Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A balanced malbec with dark fruit and fine tannins. Medium body, with fine tannins and a savory finish. Drink now.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2011 Montes Alpha Pinot Noir has a lovely, beautifully defined bouquet with lifted red cherries, fresh strawberry, minerals and rose petals. The palate is well balanced with a firm structure. It has a pleasing balance and good freshness, the finish demonstrating more elegance and precision than the Outer Limits Pinot Noir 2011. This would be my pick of recent releases.
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.