Montes Alpha Carménère – Tour of Chile Wine #4

90% Carménère and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from Colchagua Valley, Chile.

SRP of $24 but available for as low as $17. Sample received courtesy Wines of Chile for review purposes.

From the bottle:

“Montes Alpha Carménère – Colchagua Valley
From Chile With Pride

Montes Alpha has become, in the past fifteen years, a benchmark for other Chilean wineries to follow, always in search for Chile’s full potential. Having chosen the most difficult niche to focus on (hotels, restaurants, wine-merchants, delicatessen), we have constantly created beautfiully complex but really friendly wines that, once tasted, generate solid loyalty from our beloved followers. To them, our gratitude.

Aurelio Montes has pioneered in premium and ultra-premium wines, in discovering new wine regions like the superb Apalta valley and Marchigue (both in Colchagua), in establishing low-yield steep mountain vineyards and, in doing so, has gained wide international recognition. Wine Spectator said it briefly: ‘Montes offers perhaps the broadest range of quality wine in Chile today’.

Nourished with T.L.C. (Tender Loving Care) all our vines and wines are the result of personal dedication, a great team and a little help from our Angels.

14.5% Alcohol”

Our wine today comes from one of the more celebrated producers in Chile. We previously reviewed the Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon and while we liked it, we found that the price was just too high to justify a buy rating. Today we have another wine on the expensive side, with an SRP of $24. Luckily for us it is available for around $17, but this is still pushing our limit. And so we pose the question we always do…is it worth it? The answer…read on.

The 2008 Montes Alpha Carménère starts with a great bouquet of red fruit, spice, plum and vanilla. The wine tastes of dark fruit and a little black pepper and has a smooth and rich texture. This one has lots of toasty oak flavors that are most predominant on the finish but apparent throughout. This wine has a medium-long finish that features lingering coffee notes. Overall not too bad but the oak overpowers on day 1. I thought it might be better on day 2 but was about the same.

See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.

Wines in the Tour of Chile Series

1) 2010 Emiliana Natura Carménère
2) 2008 Casa Silva Los Lingues Gran Reserva Carménère
3) 2008 Santa Rita Medalla Real Gran Reserva Carménère
4) 2008 Montes Alpha Carménère
5) 2009 Carmen Gran Reserva Carménère
6) 2009 Santa Carolina Reserva de Familia Carménère
7) 2009 Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Carménère
8) 2007 Haras de Pirque Character

All ratings use a simple 10 point scale with 10 being the best. Find out more about my rating systemhere and check out the Interactive Wine Rating Chart to find all my reviews! You can sort by type of wine, cost, rating, etc. in the interactive spreadsheet.