Name: 2019 Montes Muse - 750 ml
Brand: Montes
SKU: 102827-750-AI
Price: 97.99 USD
Availability: InStock

2019 Montes Muse

98 JS

Qty:

From the critics:

97 DEC

Featured Review

Very intense aromas of blackcurrants, violets, flower stems, bark and wet earth. Very perfumed. Mushrooms, black truffles and tobacco. Great cabernet sauvignon aromas. Medium-to full-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and lovely integration. Opens and grows. Goes on for minutes. So fine. This is a terrific, new pure cabernet sauvignon from Montes from the Maipo Valley and made at their wine in the Apalta Valley. September 2022 release. 6,000 bottles made. A new classic in the making and neoclassical in nature. Very drinkable now yet it will be so much better in 2025 and beyond. James Suckling

James Suckling | 98 JS

The first vintage of a brand new wine from Montes - that was 10 years in the planning - and new to the Place de Bordeaux in 2022. A 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine from vines on alluvial terraces 460m above sea level at the foothills of the Andes in Alto Maipo. A gorgeous florality and blackcurrant fruit notes on the noes, you get wonderful freshness from the aromatics alone but also the depth, such a pristine quality with unmistakable New World Cabernet markers. The colour is also so bright and vibrant, a combination of fuscia and scarlet in the glass. Crunchy and crisp on the palate, this has real bite but with a texture that is so velvety soft giving a perfect weight in the mouth. The blackcurrant and red cherry fruits with plum, molasses and a soft balsamic touch expand outwards and vertically giving layers of tension, texture and concentrated flavour. You get the sunkissed fruit and subtle clove spice but all supremely balanced and harmonious. This is effortlessly stylish with glamour but also sophistication. I wasn’t expecting to like this so much but the whole package is very impressive and pleasurable - imposing and structured but graceful and refined at the same time. Give this a quick air in a decanter if you’re going to drink it soon. A yield of 35hl/ha. 3.65pH. Ageing 18 months in 80% new French oak barrels plus two years in bottle. 5,000 bottles released on the Place with the rest reserved for Chile and Argentina. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2035

Decanter | 97 DEC

Type of Wine	Chile Red : Whether you prefer the potency of an elegant Cabernet Sauvignon, the seductive appeal of Syrah, or the compelling puzzle of a top-notch Pinot Noir, Chile has more to offer than you can even imagine. Their wines are more than eloquent when it comes to terroir expression, and they paint these varietals in a heavenly light.
Varietal	Cabernet Sauvignon : It is recognized worldwide, referred to as “king of grapes” and has easily become the most popular grape variety in the world. Cabernet Sauvignon has seemingly taken the world by storm. It has seen exponential growth and popularity in American and around the world over the past thirty years. The phrase “Cabernet is king,” is a common maxim in the world of wine. Cabernet Sauvignon wine has become so popular that when being referred to can be recognized by simple slang, such as “Cab” or “Cabernet. It might appear simple, straightforward and easily understood; yet, interestingly remains an enigma, which has both baffled and excited oenologists since its discovery. The exact origin and circumstances of this world-altering event are still enigmatic; however, at the end of the 20th century, UC Davis Scientists (John Bowers and Carole Meredith) were able to solve part of the mystery using DNA fingerprinting technology that proved Cabernet Sauvignon to be the offspring of a surprising spontaneous crossing of Bordeaux varietals, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. By the 18th century there were already records of Cabernet Sauvignon being well-established on the west side of the Gironde Estuary (Left Bank) in the Medoc and Graves. Although tremendously popular in California and what seems to have become the identity of Napa Valley winemaking, Cabernet Sauvignon’s birth took place in the Bordeaux region of southwest France by fortuitous unification. Whereas Napa Valley experienced a winemaking renaissance during the 1970’s and 1980s (greatly due to the 1976 Judgement of Paris) quality wine from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape has been produced in the Medoc, on the Left Bank of Bordeaux for over 400 years. Cabernet Sauvignon’s first recorded plantings in California can be traced back to the 1850’s when Antoine Delmas, a French nurseryman, brought French vines (including one called ‘Cabrunet’) to the Santa Clara Valley. Early cultivation suffered due to obscurity of the varietal and improper planting in inhospitable soil. It wasn’t until pioneers such as Robert Mondavi, Randy Dunn and Warren Winiarski with their amazing foresight and understanding of terroir, would the grape variety finally find its niche in California winemaking. Cabernet Sauvignon thrives in warm climates moderated by a cooling marine influence. It is perfectly attuned to gravel-based soils with good drainage. Whether on flat land or a hillside, the Cabernet Sauvignon grape flourishes in proper climates and terroir, producing incredible yields. The thick grapevine is extremely vigorous allowing it to exploit its natural host. Its distinctive small, black berries (reminiscent of blueberries) adhere firmly to the stalk and are capable of a very long “hang time.” These berries are extremely concentrated, producing intensely flavored fruit. The thick skins of the grape are characterized as having highly astringent flavor, high tannin, acidity and dark color. Coincidentally, the variety has a special affinity for oak, which helps soften the bitterness. Today, the Noble Bordeaux varietal of Cabernet Sauvignon is planted on 340,000 hectares (741,300 acres) of vineyards across the earth’s surface. From Sicily to Sonoma, Chile to Bordeaux, South Africa to Napa. It has found symbiosis in terroir hotspots that mimic that of the Medoc and Napa Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon’s globetrotting has allowed the grape variety to take root all over the world, captivating its inhabitants and influencing winemaking. This serendipitous marriage between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc centuries ago, which offered to the world its progeny, has changed the landscape of winegrowing, winemaking and the face of the entire wine market forever. It has influenced blending, changed civilization and has cultivated a place for itself in today’s world… the very pinnacle.
Country	Chile : Each winegrowing country tends to have a signature grape variety; one that is both beloved by local vintners and one that usually tells a story. Chile is no exception; its key grape is of French origin and one that was considered extinct. Carmenere was thought to have been completely destroyed after the phylloxera outbreak in the 19th Century, but was rediscovered in Chile in the 1990s. It was a major stroke of luck as it has completely re-invigorated the Chilean wine industry. Chile is one of South America’s most important wine producing countries and is often associated with good-value wines. In the last few decades it has become well known for its world-class reds, commanding attention and top-dollar pricing. Names such as Almaviva, Concha y Toro and Casa Lapostolle have become globally recognized, fueling the country’s economy and it’s already thriving wine industry. Today, the Bordeaux varietal excels in its adopted home and its wide range of terroirs. Since the 1990’s Chilean producers have adapted their vinification methods and extended the ripening period. This has greatly increased the quality of the fruit and the wine produced. Carmenere featured in blends and single variety bottling is continuing to gain traction on the world market. Chile is no “one-trick pony” however, and has made huge strides in competing on the world-level. Bordeaux varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have always been mainstays, while Malbec, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec have been a supporting cast. Pinot Noir from the cooler parts of Chile is beginning to make an impression and Syrah is increasing in popularity in many wine producing regions. White wine plantings are led by Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Riesling and Semillon, expanding not only the quantity of varietals cultivated, but also many different stylings. This, of course, could not be possible without Chile’s vast array of micro-climates and terroirs. Chile’s topography is very favorable to viticulture and despite the fact that the country is only 100 miles wide, it does spans 2,700 miles of land running north-south. The thin strip of land is situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains which creates an array of climatic variations. The growing regions are greatly influenced by the Pacific and the Antarctic Humboldt currents, which brings cooling breezes to coastal vineyard, while the sheltering presence of the coastal mountain range makes Chile’s Central Valley relatively warm and dry. The high altitudes of the Andes provides a temperate climate in many places that may be otherwise considered hot and arid, but even more importantly, the melt water supplies natural irrigation, supplying the many regions in the foothills with a much needed water source. Chile’s location between the Pacific Ocean and the forbidding barrier of the Andes has allowed the country to be spared from phylloxera. It is ironic that a Bordeaux varietal that was nearly exterminated in Europe, survived this world-wide epidemic, only to help revive its protective host’s viticultural industry. Today, Chile has 194,000 hectares under vine, with an annual wine output of 10.3 million hectoliters, placing it among the top ten wine producing nations in the world.
Region	Maipo