Iconic Chilean Wine Estate Launches New Napa Wine

Montes' first Napa wines include the Montes Napa Angel 2006 and the Montes NapaAngel Aurelio's Selection 2006.

Montes, one of Chile's leading fine wine brands, has just released its first Napa wines, the Montes NapaAngel 2006 and the Montes NapaAngel Aurelio's Selection 2006. 
 

Montes founders Aurelio Montes and Douglas Murray came to San Francisco to launch the first release, as did export manager director Carlos Serrano.

Made from purchased fruit from the Coombsville, Stags Leap, Yountville and Rutherford AVAs, the Napa wines were shown Monday with the other Cabernet-based wines from the Maipo/Apalta region of Chile (Montes Alpha M) and Mendoza, Argentina (the Kaiken series) that Montes produces.

The NapaAngel project is a joint venture with Montes longtime importer Alex Guarachi, of TGIC wine importers in Woodland Hills, with Montes owning 54 percent.

All the wines bore a very remarkable similarity: big, high alcohol wines, lush-textured, new oak-influenced, with dense soft tannins.

The angel is a big theme for Montes, appearing on all its labels and as a sculpture at its main estate in the Maipo Valley of Chile.

The Montes NapaAngel will retail for $55 and the Montes NapaAngle Aurelio's Selection will sell for $90, the same prices as the Montes Alpha M.

Montes is also developing a project in Paso Robeles and plans to release a wine from that AVA next year.