2022 Montes Alpha Syrah ($24.99)
Montes — officially Viña Montes — was founded in 1987 by four partners with extensive experience in winemaking and viticulture: Aurelio Montes, Douglas Murray, Alfredo Vidaurre, and Pedro Grand. Their founding goal was bold and transformative: to craft premium-quality wines at a time when Chile was largely known for high-volume, inexpensive wine production rather than world-class bottles.
Montes didn’t just make great wine — it rewrote the story of Chilean viticulture. By insisting on premium quality, exploring new terroirs, innovating in both vineyard and cellar practices, and maintaining a deeply Chilean identity without reliance on foreign investment, Montes helped elevate the reputation of an entire nation’s wine industry.
This Montes Alpha Syrah is produced from Syrah (90%), Cabernet Sauvignon (7%) and Viognier (3%). The grapes were macerated in the fermentation tank for 5 days, after which selected yeasts were added Fermentation lasted for 7–10 days. It then underwent malolactic conversion. A portion of the wine was racked into French oak barrels where it remained for 12 months while remaining wine was held in concrete tanks, before it was blended into the final wine that was bottled. [ABV: 14.5%, TA: 3.8 g/L, pH: 3.5, Residual Sugar: 3.3 g/L]
The 2022 Montes Alpha Syrah is deep purple in color with delicate aromas of black and blue berries. On the palate, this full-bodied wine has flavors of black berry and boysenberry with medium tannin and medium acidity. The oak aging adds a bit of chocolate flavor to this wine that finishes with deep, rich jammy flavor.
This 2022 Montes Alpha Syrah is an excellent example of the wines coming out of Chile’s Colchagua Valley. It’s great tasting and a super value. A perfect fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!
Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Media Sample Provided by Montes Winery via Kobrand Wine and Spirits