Montes Alpha Colchagua Carmenere

Montes was established in 1988 by Aurelio Montes, Douglas Murray, Alfredo Vidaurre and Pedro Grand, with the aim to produce the best wines in Chile from the best regions. We have long admired Montes and what they have done for Chilean wine over the past 25 years. The Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon, first produced in 1987, broke the mould for premium wines in Chile. Since then, Alpha has gone from being a wine to being the core range in the Montes portfolio. The grapes and sites are carefully selected in order to ensure varietal integrity and complexity. Viticulture is hands on and individual rather than mechanical and industrial. The result is a range of wines that offer superb value within the premium wine market - whether from Chile or anywhere else.

Cabernet Sauvignon , Carmenere

The vineyards that give rise to our Montes Alpha Carmenere are located in two zones of the Colchagua Valley, Apalta and Marchige. Some sectors of Apalta are highly influenced by the river, while others are more affected by mudslides and material that has broken off from the mountains above. The soils are generally deep in the flat areas and thinner at the foot of the mountains and at higher elevations. The Carmenere is preferably planted on flat ground, where the soil is deeper and has a moderate capacity for moisture retention. Marchige is flatter, with lower hills. The soils are shallow, in some cases no more than 60 cm deep - with medium clay content and a high capacity for water retention.

56% of the wine was aged for 12 months in first-use French oak barrels. The wine was then filtered through cartridge filters prior to bottling.

Deep ruby in colour with violet hues, this wine opens with intense aromas of plum, cherry, and cassis mixed with sweet spice and dark chocolate. On the palate, the toasted flavours from the oak are balanced and well-integrated. The vibrant fruit core gives way to silky tannins and a well-structured body, without loss of elegance.