Every so often (very often, if I’m being honest with you) I try a new wine and think – why am I not writing tasting notes? Writing tasting notes is a great way for me to explore what the heck I’m drinking and help myself figure out whether I like what’s in my glass or not. So I’ve decided to start writing more notes and, of course, I thought you might be interested.
Despite my obvious and documented feelings about blends, I’m becoming more okay with them (that’s a post for another day), which is why I picked up this Cabernet Sauvignon-Malbec blend.
I’ve seen this wine in the store for a while, staring down at the bottle (it was always on the lowest shelf for some reason), trying to decide whether or not to buy it. I like Montes wines, and the label design is certainly enticing. But on the other hand it’s a blend and the price point means the gamble game might be on in full force – did I really want to take the chance?
I was wondering yet again whether or not this wine was any good when I came across an article from the Globe and Mail a couple weeks ago with this wine in it. Turns out it was the gentle push I needed to take a chance on this bottle.
Appearance
- It’s pretty dark, I’d call it opaque but that might have been because of the generous amount in my glass.
- It was ruby in the glass and I wouldn’t argue if someone thought it was on the cooler, more purple end of the red spectrum.
- My guess is that the red tone comes from the Cab Sauv and the purple from the Malbec. Both are dark in the glass.
Nose
- Whoa! Can you smell tannins? Because I feel like I definitely smelled the tannins – quite astringent and tight. Luckily these mellowed as the wine opened up.
- I also get some leather, black pepper, both hints of oak aging.
- Once the tannins calmed down and the wine opened up I also got some red fruit – currant, strawberry and some raspberry.
Palate
- Quite tannic, which is expected from the Cab Sauv, but there’s a sweetness on the finish (a bit surprising!) which must be from the Malbec.
- As I enjoyed the first glass it mellowed out very nicely, getting soft and almost velvety.
- The black pepper and red fruit show up on the palate too, making a nice through line between both smell and taste.
- There’s also a bit of vanilla on the palate – another sign of oak aging.
Final Thoughts
The wine is pretty yummy and definitely hits the spot on a cold winter night. It doesn’t blow my mind or offer anything transcendent, but I’m ok with that. The price point and lack of details on the label (no specific vineyard or location beyond Colchagua Valley) lead me to believe that Montes intended to make a simple, easy-drinking every day wine, and I was very happy to enjoy it as such.
Have you tried a new wine lately?
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