Viña Montes | Chile | Valle de Colchagua: Monteswines.com

OUR FIRST WINE:
MONTES ALPHA CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Fame soon came when, with all our effort and passion, we created the first Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine really different from the then in vogue. Concentrated, complex and serious, he had immediate success and showed us that we had chosen the right path, the one we wanted from the beginning, thinking about the attributes that international markets wanted. The 1987 version of this Cabernet Sauvignon was the first really premium wine exported by Chile and opened for our vineyard - and for Chile - the path that others followed promptly.

Later, they followed our beloved Chardonnay, Merlot and Syrah versions. From the beginning, we thought that Montes Alpha should be synonymous with the great Premium brand of Chile, the largest export in its category, aimed at the demanding tastes of the specialized wine shops, restaurants and hotels: that special and reserved niche that leaves footprint and recognition in the world. Continuing with the obsession of creating better wines.

VALLEY OF APALTA:
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

Montes was a pioneer in betting on the Apalta Valley and planting vineyards on mountain slopes, in his persistent search for quality, being also the first to plant Syrah in Colchagua.

The result came faster than expected: the first ultra-premium (or super-Chilean or icon) Chilean, Montes Alpha 'M' 1996 (a classic Bordeaux), followed by another that has become a cult wine, Montes Folly 2000 (Syrah 100%, very low production) and, finally, the first Carmenèrepremium Chilean launched in May 2005, PurpleAngel (Carmenère 92%). All quickly turned into successes by the specialized press and by our loyal consumers.

AURELIO MONTES B,,
IN WHAT IS NOW THE APALTA ESTATE OF VIÑA MONTES

ALPHA M

FOLLY

PURPLE ANGEL

VINES ON HILLSIDES:

Viña Montes was the first to plant on the slopes of the hills at 45°, an innovative idea that implied a great risk: "Everyone told us that it was crazy, that it was much more manageable to do it on the ground, however, in the second year we were able to produce 50 thousand cases of wine. On the hill, different aspects can be managed and enhanced, such as the amount of water and nutrition, which allows greater control of quality and quantity".

THE ZAPALLAR VALLEY CHALLENGE:

Challenging the limits of traditional Chilean agriculture, we decided to plant on the coast, specifically in the seaside resort of Zapallar, something never before developed. From these vineyards, one of our latest proposals was born: Outer Limits, whose Syrah (2017 vintage) was awarded in 2019 with 94 points by the renowned wine critic James Suckling.

MONTES LANDS IN CHILOÉ:

One of Montes' latest follies, began in 2017 when he took Viña Montes to Chiloé Island, specifically to the island of Mechuque, 1,200 kms south of Santiago, Chile. On this estate, studies and trials are being conducted based on the planting of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Gewüstraminer varieties.

We leave you with a wonderful view of the stunning environment that accompanies the vines on Mechuque Island, our new challenge:

THE BEGINNING
OUR CHALLENGE

PARTNERS
FOUNDERS

Montes was built on the skills, knowledge and total commitment of its four founders: Aurelio Montes, Douglas Murray, Alfredo Vidaurre and Pedro Grand. They had a very clear vision of what the winery's orientation would be: the production of premium wines for the demanding markets around the world, being a pioneer in the production of quality wines in Chile.

CURRENT NEWS
MONTES S.A.

Currently, Montes S.A. is a closed corporation controlled by the Montes, Garcés Silva, Barros, Murray, Guarachi, and Vidaurre families.
It is a diversified wine company operating in Chile through Montes Wines, and in Argentina through Kaiken Wines. Montes S.A. also owns two distributors: Premium Brands in Chile and Ley Seca in Argentina.

PARTNERS

CRUZALFREDO VIDAURRE, AURELIO MONTES AND CRUZDOUGLAS MURRAY.

JOSÉ ANTONIO GARCÉS SILVA

SERGIO BARROS