Montes Alpha Series Chardonnay 2014
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Suckling
James
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Highly recommended with Caesar salad, grilled fish, lobster, pork ribs, baked turkey with gravy sauce, grilled salmon with caper sauce
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A chardonnay with lovely freshness yet shows light oiliness and richness. Full body, soft tannins and a rich and flavorful finish of cooked apples, cream and pie crust. 30% malolactic. Long and rich. Drink now.
Other Vintages
2022-
Suckling
James
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Suckling
James - Vinous
- Vinous
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Suckling
James
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Suckling
James -
Panel
Tasting
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Suckling
James -
Panel
Tasting
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Suckling
James
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Suckling
James
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Suckling
James
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Spectator
Wine
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Parker
Robert -
Enthusiast
Wine
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Parker
Robert
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Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
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Enthusiast
Wine
With the release of the first Montes Alpha wine back in 1988, Montes became one of the first premium wineries of Chile. Their premise, a clear belief that Chile had an untapped potential as a producer of quality wines, made them a benchmark for other wineries to follow. Its original four partners' total involvement and the continuous help of the angels that decorate their labels was key to their success. Two decades later, Montes is the fifth most important winery of Chile where Aurelio Montes continues leading the winemaking area with the same passion as the first day. Hard work and total focus on quality has led Montes to be one of the most successful and respected quality-driven wineries in Chile as they continue pioneering and breaking new grounds in wine.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A region that has become synonymous with some of the best whites of Chile, the Casablanca Valley is full of dozens of bodegas who either grow fruit here or come from outside to source from local growers for their own white wine programs. The valley runs from east to west, which means that its westernmost vineyards receive the most cooling influence from the reliable afternoon sea breezes. The soils also tend to be heavier in clay in the west, whereas the eastern end of the valley is warmer and its soils are predominantly granitic. Sauvignon blanc thrives here, Chardonnay does well and Pinot noir is not uncommon.