Let’s nip back down to South America for a quick sampling of
a few tasty Chilean delights. I haven’t written about Chilean wines in awhile,
so I appreciate the good folks at Feast PR for giving me the opportunity to try
a few bottles from Montes, one of the leading producers of Chilean wines.
Montes began producing wine in 1987, and their Montes Alpha
Cabernet Sauvignon was, according to their website, the first “premium” wine to
be exported from Chile. They followed that with Chardonnay, Syrah, and Merlot –
then began producing an “Icon” series of higher-end wines as well as some more
affordable options. Eventually, the Montes operation expanded across the Andes
into neighboring Argentina, where they began producing wines under the “Kaiken”
label (“Kaiken” is a wild goose, native to the area, often seen flying over the
Andes…)
I received three bottles from the Montes collection to
sample:
Kaiken 2012 “Terroir
Series” Torrontes – This wine, from the Argentina side of the mountains, is
a decent sipper if you like wines with a pretty bouquet. I found it very
strongly fragrant without being so perfumey as to be overpowering. It’s got a lovely
nose of pears and apple blossoms. The body is medium-weight, and it wasn’t as
fruity as I expected after the big ol’ nose. In fact, I thought it was almost
bitter at first taste with a flavor of lemon rind, but that quickly passes into
a softer fruit middle of limes and green apples. The finish is a little grapefruity
and it lasts for quite awhile. It reminds me a bit of a viognier, except a
little more acidic. It’s OK, especially
with lighter meals or to file away for when the temperatures pick up. $13.
Montes Alpha 2011
Cabernet Sauvignon – The latest vintage of the wine that started it all for
Montes. I’ll just state up front that I liked this wine a lot. It’s a much more
Old World styled cabernet than I was expecting. I got a nose of vanilla and
smoke that led into a palate of dark plums, leather, and graphite. There’s a
bunch of tannin here, but it’s balanced, smooth throughout to the finish, which
is graphite-y and hangs around for a long time. It’s very elegant and nicely
balanced. When I poured it, The French-funk loving SPinC was expecting a real
fruit bomb, and was pleasantly surprised to get this instead. With both a
dinner of flank steak and roasted sweet potatoes and with evening chocolate, a
very solid bottle. Recommended. It’s a little higher in price than usual, $25,
but it’s worth it if you're looking for a nicer bottle.
Montes 2012 Cherub
Rosé – Easy to find on the shelf with its Ralph Steadman-designed label.
(If you’ve read anything by Hunter S. Thompson, you know Steadman’s work.) If
you’ve come looking for a light, crisp rosé, you’ve come to the wrong place.
This pink one made from 100% Syrah pours bright sunset pink and has full, solid weight on the palate. The
nose is very light and slightly floral. The flavor reminded me of a dry version
of cranberry juice, right through the midpalate and into the finish, which has
a bit of a tart cranberryish note to it. There’s also some considerable
acidity. This combination of slight bitterness and acidity makes it a much
better food wine than one to sip on its own, but it’s a good match for a wide
range of food, including some that might overwhelm whites but get buried by
reds, like spicy Asian or Mexican dishes. If subtlety and balance is what you
want in a pink wine, head for Provence. If you want one that drinks like more
like a red, try this. $15.
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