Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

Category:
 
Red Wines
Sub-Category:  
 
Red Wines
Producer:
 
Montes
Label Name:
 
Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage:
 
2017
Country:
 
Chile
Region:
 
Colchagua Valley (D.O. Colchagua)
Volume:
 
375ml
ABV:
 
14.5%
Grape(s):
 
Cabernet Sauvignon (90%), Merlot (10%)
Acidity:
 
3
Tannins:
 
4
Sweetness:
 
1
Body:
 
4
Length:
 
4
Aroma Intensity:
 
4
Best Temperature:
 
17-19°C

Awards/Ratings
Selected vintage notes and scores: Wine Enthusiast ~89 (2017); Descorchados (Patricio Tapia) ~91; La CAV listing ~92; James Suckling ~92

Tasting Note
Concentrated black fruits (blackberry, cassis), dark chocolate, tobacco, black pepper and vanilla from oak; full-bodied, structured with firm, rounded tannins and a long, spicy finish.

Food Pairing
Western: grilled ribeye, lamb chops, roast beef, beef Bolognese, aged cheeses. Asian: Mongolian beef, Korean BBQ, Sichuan-style beef, Peking duck, teriyaki steak.

Production Method
Hand-harvested fruit from Marchigüe/Apalta; stainless-steel fermentation followed by ~12 months in French oak barrels (mix of new/used); traditional maturation and bottling.

Vineyard Info
Viña Montes, led by Aurelio Montes, pioneered premium Chilean wines from Apalta/Colchagua since the late 1980s; Alpha is their flagship mainstream premium line.