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"Montes was founded in 1987 and became one of the first wineries to exploit the hillsides to make premium Chilean wine, most notably in the Apalta Valley. It was also the first winery to cultivate Syrah in Colchagua. The winery eschews pumps and is built around gravity transfer, while the entire design is based around the Chinese concept of feng shui. Below lies the semi-circular cellar that houses up to 800 new French oak barrels, enjoying the Gregorian chants while they mature the wine. Despite the impressive facilities and quasi-ecclesiastical karma, Aurelio firmly believes that great wine is made in the vineyard rather than the winery. Still, when I questioned him about whether he is revising his modus operandi, he replied that, at least apropos his Chardonnay, like many in South America, he is decreasing the amount of oak in the wines while lifting the malolactic. This was generally a well turned out portfolio of wines that were far more consistent than others I tasted of similar size. While Montes is not beyond criticism, the entry-level wines represent a perfect introduction to Chilean wine at astoundingly good prices, while the premium bottles offer wines that should repay cellaring." The Wine Advocate

The History of Montes

The history of Montes seems like a dream, and that’s truly how it began, gradually becoming reality. It was in 1987 that our two original founders, Aurelio Montes and Douglas Murray, both highly experienced wine professionals, wanted to realize their dream of producing Chilean wines a quantum-leap higher in quality than the standards of the time. In 1988, they joined up with the other two founders, Alfredo Vidaurre and Pedro Grand, who brought their own complementary skills and expertise to the venture.

It was in 1987 that our two original founders, Aurelio Montes and Douglas Murray, both highly experienced wine professionals, wanted to realize their dream of producing Chilean wines a quantum-leap higher in quality than the standards of the time. In 1988, they joined up with the other two founders, Alfredo Vidaurre and Pedro Grand, who brought their own complementary skills and expertise to the venture.

And thus Montes was born, at first under the name Discover Wine. It was a dream come true for four great visionaries who succeeded in taking Montes wines from nowhere to more than 100 countries worldwide; by making ‘first growth’ wines respected and admired by the world’s critics and trade, and by drawing attention to what Chile was capable of producing. After we created the first Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon - through hard work and passion - it didn’t take long to achieve recognition. It was a mould-breaking wine that immediately raised the bar for other Chilean producers. Concentrated, complex and stylish, its success was immediate, and it demonstrated that we had chosen the correct path, the one that we had hoped for from the beginning, focusing on the standards expected by international markets. The 1987 version of this Cabernet Sauvignon was the first ‘premium’ wine to be exported from Chile, and it very quickly opened up opportunities for us and others in Chile. Then followed our cherished Alphas Chardonnay, Merlot and Syrah. From the beginning, Montes Alpha was to be a brand synonymous with premium quality from Chile, aimed at the demanding tastes of the specialized wine stores, restaurants and hotels: a difficult-to-break-into niche that guarantees recognition around the world. Our obsession with making the best wines led Montes to become a pioneer in Apalta Valley, to plant vineyards on the hillsides, to being the first to plant Syrah in Colchagua, and to introduce innovative methods always aimed at quality production. Results came more quickly than expected.