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2012 Montes Alpha "M" Red Wine

Not Currently In Auction

Latest Sale Price

August 24, 2025 - $71

Estimate

RATINGS

93Vinous / IWC

Powerful, spice- and smoke-accented dark berry, vanilla and floral pastille scents, along with hints of allspice and mocha. Velvety and seamless in texture, offering deeply concentrated blackberry, cherry-vanilla and fruitcake flavors and a suggestion of sweet chewing tobacco...finishes with excellent clarity, spicy lift and just a hint of fine-grained tannins.

93Wine Enthusiast

...aromas of earth, cola, eucalyptus, fallen leaves, black cherry and cassis... Dark, toasty, baked flavors of blackberry come with vanilla, herb and tobacco accents. The finish feels great while tasting integrated and complex.

91The Wine Advocate

...bright blue fruit, Mediterranean herbs and plenty of sweet spices from the élevage. The palate is full-bodied with soft, round tannins, velvety, balanced and easy to drink...

90Wine Spectator

...rich current of hot stone and roasted plum flavors, accented by notes of slate and Asian spice. The lively finish is loaded with mineral and white pepper accents.

PRODUCER

Montes

Montes Premium Wines was founded in 1988 by four business partners who wanted to make a Bordeaux-style Cabernet Sauvignon in Chile. With vineyards in the Apalta Valley, the estate’s debut wine was the 1987 Cabernet Sauvignon. The estate soon added Chardonnay, Merlot and Syrah to its vineyards. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that “over the years, Montes has been one of the standard-bearers of quality wines from Chile under the leadership of Aurelio Montes. The entire lineup is top-notch, from entry level to the top of the line."

REGION

Chile, Central Valley Region, Curico Valley

Chile has produced wine since the 16th century, when Spanish conquistadores brought grape vines and established vineyards. Sweet wines were favored until well into the 19th century, when French immigrants began making dry wines with a decidedly French character. Chile’s long, narrow, coastal geography has made the transportation of wines challenging over the centuries, though today it is a major exporter. To the west is the Pacific Ocean, to the east are the Andes. But the isolation has also meant that Chile vineyards have so far never been attacked by phylloxera, meaning that unlike viticulturalists in many other part of the world, Chilean vineyards can be planted with original rootstock, saving producers the laborious job of grafting vines onto phylloxera-resistant rootstocks. Chile started an appellation system in 1994, and there are five regions each with numerous sub-regions. Chile has attracted investment from European and American producers, including Robert Mondavi Winery, Kendall-Jackson, Lafite-Rothschild and Miguel Torres.

TYPE

Red Wine, Cabernet Sauvignon

One of the most widely grown grape varieties, it can be found in nearly every wine growing region. A cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a hardy vine that produces a full-bodied wine with high tannins and great aging potential.

VINTAGE

2012 Montes Alpha "M" Red Wine