2004 Montes 'Reserve' Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley Chile. $8.99; $7.19 in a mixed case. Sparrow Wine and Spirits, Hoboken.
Deep red color, deep hue, good aroma of fruit, spices and earth, a bit of oak, but not overwhelming, good fruit tastes with spice, chocolate and earthen notes, medium mouth feel, smooth tannins, soft and sipping quality, medium finish. Opened nicely in the glass. Great QPR for quite a nice wine. 3*.
Regards, Bob
Notes: T.G.I.C. Imports: 80,000 cases were made and 15,000 were imported and distributed nationwide.
Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher: Best of tasting of under $20 Chilean wines and best value. Confident wine, with proud, rich tastes of earth, herbs and bittersweet chocolate. Some intensity and structure. Outrageous bargain. Probably will last through 2007.
RestaurantBiz.com Aurelio Montes is a busy guy. Besides his winery, founded in 1988, he consults for a number of top Chilean producers. He’s a cutting-edge winemaker, taking advantage of modern techniques and equipment but acute to the demands of terroir, a feeling for his homeland, especially the shoulders of the Andes where Montes wines are grown. This bottle from his second tier is full of soft ripe fruit, raspberries accented by cinnamon. It gets structure and firm tannins from American oak. American consumers will appreciate the wine’s international style.