2019 Montes Pinot Noir Alpha

2019 Montes Pinot Noir Alpha

2019 Montes Pinot Noir Alpha; Aconcagua Costa, Chile

Winemaker Notes; The nose is reminiscent of fresh wild fruit, tart plum, with notes of damp forest, and flowers. Its time spent in lightly toasted French oak lends a spicy, sweet edge, like pastry, with notes of vanilla, nutmeg, and jam. On the palate, it is beautifully balanced, with a light to medium body and vibrant acidity. An elegant and complex wine that shows that when it comes to Chilean Pinot Noir, there’s a lot to say.

Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”

Aconcagua Costa is the coastal part of the Aconcagua region of Chile. It was recognized as a distinct DO appellation in 2012. The area has shown itself to have a cool climate well suited to white varieties and Pinot Noir. Syrah and Merlot are also grown. Wines tend to be fresh and crisp with great aromatic intensity. This all contrasts with the inland areas of the Aconcagua Valley, where temperatures are higher and Carmenère and other Bordeaux varieties are to the fore.

Montes is a large wine producer in Chile, exporting wines to more than 100 countries around the world. The company produces a wide range of wines from classic Chilean grape varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Merlot, Syrah and Chardonnay. Purple Angel, a Carmenère-predominant wine from the Colchagua Valley, is Montes’ flagship and one of Chile’s most famous wines.