Montes Alpha Series Malbec 2019
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James
Suckling
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
A deep ruby red color with an intense violet hue. The nose focuses around pronounced aromas of ripe sour cherries, violets and wildflowers, while a touch of crème de cassis, jam, and anise round out the aromatic profile. The generous palate has tremendous volume and perfectly round tannins lend structure to a long, lingering finish.
Pairs very well with most red and white meats, although it is a natural fit with grilled pork and barbecue chicken. Also a very good accompaniment with beef stew, spicy beef, and Mexican mole dishes.
Blend: 95% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Mulberries, plums, dark cherries, cloves and dried flowers on the nose. It’s full-bodied with firm, plush tannins. Round and velvety with juicy, concentrated layers of spiced fruit. Flavorful finish. Drink or hold.
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With the release of the first Montes Alpha wine back in 1988, Montes became one of the first premium wineries of Chile. Their premise, a clear belief that Chile had an untapped potential as a producer of quality wines, made them a benchmark for other wineries to follow. Its original four partners' total involvement and the continuous help of the angels that decorate their labels was key to their success. Two decades later, Montes is the fifth most important winery of Chile where Aurelio Montes continues leading the winemaking area with the same passion as the first day. Hard work and total focus on quality has led Montes to be one of the most successful and respected quality-driven wineries in Chile as they continue pioneering and breaking new grounds in wine.
Celebrated for its bold flavors and supple texture, Malbec has enjoyed runaway success in Argentina since the late 20th century. The grape originated in Bordeaux, France, where it historically contributed color and tannin to blends. A French agronomist, who saw great potential for the variety in Mendoza’s hot, high-altitude landscape, brought Malbec to Argentina in 1868. Somm Secret—If you’re trying to please a crowd, Malbec is generally a safe bet with its combination of dense fruit and soft tannins.
Well-regarded for intense and exceptionally high quality red wines, the Colchagua Valley is situated in the southern part of Chile’s Rapel Valley, with many of the best vineyards lying in the foothills of the Coastal Range.
Heavy French investment and cutting-edge technology in both the vineyard and the winery has been a boon to the local viticultural industry, which already laid claim to ancient vines and a textbook Mediterranean climate.
The warm, dry growing season in the Colchagua Valley favors robust reds made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Malbec and Syrah—in fact, some of Chile’s very best are made here. A small amount of good white wine is produced from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.