1998 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon

Community Tasting Notes (5) Avg Score: 89.3 points

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  12/11/2023 - MrGando wrote: 90 Points

  I got one in an auction recently for cheap and got out of curiosity.
  
  I was quite impressed, quite a nice wine. Acidity holding things together nicely, soft tanins very resolved now. All forest floor, dry earth and mushrooms now.
  
  Pre 2000’s was before Chilean wines entered what I think was a more over extracted, high yields era. This is one of the nicest CS with evolution that I’ve had from Chile (and I’ve had plenty), really reminded me of an old school made left bank claret.

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  8/13/2010 - margsinc wrote: 93 Points

  great wine, very smooth

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  8/14/2009 - vespasian wrote: 87 Points

  Hanging in there - alcohol is a little pronounced but there is some interesting complexity on the nose and palate and some cassis and mint flavours still remain. Proves that Chilean can age - more recent vintages will probably cellar even better.

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  12/1/2006 - wombat wrote: 92 Points

  Note: This has the "D.O. SANTA CRUZ ALPALTA VINEYARD" designation on the front label.
  Alcohol: 13.5%, Barrel Aging: 12 months in new French Oak Color: Dark Ruby center, 3 cm orange/brick rim Body/Texture: medium-full
  Aroma/Bouquet:
  Day 1: Closed, slight dark berry, smoke and earth.
  Day 2: Opened up. Cassis (dried berries?), strong blue cheese and funky earth, sublte smoke, and wood.
  Day 3: Blue cheese has disappeared. Earth, smoke, toasted oak, violet
  Flavor:
  Day 1: undefined fruit
  Day 2: Raspberry, blackberry with blue cheese on mid-palate. Nice 25-30 second berry finish
  Day 3: Blue cheese has morphed into earth plus cocoa.
  Complexity/Balance: Well integrated. Good fruit, still some acidity and (mostly) tamed, but substantial tannins. Complex.
  Overall Impression: Best on day 3. An outstanding wine.
  Cellaring Potential: Drink now if you like to have some powerful, though aged, fruit flavors along with earthy characteristics.

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  4/24/2002 - cigar52 wrote: 87 Points

  good underlying body and taste...covered somewhat with tannins...could be a 88 in a year or two

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