Outer Limits by Montes
These wines were created as a result of the latest challenge that Aurelio Montes set himself. He wanted to push Chilean viticulture further in the premium direction by finding sites that hadn't previously been planted. The 45 hectare Zapallar Vineyard in the Aconcagua Valley was Montes' first venture into the 'outer limits'. It is seven kilometres from the sea, so cool nights and foggy mornings ensure a long growing season, making it ideal for Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. The Pinot is lively yet elegant, the fruit intense thanks to yields of five tonnes per hectare.
The Sauvignon, fermented and aged solely in stainless steel, is pungently aromatic on the nose and dry and steely on the palate. The CGM is from the Apalta estate (where the vines are planted at a density of 12,000 per hectare). The blend, rather than the location, is the 'outer limit' here. Made from 50% Carignan, 30% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre, it is a classic Rhône blend with lovely freshness allied to a liquoricey intensity. The latest addition to this range is the Old Vine Cinsault, made from dry farmed, head trained vines grown in the Itata Valley, where the first grape varieties where planted in Chile 500 years ago. This wine is wonderfully fragrant and structured and displays bright fruit and acidity..