Adding the Montes wines to our portfolio in 2014 was the realisation of a long-held ambition following many years admiring what Aurelio Montes was achieving in Chile. The winery was founded in 1987 by the visionary quartet Aurelio, Douglas Murray, Alfredo Vidaurre and Pedro Grand. Aurelio explains, “Our philosophy was simple - to produce excellent quality wines at a level which didn’t exist in Chile at the time.”
Aurelio Montes is widely credited with pioneering Chile’s quality revolution. His ability to identify potential in previously unknown sites, has led to the creation of appellations which now produce some of Chile’s finest wines. The Colchagua Valley is a perfect example of this. Aurelio first came to the area in his 20s and became fascinated by the then-barren landscape of Apalta, where Montes are based today. Apalta translates to ‘poor soils’, referencing the area's alluvial soils comprised predominantly of sandy loam and clay, as well as granite on the steep hillsides. Though a difficult environment for traditional agriculture, Aurelio sensed its potential for high-quality grape growing. Starting in these vineyards, he applied a rigorous, quality-focused approach to farming, resulting in low yields and perfectly ripe fruit.
Since the 1990s, Montes have made some of their finest red blends in Apalta, including ‘Folly’ and ‘Alpha M’. The ‘Folly’ Syrah is sourced from a single parcel known as ‘Finca Apalta’ on Apalta’s highest, steepest slopes. ‘Alpha M’, which hails from the same site, is a classic Bordeaux blend of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Both wines offer different but equally complex interpretations of Apalta. Since the 90s, the estate has campaigned extensively for the area to receive DO status, which was finally achieved in 2018.
Aurelio also blends Apalta fruit with sites in the greater Colchagua Valley. The ‘Purple Angel’ blends Carménère with a little Petit Verdot from exceptional sites in Apalta and Marchigüe. The resulting deeply flavoured, structured red has received 98+ points from James Suckling in its last three vintages. Just 25 kilometres from the Pacific Ocean, the landscape of Marchigüe is much flatter than in Apalta, with vineyards planted on clay soils with excellent water retention. Montes also produce the ‘Taita’ Cabernet Sauvignon from vines in this coastal area.
Outer Limits by Montes
The Outer Limits series is defined by exploration and innovation. Aurelio Montes wanted to push Chilean viticulture further in the premium direction by finding sites that hadn’t previously been planted. The 45-hectare Zapallar vineyard in the Aconcagua Valley was Montes’ first venture into the ‘outer limits’. It is seven kilometres from the sea, so cool nights and foggy mornings ensure a long growing season, making it ideal for Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Syrah.
The Sauvignon Blanc, fermented and aged solely in stainless steel, is pungently aromatic on the nose and dry and steely on the palate. The Pinot is lively yet elegant, with intense fruit flavours thanks to low yields of five tonnes per hectare. The Syrah shows cool-climate qualities of freshness and minerality.
The CGM is from the Apalta estate, where the vines are planted at a density of 12,000 per hectare. The blend, rather than the location, is the ‘outer limit’. Made from Carignan, Grenache and Mourvèdre, it is a classic Rhône blend with lovely freshness married with a liquorice-scented intensity. The ‘Old Roots’ Cinsault is made from dry-farmed, head-trained vines grown in the Itata Valley, where the first grape varieties were planted in Chile 500 years ago. This wine is wonderfully fragrant and structured and displays bright fruit and acidity.
