Montes Alpha Casablanca Chardonnay

Montes was established in 1988 by Aurelio Montes, Douglas Murray, Alfredo Vidaurre and Pedro Grand, with the aim to produce the best wines in Chile from the best regions . We have long admired Montes and what they have done for Chilean wine over the past 25 years. The Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon, first produced in 1987, broke the mould for premium wines in Chile. Since then, Alpha has gone from being a wine to being the core range in the Montes portfolio. The grapes and sites are carefully selected in order to ensure varietal integrity and complexity . Viticulture is hands on and individual rather than mechanical and industrial. The result is a range of wines that offer superb value within the premium wine market – whether from Chile or anywhere else.

Vineyards

The vineyards are in the Aconcagua Costa region, where the proximity to the Pacific Ocean and influence of cool sea breezes produce the perfect conditions to enable slow and full ripening. The variable sandy to sandy-loam soils lend complexity to the wine, with great cool-climate typicity. All the vineyards are vertically trained and drip-irrigated. The clusters are evenly distributed on the vines, which keeps the grapes well-ventilated and healthy.

Vinification

The grapes are hand-picked early in the morning then carefully selected and destemmed. The grapes are processed in one of three different ways – full-cluster pressed, destemmed then pressed, or cold-soaked for several hours. These techniques enable diverse extraction of aromas from the skins. The juice obtained from pressing and maceration is piped to a static decantation tank where it remains for 24 to 48 hours, then is racked to a fermentation tank. It is then inoculated with cerevisiae yeast beginning fermentation, which lasts around 25 days at 13º – 14ºC. Once complete, 80% of the wine is sulfited to stop the action of the yeast and protect the wine from oxidation. Lactic bacteria is added to the remaining unsulfited wine, giving it a smoother and more voluminous palate. 40% of the wine is aged in French oak barrels for 12 months.

Tasting Notes

A bright golden-yellow in colour, this wine displays vibrant aromas of tropical fruit such as pink grapefruit, papaya and lychee, with subtle notes of smoke and vanilla from time spent in French oak. The palate is juicy and fresh, with a vibrant acidity that complements the wine’s medium body and lengthens the finish.