“I was always saying ‘quality, quality, quality,’ but they never heard,” Montes explained at a recent tasting to launch a pair of value priced wines in Ontario.
That lofty ambition inspired the start of Viсa Montes in 1988 and quickly established itself as one of the international standards for top-quality Chilean wines. The winery produces a range of wines, including the Montes Alpha label and icon wines like Folly, a 100 percent Syrah, and Purple Angel, a red blend of Carmenиre and Petit Verdot.
Prices for Montes portfolio typically ranges from $20 for the Alpha label to $90 for top-of-the-line offerings, Folly and the Bordeaux-style red blend, Alpha M.
Montes new Classic Series label sees the winery enter the under $15 price category. The newly released Classic Series Sauvignon Blanc and Classic Series Cabernet Sauvignon have been introduced for $12.95 at Ontario liquor store.
The Cabernet Sauvignon, which includes 10 percent Merlot to help fill out the wine’s texture and flavour profile, is likely to garner the most attention. It doesn’t have the layers and complexity that come with Montes’ more expensive Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon, but it has the same mouthfilling ripe character.
“I am obsessed about picking late, about getting ripe tannins and fully ripened fruit,” says Montes.
Montes’ explains that waiting for the grapes to become fully mature translates to softness, richness and ripeness in the finished wines. It also makes for wines with 13.5 percent or higher alcohol levels.
Increased alcohol contents in wines have suffered a backlash from critics who decry wines with alcohol levels hovering around 15 percent as being clumsy and over-extracted.
Winemakers in hot climates like many parts of Australia, California, Chile and Argentina have answered concerns, but looking to manage winemaking practices to produce balanced, harmonious wines whatever the alcohol content.
“We don’t love alcohol, but you have to pay the price,” says Montes, who points to the climate and growing conditions in Chile that see grapes accumulate sugar ripeness much faster than physical ripeness, which makes for more flavourful and compelling wines.
“If we could get outstanding wines at 12 percent, we would do it,” Montes says. “We can send a man to the moon, but we can’t do that.”
Montes Classic Series label has just been introduced in Ontario. It’s Alpha series of varietal wines, including a stellar Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenиre, is widely available across Canada.
Wine of the Week
****
Viсa Montes 2008 Classic Series Cabernet Sauvignon
Colchagua Valley, Chile
$12.95 (157883)
Chile continues to be a wine lover’s paradise because the wines at every price point continue to improve. Case in point, this great value red from Montes that’s a new release in Ontario. This boasts terrific depth of flavour with a pleasingly soft texture. It’s flavourful enough to enjoy on its own and bright and balanced enough to match with pasta, pizza or simply grilled meat entrйes.
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