Outer Limits by Montes Apalta Vineyard 2022
The aromas evoke a mix of ripe red and blue berries, such as raspberry, sour cherry, blackberry, and blueberry. The fruitiness blends beautifully with the characteristic aromas of these varieties, including sweet spice, such as cinnamon, nutmeg. On the palate, it is vibrant, with soft tannins, medium body, and a long-lasting finish.
All the grapes come from Montes' own single vineyard 'La Finca Apalta' in Apalta, arguably one of the finest sites for red wine grape growing in Chile. Vines in Apalta are planted on 45° slopes with south-east exposure, which helps them achieve ripeness. The soils are of granitic origin, with clay and decomposing rock. The vines are conducted under the pole system on terraces. Even at 55km away, the ocean has an influence, with cool breezes moderating this warm area. In addition, low night-time temperatures prolong ripening, allowing for the slow development and retention of varietal aromas and acidity. Montes practise minimum intervention in the vineyard.
The grapes were hand-harvested in10-kg boxes and underwent rigorous selection upon arrival before destemming. The selected fruit was transferred into tanks where the grapes were fermented with indigenous yeasts at 22-25°C for 8-10 days. During fermentation the wine underwent manual punch-downs and gentle pump-overs and it was macerated for 3-5 days after the end of fermentation to enhance structure and tannin structure. Following pressing, 50% of the wine was transferred to ovoid concrete tanks for malolactic fermentation and 12-month ageing, while the remainder was maintained in stainless steel tanks. The wine was membrane-filtered before bottling to ensure optimal bottle longevity.
