Country: Chile  Region: Colchagua Valleyb  Vintage: 2012 Varietal: Syrah/Shiraz and Blends  Category: Red Wine  Color:  Red Producer: Montes "Adding the Montes wines to our portfolio in 2015 was the realisation of a long-held ambition, after many years of admiring what Aurelio Montes was achieving in Chile. Taste the wines and find out why we feel that way. The Sauvignon Blancs are lifted and fresh, their varietal character derived from growing the grapes in the right place and picking them when they are ripe and not, as many in Chile seem to do, by picking them green in order to ensure an herbaceous character which displays what they think is the mark of the varietal. The Merlots, Malbecs and Cabernets have lovely colour, intensity and definition, and supple tannins. This is rare in Chile. So how do they do it? Not surprisingly, in the vineyard. They learned, when they started producing Montes Alpha in 1987, that they needed balanced yields and to harvest when the grapes were ripe. They adapted these practices to all their vineyards and the results are startling. Montes' own vineyards cover 75% of their requirements. The other 25% of fruit is produced on vineyards they have planted, cultivated and picked. In other words, they control everything except the ownership of the land. In addition to this control over the vineyard, they also sell in bulk what is not good enough to go into the bottles that carry their label. Having made the selection in the vineyard, they are able to make a further selection in the winery. The results are there for you to taste." Product Features: Sustainable;Vegan;Vegetarian Winemaker: Aurelio Montes Baseden Vineyards: Syrah grapes are sourced from a single parcel on the highest, steepest slopes of the'Finca Apalta' in Apalta, arguably one of the finest sites for red wine grape growing in Chile. Vines are planted on 45° slopes providing good exposure to aid ripening. Even at 60km away, the ocean holds influence, with its cool breezes moderating this warm area. Low night-time temperatures further prolong ripening, allowing for the slow development and retention of varietal aromas and acidity. All grapes are hand harvested and yields are very small at 3.5-4 tonnes per hectare. Vinification: Grapes underwent a meticulous, dual sorting process in the winery, once by machine using camera 'eyes' to reject less than perfect grapes and once by hand. Only perfect berries made the final cut for this wine. Fruit underwent cold soaking for 10 days at 10°c to extract aroma and colour, before fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks for eight days. Following this, the wine spent 15-20 days on skins to enhance structure and colour. After malolactic fermentation, the wine was aged in 100% new French oak barrels for 18 months. Tasting Notes: Deep purple ruby red in colour. Elegant and complex, with intense ripe red and blue berries on the nose, giving way to a seductive pastry note. Coffee, chocolate, and well-integrated toast complement the fruit aromas. The creamy palate has hints of nutmeg. Balanced, with round tannins, tremendous structure, and a very long finish. Food Suggestion: An ideal match for rich, red meats; rib eye steak, lamb, venison or baby back pork ribs. Closure: NaturalCork  ABV:18.5%  Acidity[g/l]: 5.81