Montes Purple Angel Apalta Vineyard Carmenere 2005

Aromas are the combination of the dark fruit flavors given by the Apalta Carmenère, the spicy and lively hints given by the Marchigüe Carmenère (cooler area only 18 kms or 11 miles to the Pacific Ocean), and wildness of black berries given by the Petit Verdot. This wine is full bodied, with a considerably amount of ripe tannins giving grip and structure to this lovely wine. Cellaring potential is no less than 10 years.

Purple Angel is a blend of 92% Carmenère and 8% Petit Verdot from the Colchagua Valley. Of this, half of the Carmenère comes from Montes' La Finca de Apalta estate, bringing sophistication and elegance (the Petit Verdot also comes from this vineyard). The other half of the Carmenère comes from Montes' Archangel estate in Marchigüe, adding potency and strength. The grapes are hand picked, normally early in the morning to make sure that cold temperature is achieved to crush the fruit. The clusters go through a berry selection, in which only good fruit is allowed into the tank. During the 18 months of barrel aging in new French (50%) and American (50%) oak, the wine is racked 3 times to get rid of lees, and allow some oxygen to interfere in the evolution and maturation of this wine.