Montes Alpha Chardonnay 2021
The vineyards for Montes Alpha Chardonnay are located in the Casablanca region of Chile, where cool breezes and proximity to the Pacific Ocean produce ideal conditions for the grapes to ripen slowly and fully. The sites are irrigated via a sustainable system, pioneered by Aurelio and his team, which allows for extremely precise and minimal irrigation. The varied sandy and loam soils lend this wine tremendous complexity. Upon arrival at the winery, the handpicked fruit underwent a combination of whole bunch pressing, pressing of destemmed grapes and cold maceration for several hours, allowing the winemaking team to play with the aromatic extraction from the skins and level of structure. Malolactic conversion was allowed to take place, to increase both softness and volume on the palate, and also giving the wine greater texture and complexity. Finally, the wine was filtered before being bottled. A bright golden-yellow in colour, this wine displays vibrant aromas of tropical fruit such as pink grapefruit, papaya and lychee, with subtle notes of smoke and vanilla from time spent in French oak. The palate is juicy and fresh, with a vibrant acidity that complements the wine’s medium body and lengthens the finish.
