CASE PRICE = $65.99 per bottle (add 12+ quantity to your basket)
Notes from the Winemaker: Intense dark red color. Very elegant and at the same time powerful with very good level of soft and rounded tannins.. The wine has an harmonious structure, a generous fruit expression and a very distinguished character with aromas of red fruits, cassis and a touch of cedar and cinnamon. In the mouth the wine has delightful notes of vanilla and coffee. The 5% of Petit Verdot is adding an extra element of complexity. Mouth filling and very, very long lasting. The structure of this wine will keep it for over 20 years.
Montes Alpha "M" is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (80%), Merlot (5%), Cabernet Franc (10%) and Petit Verdot (5%), which links all the other grapes. The Cabernet Franc enhances the elegance of the first variety, and is in total harmony with the softness of the second and austerity of the third.
Harvest information:
The 2007 harvest featured a long spring season followed by a very hot summer, producing very muscular wines. Due to this, the wine were bleed at a smaller rate than usual, ten percent, to obtain more concentration and body; two pump-overs were also done to increase its quality, obtaining delicate aromas and a wine of great elegance and very soft tannins.
Ratings & Reviews
92 Points - Wine Spectator Magazine:"This sleek, suave red displays alluring espresso, cocoa, warm tobacco and mulled black currant notes woven with a perfumy vanilla hint. The tobacco edge lingers nicely through the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2015. 2,400 cases imported." –JM (Oct 15, 2011)
91 Points & "Cellar Selection" - Wine Enthusiast Magazine:"Impressive as always, with dense, meaty aromas of baked black fruits, compost and dried cheese. The palate is thick to the max, with chocolate, coconut and baked plum and berry flavors. Ultrarich on the finish, with warmth and density. Once again "M" shows how deep and rewarding high-end Chilean reds can be. Drink now through 2015." —M.S. (12/31/2011)
94 Points - Wine Spectator Magazine (2006 vintage):"Very suave, with a velvety texture and fine-grained tannins that carry deceptively concentrated notes of black currant, warm fig sauce, espresso, maduro tobacco and black tea. Long and well-defined through the finish, with an ample reserve of fruit and minerality. Drink now through 2015. 4,500 cases made." –JM (May 31, 2009)
92 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (2006 vintage):"Montes produces three -icon- wines. The most well-known (for the moment) is the Alpha M. The 2006 is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance made up of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. The wine was aged for 18 months in new French oak. A glass-coating opaque purple in color, it offers up a complex bouquet of pain grille, scorched earth, violets, blackcurrant, and blackberry. This leads to a full-bodied wine with excellent depth, savory black fruit flavors, several years of aging potential, and a lengthy finish. Its drinking window should extend from 2013 to 2026.
Aurelio Montes remains one of Chile's great innovators and quality leaders. His latest releases are first class from entry level to the top of the portfolio." - Jay Miller (Jun 2009)
92 Points - Wine Enthusiast Magazine (2006 vintage):"Opens with a sublime bouquet of tobacco, perfume and baked cherry that conveys a sense of elegance. The palate is saturated and full, with integrated tannins and flavors of molasses, licorice and prime black fruits. This is probably a denser, slightly more ripe version of “M” than in past years, evidenced by the licorice, sweetness and coffee on the chewy finish. Drink now and over the next couple of years." - M.S. (7/1/2009)
