly from grapes of the cooler Casablanca valley, standing out. It was a complex wine, bright ruby colored with red berries and Morello cherries, citrus and a hint of chocolate on the nose. Remarkably, there was minimal oak on the palate, and soft, ripe tannins. The other interesting wine was the 2005 Cabernet/Carmenère blend (70%-30%) which had intense ruby color with garnet highlights, black forest fruit and vanilla on the nose and a nice acidity with sweet tannins. At the suggested price, these wines represent a very good value proposition.
On to the flagship line, Montes Alpha with an MSRP $18 to $25.
The 2005 Montes Alpha Chardonnay (oak barrel fermented) was a pale gold hued wine, fruity and buttery with tropical fruit, citrus and vanilla on the nose. It is made from vines more than 50 years old and aged in French casks, on the lees, for a year; 50% of the wine undergoes Malolactic fermentation. Nice acidity, with a delicate complex Chardonnay character on the palate. It was perfectly paired with fish and seafood for lunch. Rated at LWM88 points.
The 2004 reds, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are actually all blends created to enhance the wine’s backbone and structure. Actually, the Merlot has 10% Carmenère, the Cabernet Sauvignon has 10% Merlot, and the Syrah is a 40% warm climate- 60% cold climate- grown Syrah blend. They are all lovely, complex wines, made to be drunk young, but with aging ability of six to eight years. They all exhibit dark ruby color with purple or garnet highlights, red fruit and black forest berries on the nose with hints of chocolate and toffee and some espresso. Fruit-forward to different degrees, depending on the varietal. All have full body and fairly long finish. Rated LWM87 points for the Merlot, LWM88 points for the Cabernet Sauvignon, and LWM87 points for the Syrah.
And then, the premium and super-premium wines.
 2004 Montes Alpha “M”. This is a gorgeous, racy wine, with a beautiful nose of black cherry, black tea, cassis, and espresso and toffee notes; a true Bordeaux-styled blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, from the upper slopes of the Apalta Estate, 11% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot. With an MSRP of $70 to $80, it is well worth the investment. Aged for 18 months in French oak barriques, it has an intense dark ruby color. It is an elegant wine with well-defined character, and a long smoky finish marked by soft, silky, rounded tannins. It was one of the best bottles we sampled. Some bottle age will enhance the beauty already inside when the fruit expresses better on the mid-palate. Rated at LWM95 points.
2004 Montes Folly. The wine’s name is in contrast to this serious Syrah beauty. A dense, big, dark ruby hued wine with long legs and 15% alcohol; this is the kind of wine some people absolutely love, and some don’t. I’m firmly in the lover’s corner. This wine is the result of a hot, dry summer in Apalta that permitted full and early maturation of the grapes. It has a powerful solid fruit core with thick layers of blackberry, boysenberry, cassis, toffee, and espresso flavors supported by lush, well-structured tannins and a big, smoky, tarry finish. Aged for 18 months in new French oak. Definitely needs bottle age, but I think a patient oenophile will be rewarded in 5 years. Cellar it for 20, and you will have a marvelous wine. MSRP $82. Rated at LWM94 to 97 points, depending on the bottle’s age.
 2004 Purple Angel. A blend of 92% Carmenère and 8% Petit Verdot; 18 months in new French oak. Half of the Carmenère comes from La Finca de Apalta and half from El Arcángel de Marchigue Estate and that blend gives this wine the full body and spicy structure. This limited release unfiltered wine is deep purple in color and combines dark and alluring aromas and flavors of blackberry and forest fruits. It is chewy with considerable ripe tannins. A food-friendly beauty, it is touched by the wings of an angel. MSRP $48. Rated at LWM95 points.
Finally, we were lucky enough to be given to taste barrel samples of 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère and Syrah in pairs, one from the Apalta Estate and one from the Marchigue Estate. We were really able to appreciate the difference in taste, hue and body of these wine elements that will be used in the 2006 blends.
I will also take this opportunity to add a few words for a Montes wine I like, which was not included in the tastings, the 2005 Montes Cherub. We had this lovely rosé with shrimp scampi for lunch, the day after Christmas, while visiting the Hamptons. It is made from 100% Syrah grapes from the cooler Archangel Estate, and was introduced to the US in June 2006. A deep vibrant cherry/pink color with an alluring nose of strawberries, orange peel, and honeysuckle and hints of white meadow flowers. Fresh and well balanced, it leads to an impressively long finish. Should be drunk within 3 years at most from bottling. MSRP $17. Rated at LWM90 points.
To your health!
© January 2007 The Oenophile Blog. All rights reserved.
|
|
