Montes tasting (Chile)

[Drew]

Stopped in one of my favorite stores Sat. and they were hosting a Montes wine tasting so I HAD to taste.

2001 Montes Cabernet Sauvignon (Reserve) - Very good cabernet with deep flavors of cassis, dark fruit,chocolate and earthy undertones. Great value for $9.

2001 MONTES "Limited Selection" Cabernet 70% + Carmenère 30% = Probably my least favorite of the tasting. A leaner and more astringent version of the wine above $13

2001 MONTES ALPHA Cabernet Sauvignon
One step better than there $9 cab. More intense flavors with a blast of dark chocolate on the finish. Lay this down for a short time and it's gonna be a killer for $20.

2000 MONTES ALPHA Merlot - My wine of the tasting. A beautiful merlot made in the Pommerol style. Very rich, tannic, earthy, chocolate, tobacco and spice. $20 and a case buy with 20% discount ($16 hee, hee...now I just have to sneek it in the house)

2001 MONTES ALPHA Syrah
blackberry with dominating black cherry and red fruits with terroir. Smooth drinking but not flabby, has good acidic structure. Tasted last after the above and didn't show well after the above darker, lusher wines, will try it again, alone.
$20.

BTW, all of the above wines showed an Old World style which was refreshing given the large amount of cloned fruit bombs available. Also I've turned away from many wines from Chile due to the green edge they display which the Montes line did not...very impressive wines at good prices.

Drew

[This message has been edited by Drew (edited 11-09-2003).]

[Innkeeper]

A Chilian Merlot that didn't taste like green peppers? Incredible!

[winoweenie]

" Sneak it In? ". You probably have entrances and exits in your new abode than the Remington House. WW [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Drew]

Yea, LOL, but she knows and guards all two of em....Maybe I'll sneak it in through the hole in the roof [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]

Drew

[Thomas]

You can sneak it in through your stomach-- finish it off in the garage, or at a friend's place.

[ShortWiner]

Maybe you should take advantage of the repairs to install a secret entrance?

[Innkeeper]

2003 Montes, Reserve, Oak Aged, Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley ($10 The Clown Belfast). Alcohol level 13.5%. This was one of three value Cabs and three Chards (all oak bombs) featured at The Clown tasting last week. Bought the three Cabs. It was kind of an unusual tasting for The Clown. It opened last year as an upscale alternative to the value oriented Belfast Coop around the corner. Now it looks like they are going head to head with them, although they still carry a lot of upscale stuff.

This is one of the best offerings of any kind from Chile that we have had in a looong time. Beautiful rich ruby red to the eye. On the nose it showed some varietal character with black currents and other fruit, but there was still some South American spiciness that we actually like. Across the palate it showed much more fruit that oak, but was just a tad astringent. We think that will almost certainly smooth out with a little more age. It rang a bell or two on the finish.

We matched it with leftover Beef Bourgondien. Like most stews, it was better the second time around. Had to go to a library meeting tonight, so warmed it up very slowly in a double boiler. It was perfect with salad in blue cheese dressing. The wine loved it, and we loved everything

[TheEngineer]

Techniques for sneaking....

(1) for single bottles, the fit in the laptop case with the laptop
(2) for sneaking in 6 bottles or a magnum, use of a plastic bag surrounded by clean gym close....
(3) for sneaking in a case or a double magnum, ...wait until entire family is sleeping.....no other choice...unless it is icewine or Riesling.......then it can come in at any time......

[wondersofwine]

IK, Are you on the library board of trustees or something? I went to a nice event Monday evening at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum in downtown Fayetteville. It was a celebration of the Cumberland County Public Library and Information Center where library employees and board could chat with some of the community leaders. Nice hors d'oeuvres and the wine was a Beaujolais Nouveau nearing the end of its window.

[hotwine]

Add to sneaking techniques:
Pay with cash withdrawn from savings, so there's no credit card receipt or checking account entry. Eat the store receipt. Move wine directly from vehicle to cellar when she's not home. When she finally picks up on there being new juice on hand, pull a Slick Willy.... deny, obfuscate, stone-wall, wheedle and whine. And be prepared for crowning with the empty box.

[Georgie]

and justifiably so! You guys are something else! But, if you think the girls in your lives haven't sneaked in a few purchases, you're sadly mistaken! I think my brother holds the record for hiding things. He's been collecting Fender guitars. He finally told his wife that he had SEVEN of them stashed in differnet places in the house!

[Innkeeper]

Yes WOW I'm president of our local library's board of trustees. I'm the only conservative amongst a pack of left coasters that happen to live on the east coast.

[hotwine]

Good grief, IK, talk about being a glutton for punishment! I don't even speak the same language as the left coaster crowd. Can't imagine being surrounded by them at any kind of board meeting. Would probably call the dentist and schedule a series of root canals.

[Drew]

and this is what really cracks me up about my lovely...I do all the wine buying for the house. There is always an open bottle and every day she enjoys some wine and comments "Fruity" which means she likes or "It's ok" which means average or dislike. She's not into anyalizing wine which is fine. I get a "fruity" 9 out of 10 times [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]. And heres the punch line...she constantly complains that I (1). buy too much wine and (2). that I spend too much money on wine. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/eek.gif[/img] She's not cutting back on drinking it though.

Drew

[winoweenie]

As long as I keep the 2 diamonds full of SWs' for CB, I get no scrutiny. I occassionally find she's decided to try a red and so in the diamonds next to her SWs' I plant the Everyday reds as she can't determine the difference between a Glen Ellen Cab with a B.V. Reserve. WW