Adding the Montes wines to our portfolio in 2014 was the realisation of a long-held ambition, after many years of admiring what Aurelio Montes was achieving in Chile. Taste the wines and find out why we feel that way. The Sauvignon Blancs are lifted and fresh, their varietal character derived from growing the grapes in the right place and picking them when they are ripe and not, as many in Chile seem to do, by picking them green for herbaceous notes, which they believe is the mark of the variety. The Merlots, Malbecs and Cabernets have lovely colour, intensity and definition, and supple tannins. This is rare in Chile. In 2020, Aurelio Montes’ illustrious career was recognised in the form of the International Wine Challenge’s Lifetime Achievement Award. So how do they do it? Not surprisingly, in the vineyard. They learned, when they started producing Montes Alpha in 1987, that they needed balanced yields and to harvest when the grapes were ripe. They adapted these practices to all their vineyards and the results were startling. Montes’ own vineyards now cover 75% of their requirements. The other 25% of fruit is produced in vineyards that they have planted, cultivated and picked. In other words, they control everything except the ownership of the land. In addition to this control over the vineyard, they also sell in bulk what is not good enough to go into the bottles that carry their label. Having made the selection in the vineyard, they are able to make a further selection in the winery. The results are there for you to taste. ‘Purple Angel’, ‘Folly’, Alpha ‘M’ and ‘Taita’ are the pinnacle of Montes’ premium winemaking. All four are critically acclaimed and highly sought after, with James Suckling scoring the past three Purple Angel vintages 98+ points. Each of the flagship wines are examples of the very best wine the country can produce. The 2018 season was exceptional, with fine conditions in both summer and spring, and average temperatures slightly lower than normal. This weather encouraged slow ripening with excellent preservation of the natural acidity in the grapes. The work in the vineyard with controlling the yield allowed to achieve perfect phenolic ripeness, which translated into wines with vivid colour and excellent flavours. The grapes arrived at the cellar in a healthy state. The fermentation proceeded as planned and winemaking was unhurried, each lot was allowed to express its maximum potential. Pronounced aromas of fresh red berries and plums while the oak ageing adds subtle layers of vanilla, toffee and nutty notes. - The 2018 season was exceptional, with fine conditions in both summer and spring, and average temperatures slightly lower than normal. This weather encouraged slow ripening with excellent preservation of the natural acidity in the grapes. The work in the vineyard with controlling the yield allowed to achieve perfect phenolic ripeness, which translated into wines with vivid colour and excellent flavours. The grapes arrived at the cellar in a healthy state. The fermentation proceeded as planned and winemaking was unhurried, each lot was allowed to express its maximum potential.