Montes Classic Series Curicó Chardonnay 2023
This wine is pale gold in colour with expressive aromas of fresh tropical fruit like papaya, peach and grapefruit. On the palate, it is medium-bodied with the fresh fruit character supported by hints of vanilla, hazelnut and toast from time spent ageing in French oak.
The Curicó Valley has a Mediterranean climate, with the mountainous coastal range shielding the valley from the cooling influences of the Pacific Ocean. As a result, Chardonnay from this area tends toward a riper style, although the cool evenings ensure the grapes are able to retain freshness. The vines are VSP-trained and drip-irrigated, ensuring healthy, evenly ripened grapes with good concentration.
Grapes were hand picked into small 10kg boxes and then sorted in order to remove any under ripe or damaged berries. A portion was whole bunch pressed, with the juice then being transferred into stainless-steel tanks. Another portion was destemmed and cold soaked at 9°C for a few hours to extract aromatic precursors from the skins. Fermentation lasted between 12-20 days and took place at 12-14°C in stainless-steel tanks in order to preserve freshness. The wine did not undergo malolactic conversion, and 30% of the wine was aged in new French oak for six to eight months.
