Classic cabernet nose with olives and red peppers. Sweet tobacco and milk chocolate with a meaty edge. Juicy and full-bodied but quite fit, with bright acidity and some densely packed tannins. Grippy but really well-honed with an extremely long finish. 80% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc, 5% merlot and 5% petit verdot. Give it two years to let the oak settle in.

The 2020 Montes Alpha M is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot from Apalta, Colchagua. It was aged for 18 months in 70% new barrels. Purple in hue. The nose presents boldo and garrigue notes along with redcurrant and spice over a layer of cedar. Indulgent and juicy in the mouth, the polished, reactive tannins sculpt the palate before the lingering, complex finish. Like previous vintages, this is a red made with a nod to Napa. - By Joaquin Hidalgo on March 2023

This understated version wows with finesse, displaying an entry with fresh tobacco and cigar box details that reveal a smooth-textured frame. Shows a sneaky concentration of blackberry and cassis, offering excellent length, with iron twinges to the finish and round, polished tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Best from 2025 through 2036. - AR