Purple Angel by Montes 2019

In a nutshell:
One of Chile's most lauded and sought after examples of Carmenère.

The lowdown:
The grapes for Purple Angel come from Montes' own vineyards in Apalta and Marchigïüe which are arguably two of the best sites in the Colchagua Valley. Everything is hand harvested and after fermentation in stainless steel the wine is aged of 18 months in mainly new oak barrels. A very small amount of Petit Verdot was blended in before bottling which augments the structure and adds a little extra spiciness. It has all the rich flavours typical of Carmenère with aromas of blackberries and figs combined with notes of nutmeg, dark chocolate and pastry. It's superbly well structured with rich tannins, balanced acidity and a long, lingering finish.

The Producer:
Viña Montes began in 1987 as a partnership between Aurelio Montes and Douglas Murray, two pillars of the Chilean wine industry. They were convinced that Chile has the capability to produce wine of a quality to match anywhere else in the world and they set out to put this into practice. Douglas Murray died in 2010 but Aurelio has continued to develop and grow the business. Through the 1990's they focussed on the Apalta region of the Colchagua valley, where their winery is to be found near the town of Santa Cruz about 2 hours south of Chile's capital Santiago. And while much of their fame can be ascribed to their iconic wines, among them Montes Alpha 'M', Montes Folly and Purple Angel, they also produce many more wines ranging from excellent and good value entry level varietals right up to some of the most expensive and highly regarded wines Chile has to offer.

When to drink:
A full bodied and mouthfilling, Chilean classic, brilliant with roast lamb.

Suitable for Vegans

Categories	Wine / Red Wine / Rich & Powerful Reds
Country	Chile
Grape Variety	Carmenere
Vintage	2019
Volume	75cl
ABV	14.5%
Vegan/Vegetarian	Vegan
SKU	MO4G17RN