Montes Classic Series Colchagua Malbec 2022
This wine is deep ruby red in colour. On the nose, there are intense aromas of fresh blueberry, blackberry and plum with hints of sweet spices. On the palate, there are hints of vanilla and nutmeg from the French oak. This medium-bodied wine is smooth with silky tannins and a long finish.
The Malbec grapes come from the Apalta and El Arcángel de Marchigüe estates in the Colchagua Valley, which is renowned for making excellent red wines. Soils are derived from granite at different stages of decomposition and there is a variation in vineyard gradient that makes these two sites very interesting. Apalta is characterised by colluvial and alluvial influences, with varying depths and textures, and is heavily influenced by the Tinguiririca River. The Mediterranean climate provides summers with cold nights and hot days, which helps the fruit to ripen slowly while retaining acidity, and achieve perfect ripeness. Marchigüe has shallower soils and moderate slopes, primarily of colluvial origin. Due to its proximity to the coastal mountain range, the climate is more severe than Apalta's, with more wind and less rainfall.
Upon arrival to the winery, the grapes were hand selected prior to crushing. Following a 10 -15 day fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine remained in contact with the skins to add greater roundness and body. The wine then went through full malolactic fermentation before 40% was aged in French oak barrels for six months ahead of bottling.
