Leaf Day - found in the cellar wine (may have been added as a 2010). High fill - no loss. Cork was in good condition but broke 2/3 of the way down. Had to push it in. Decanted off (and strained) bits of cork and a small amount (about a tsp) of fine sediment. Immediately after decanting - opaque core ruby in colour out to the edge. Nose oak, dark plum, vanilla, red flowers and just a hint of maturity via some damp earth and herbs. On the palate it’s very soft and mouth filling with the vanilla, oak and big ripe dark fruit initially. Very warm on the palate ( a combination of spice from the barrel and alcohol) but extremely enjoyable. The finish is long with the fruit, spice, vanilla and a little earthiness continuing. Pretty well balanced considering the huge amounts of each element. Can drink by itself but will let it sit for a bit and see how it works with grilled strip loin.
After 1/2 hour in the glass the aromatics have become more subdued and showing more of the red flowers and herbs than the big fruit and oak influence. On the palate it’s still plush with fully resolved but still present tannins and medium plus acidity. The finish is long with the spice and herbs and some black licorice showing. The alcohol (15% stated) is showing more now but is not detracting from the wine’s pleasure. On the back end of the finish the vanilla and oak shows. This will happily go another 3-5 years. It’ll be as enjoyable then as now but there is no need to wait - I don’t see a lot of evolution coming.
2nd day - Fruit Day - no colour change. Nose is ripe dark fruit (plum/blackberry) with dark chocolate, spice, vanilla and just a touch of smoke. On the palate it’s still got some ripe tannins and is as smooth as yesterday but the fruit has diminished enough to allow the structure to shine a little more. The finish is long and there’s some definite herb action along with some black licorice and now some tobacco showing. It’s a bit disjointed today as each element is there but not fully merged into a whole.
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Brought this to Famous Treasure for a wine dinner with my wine mates.
Decanted for 2 hours prior to consumption. Smooth texture on the palate, almost silk-like with a long, lingering finish. Smooth and elegant, very polished. Not as impressive as the earlier vintages which I've had, but good enough for a meal with friends during the festive season.
Energy in a velvet glove. Way punches above its weight.
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Awesome! My favorite from a tasting Montes wines in 2015 - and now even better. Perfectly ready to drink now, may continue to improve. Deep dark purple monster, intense fruit and strong but softened tannins. Dropped a fair amount of fine sediment. However, it's a bit monochromatic compared to some syrahs in similar or lower price range, particularly the better California syrahs such as Ojai, Carlisle and Bedrock.
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Five years since my last time trying this one. Still in an incredible condition. I said it once and say it again, on of the top 3 South American Syrah and one of the top 10 Of all South American wines. Just beautiful.
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This was my New Years Eve bottle. It was intense right out of the bottle, let it sit for a couple of hours and it really opened up and mellowed. Big dark berry notes, but so smooth. The bouquet and flavor was deep and wonderful, floral with blackberry, bark, and cinnamon notes. The body is medium/full. The wine has polished texture and finishes long with low acidity. Please let it have air for an hour or two. If this is getting better I am getting excited about the next bottle. I love this.
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Still an excellent wine to be enjoyed. A scent of pepper in bouquet. No blackcurrant, but blackberry and coffee in bouquet, I think. So long aftertaste - I like! Too bad this is my last....
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High toned on the nose with notes of licorice, blue fruits, plowed earth. Decent acidity. Medium to Full-bodied and lots of character. Continued to get better as the night went on.
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Not bad but disappointing for the price. Recently visited the winery and picked this up with high hopes. Drinks easily with nice dark fruit and full body but found it to be a bit too alcoholic with little complexity. Much better Syrahs available at lower price. I would sit on this for a few years to see how it develops...I'm just not sure there's enough here to develop.
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In fact for first round is not reli like a Shiraz,we serve it as blind,but can confirm as the new world,with not much French oak,it's gonna like very red fruit,although is a good intensive and a jammy note,tannin with a not bad palate.
2nd round:tannin gonna be fine and not much.
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not as good as what I have had in the past...first day, probably 93-94...sweet, polished, dark fruit with raspberry and strawberry notes....second day, a little more flat, less complex and less fruit, more like a 90.
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100% Syrah. 45 degree slopes. Medium nose shows bramble, Chilean style of black pepper, anise, sour blackberry. Palate shows lovely juicy layers, black fruit, black pepper, violets, graphite, high tannins kind of take over. Drinks like Cabernet really. I would hold this and see what happens down the road.
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Opaq. Blueberry, blackberry, coffee, chocolate, violets and sweet spices on the nose. Complex and powerful. Full-bodied, rich but not over the top. Balanced with an endless aftertaste.
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Almost purple in colour. Glossy - on the nose candied cherries, plums, cloves, Powerful, rich and sweet on the palate, but not as hot and harsh as I remember it to be a couple of weeks ago. A little heavy still. Lovely length and vibrancy to the finish. Keep. 91-92+
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Still one of my favorite wines from South America. Pure pleasure, deep and harmoniously with nice integrated tannins. Give it at least 6 years time from the vintage to open up completly.
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No formal notes - over dinner. Not much to add to Timbalimba's note. Concentrated blueberry on the nose, not jammy but very expressive and intense. Also spices and a floral element. On the palate much less open despite the decant, high in acidity towards the finish, maybe a bit sharp at times. Tight with pure fruit, grippy. I would also agree that it's nicely balanced despite the high alcohol and that it will benefit from more time in the bottle - I had a 2000 earlier this year and rated it much higher. 88-89+ for now.
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Expressive on the nose, red and blue fruits, green leaves and sloe, a solid core of primary Syrah fruit but no traits of white pepper or burnt rubber. Full bodied, juicy, blue fruit again, very high acidity, with a briary aspect that dominates the finish. No heat in spite of 15,2 abv. Forceful, but essentially in balance. A bit wild and unpolished but that's good, it makes a refreshing break from the usual rush to create premium wines that in the end lack character. Needs time, no doubt. 92+
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At the winery with some ham and local cheeses. Spectacular setting...
First experience with this (or any Montes) wines. Dark purple/velvet color. Nose was dark fruits and floral notes. Smooth mouthfeel, medium finish. Elegant and restrained, would pair well with lamb, pork, spiced chicken, salmon
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Excellent wine - off course also quite expensive, but such a pleasure to drink. Buy again on sale! Dark color, and bouquet of raisins?, after taste long and delicious, in perfect balance for my taste. One of the best wines I have tasted in some time...
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6/22/2023 - biggie Likes this wine: 93 Points
Leaf Day - found in the cellar wine (may have been added as a 2010). High fill - no loss. Cork was in good condition but broke 2/3 of the way down. Had to push it in. Decanted off (and strained) bits of cork and a small amount (about a tsp) of fine sediment.
Immediately after decanting - opaque core ruby in colour out to the edge. Nose oak, dark plum, vanilla, red flowers and just a hint of maturity via some damp earth and herbs. On the palate it’s very soft and mouth filling with the vanilla, oak and big ripe dark fruit initially. Very warm on the palate ( a combination of spice from the barrel and alcohol) but extremely enjoyable. The finish is long with the fruit, spice, vanilla and a little earthiness continuing. Pretty well balanced considering the huge amounts of each element. Can drink by itself but will let it sit for a bit and see how it works with grilled strip loin.
After 1/2 hour in the glass the aromatics have become more subdued and showing more of the red flowers and herbs than the big fruit and oak influence. On the palate it’s still plush with fully resolved but still present tannins and medium plus acidity. The finish is long with the spice and herbs and some black licorice showing. The alcohol (15% stated) is showing more now but is not detracting from the wine’s pleasure. On the back end of the finish the vanilla and oak shows. This will happily go another 3-5 years. It’ll be as enjoyable then as now but there is no need to wait - I don’t see a lot of evolution coming.
2nd day - Fruit Day - no colour change. Nose is ripe dark fruit (plum/blackberry) with dark chocolate, spice, vanilla and just a touch of smoke. On the palate it’s still got some ripe tannins and is as smooth as yesterday but the fruit has diminished enough to allow the structure to shine a little more. The finish is long and there’s some definite herb action along with some black licorice and now some tobacco showing. It’s a bit disjointed today as each element is there but not fully merged into a whole.
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12/28/2021 - stayhappy21 wrote: 91 Points
Brought this to Famous Treasure for a wine dinner with my wine mates.
Decanted for 2 hours prior to consumption. Smooth texture on the palate, almost silk-like with a long, lingering finish. Smooth and elegant, very polished. Not as impressive as the earlier vintages which I've had, but good enough for a meal with friends during the festive season.
Energy in a velvet glove. Way punches above its weight.
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6/8/2020 - mac-eye Likes this wine: 93 Points
Awesome! My favorite from a tasting Montes wines in 2015 - and now even better. Perfectly ready to drink now, may continue to improve. Deep dark purple monster, intense fruit and strong but softened tannins. Dropped a fair amount of fine sediment.
However, it's a bit monochromatic compared to some syrahs in similar or lower price range, particularly the better California syrahs such as Ojai, Carlisle and Bedrock.
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4/7/2020 - DrZett wrote: 95 Points
Five years since my last time trying this one. Still in an incredible condition. I said it once and say it again, on of the top 3 South American Syrah and one of the top 10 Of all South American wines. Just beautiful.
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1/31/2020 - Bordeaux-OH-OH! Likes this wine: 97 Points
This was my New Years Eve bottle. It was intense right out of the bottle, let it sit for a couple of hours and it really opened up and mellowed. Big dark berry notes, but so smooth. The bouquet and flavor was deep and wonderful, floral with blackberry, bark, and cinnamon notes.
The body is medium/full. The wine has polished texture and finishes long with low acidity. Please let it have air for an hour or two. If this is getting better I am getting excited about the next bottle. I love this.
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10/28/2018 - Aleks Che wrote: 90 Points
CHE90
last year this wine was much more interesting. Now only black currant jam and a lot of sugar.
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8/5/2018 - gastonduhart wrote: 93 Points
Very good wine. Rich with strong flavors of blackberry, plum and cherry. Long and intense finish.
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5/4/2018 - jesperarent wrote: 90 Points
Still an excellent wine to be enjoyed.
A scent of pepper in bouquet. No blackcurrant, but blackberry and coffee in bouquet, I think.
So long aftertaste - I like! Too bad this is my last....
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1/5/2018 - jesperarent Likes this wine: 92 Points
an excellent wine - compared to Fasoli Gino Calle news year eve, and this came out as winner. Such pleasant wine to drink. Buy again
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7/28/2017 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
High toned on the nose with notes of licorice, blue fruits, plowed earth. Decent acidity. Medium to Full-bodied and lots of character. Continued to get better as the night went on.
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5/29/2017 - hebill wrote: 89 Points
Not bad but disappointing for the price. Recently visited the winery and picked this up with high hopes. Drinks easily with nice dark fruit and full body but found it to be a bit too alcoholic with little complexity. Much better Syrahs available at lower price. I would sit on this for a few years to see how it develops...I'm just not sure there's enough here to develop.
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5/7/2017 - yuk1230 wrote: 91 Points
In fact for first round is not reli like a Shiraz,we serve it as blind,but can confirm as the new world,with not much French oak,it's gonna like very red fruit,although is a good intensive and a jammy note,tannin with a not bad palate.
2nd round:tannin gonna be fine and not much.
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5/22/2016 - richshoes Likes this wine: 91 Points
not as good as what I have had in the past...first day, probably 93-94...sweet, polished, dark fruit with raspberry and strawberry notes....second day, a little more flat, less complex and less fruit, more like a 90.
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2/24/2016 - GTFreek wrote:
100% Syrah. 45 degree slopes. Medium nose shows bramble, Chilean style of black pepper, anise, sour blackberry. Palate shows lovely juicy layers, black fruit, black pepper, violets, graphite, high tannins kind of take over. Drinks like Cabernet really. I would hold this and see what happens down the road.
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12/13/2015 - Yiannis Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opaq. Blueberry, blackberry, coffee, chocolate, violets and sweet spices on the nose. Complex and powerful. Full-bodied, rich but not over the top. Balanced with an endless aftertaste.
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11/8/2015 - rossi.wine wrote: 92 Points
Almost purple in colour. Glossy - on the nose candied cherries, plums, cloves, Powerful, rich and sweet on the palate, but not as hot and harsh as I remember it to be a couple of weeks ago. A little heavy still. Lovely length and vibrancy to the finish. Keep. 91-92+
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10/10/2015 - DrZett Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still one of my favorite wines from South America. Pure pleasure, deep and harmoniously with nice integrated tannins. Give it at least 6 years time from the vintage to open up completly.
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9/25/2015 - rossi.wine wrote: 89 Points
No formal notes - over dinner. Not much to add to Timbalimba's note. Concentrated blueberry on the nose, not jammy but very expressive and intense. Also spices and a floral element. On the palate much less open despite the decant, high in acidity towards the finish, maybe a bit sharp at times. Tight with pure fruit, grippy. I would also agree that it's nicely balanced despite the high alcohol and that it will benefit from more time in the bottle - I had a 2000 earlier this year and rated it much higher. 88-89+ for now.
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9/18/2015 - Raizes Likes this wine: 91 Points
香气以甘草香料和烟熏培根为主，李子，黑莓的果味丰富但颇为克制，所以风格上更趋向于工整而非奔放。层次和深度都不错，单宁有力但被打磨的十分细腻。中段的口感饱满充实，已经展现了很强的实力，但再经历一些陈年会有更精彩的表现。
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9/7/2015 - Timbalimba wrote: 92 Points
Expressive on the nose, red and blue fruits, green leaves and sloe, a solid core of primary Syrah fruit but no traits of white pepper or burnt rubber. Full bodied, juicy, blue fruit again, very high acidity, with a briary aspect that dominates the finish. No heat in spite of 15,2 abv. Forceful, but essentially in balance. A bit wild and unpolished but that's good, it makes a refreshing break from the usual rush to create premium wines that in the end lack character. Needs time, no doubt. 92+
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5/10/2015 - walkerjfw wrote: 90 Points
At the winery with some ham and local cheeses. Spectacular setting...
First experience with this (or any Montes) wines. Dark purple/velvet color. Nose was dark fruits and floral notes. Smooth mouthfeel, medium finish. Elegant and restrained, would pair well with lamb, pork, spiced chicken, salmon
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3/27/2015 - jesperarent Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent wine - off course also quite expensive, but such a pleasure to drink. Buy again on sale!
Dark color, and bouquet of raisins?, after taste long and delicious, in perfect balance for my taste.
One of the best wines I have tasted in some time...
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