The
wines
of Viña Montes, Chile
Montes, for me sums up what is right, and also what
could be better, about Chilean wines. Here’s a line-up of utterly
consistent, very tasty wines. They are wines that I’m happy to drink
and enjoy. But (and I feel terrible for saying this) tasting these
wines is a bit like driving a sports car with the top gear missing.
There’s an extra dimension that is lacking, even with the Alpha M
and Montes Folly, icon-style wines that retail at £35. It’s a theme
I keep finding with Chile. Sweet ripe fruit will only take a wine so
far.
Montes Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2005 Casablanca
Really lovely assertive nose with vibrant grassy and gooseberry
flavours. Nice stuff: assertive and fresh. Very good+ 88/100
(£5.99 Majestic, Sainsbury, Waitrose)
Montes Limited Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2005 Leyda
Full, intense gooseberry nose. Ripe, quite sweet, semi-peachy
palate is rich grassy and fruity. Nice wine. Very good+ 88/100 (£7.99
Hedley Wright)
Montes Alpha Chardonnay 2004 Casablanca
Rich toasty, nutty, creamy nose with sweet vanilla and coconut
from the oak. Really good concentration on the palate with nice,
sweet, creamy fruit. A rich, accessible wine. Very good+ 89/100 (£9.99
Majestic, Tesco, Morrisons)
Montes Limited Selection Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenère 2004
Colchagua
Sweet blackcurrant fruit nose with a smooth vanilla edge. Very
accessible, sweet and smooth in an ultra-seductive style. Good oak use
here. Very good+ 87/100 (£7.99 Majestic)
Montes Alpha Merlot 2003 Colchagua (Apalta
Vineyards)
Sweet blackcurrant fruit nose with a savoury, spicy twist. Nice
minerally spicy undercurrent to the palate which shows smooth sweet
fruit and a bit of tannin. Delicious. Very good+ 89/100 (£9.99
Majestic)
Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 Colchagua (Apalta
Vineyards)
Sweet blackcurrant pastille nose. The palate has nice spicy
structure to the sweet fruit. There’s a hint of savouriness here.
Very good+ 88/100 (£9.99 Majestic, Tesco, Morrisons)
Montes Alpha Syrah 2003 Colchagua (Apalta Vineyards)
Smooth sweet black fruits nose. Sweet spicy palate is backed by
some structure, and shows attractive dark fruits. Tasty. Very good+
89/100 (£9.99 Waitrose)
Montes Alpha M 2002 Santa Cruz (Apalta Vineyards)
Sweet liqueur-like nose with a minty, spicy edge. The palate has
sweet spicy structure. It’s quite big and intense, but not quite
showing what it’s capable of at the moment, I suspect. Very good+
88/100 (£35 Waitrose)
Montes Folly Syrah 2002 Santa Cruz (Apalta
Vineyards)
Sweet, full and spicy with vivid liqueur-like fruit. The palate
has lots of rich fruit, some oak and lots of spiciness. It’s rich
and new world-like in style with plenty of structure and ripeness.
Very good+ 89/100 (£35 Waitrose)
Wines tasted 11/05
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