1998-1999
SOME VERY VALUED NATIONAL RETAIL ACCOUNTS
ABCO Foods Desert Market (Phoenix, AZ, 54 stores)
Cost Plus Inc. (Nationwide)
Whole Foods Markets(California & Texas)
Fred Meyer (Nationwide)
Vons/Pavillions (California)
Gelsons (California)
CHINA WINE IS FUN (Hong Kong & Beijing, February, 1999) Book in chinese by JOHNNY CHAN (THE HONG KONG WINE CLUB) and ALAN YOUNG (INTERNATIONAL WINE ACADEMY). An all-chinese joint effort by two experts, aimed at educating the emerging new classes of wine lovers in China. Beautifully published (editor not noted, as it is in chinese) and presented, there is a full illustrated page about MONTES, MONTES ALPHA and MONTES ALPHA “M” in pages 34 – 35 and 185. A colour photo of one of our oldest vines (+100 years) is pictured as part of the cover.
U.K. SUN (Newspaper, February 4, 1999) CHILE’S GRAPE FOR YOU. “Red wine from Chile is the best for fighting heart disease and cancer, scientists have found Cabernet Sauvignon from the country contains up to eight times more healthy flavanols chemicals than wine made elsewhere. Flavanols, natural filters that help block the sun’s harmful UV rays, are boosted by Chile’s warm climate and wine-making process said Dr. Alan Crozier of Glasgow University”.
U.K. ESSENTIAL 101 WINE TIPS by Tom Stevenson, U.K.
A MONTES bottle shown under Chile to exemplify that Chile produces fine wines.
U.K. Listed by FORTNUM & MASON, (1998)
One of London’s most prestigious wine & produce stores.
CHILE CAPITAL (Santiago, March 1998) “AS DE COPAS” p.72-73-74...Very complimentary article. Extracts: “In the better wines niche, Discover Wine is one of the great ones. With their MONTES and MONTES ALPHA labels they now sell in 46 countries and are ranked #8 as Chilean bottled wine exporter. A fairy tale that confirms that behind a good wine there always are persons who know what they are doing.
U.S.A. WINE ENTHUSIAST (October, 1998) cover photo: 4 photos. One is of “Aurelio Montes on horseback in Curicó, Chile” (by Steven Morris).
U.K. OBSERVER (Newspaper, October 4, 1998) “LIFE” (Wine) by TIM ATKIN. Comments on names to look for: “... which Chilean names to look out for? My top producers would be Errazuriz, MONTES, Carmen, Santa Rita, Casa Lapostolle, Torres, Casablanca, Mont Gras and La Palma”.
U.S.A./WORLD TIME Magazine (October 5, 1998) Under title “A taste of success”.
...“Wines from Chile are finally adding vintage to value, ....Chilean Cabernets, especially, are softer than California and yet more accessible than Bordeaux... (WINE SPECTATOR’S editor Thomas Matthews is quoted on this) ...If this keeps up, Chile could be, sooner than many expected, something more than a perennial wine bridesmaid” ... Even British wine author Auberon Waugh gushes over a collection of 1996 and ’97 reds from the MONTES winery in Chile’s Curicó Valley...Chilean wines, he says, are showing magnificent and rich concentration, but also subtlety and changing flavors” ...“I almost hate to praise them” says Waugh. “I’m afraid it will drive their prices up”.
IRELAND SUNDAY BUSINESS POST (October 10, 1998) “Winemaker Voices own Ads”. Photo of smiling Aurelio with a glass of wine in one hand and a bottle of MONTES ALPHA in the other, standing in front of a Mike. Reads “in the Maurice Pratt mould, Chilean winemaker Aurelio Montes, left, was in Dublin last week to record a radio commercial for his MONTES range of wines, which are distributed by GRANTS OF IRELAND. Grants is spending over £200.000 this year to support its portfolio of wines, which include Montes, Rosemount, Calvet and Glen Ellen”.
INDIA MONTES are the only Chilean wines exported to INDIA. For their faith and great support we are especially grateful to the AMERICAN EMBASSY (AMC) in New Delhi and to its dynamic manager, Mr. VIJAY RAJPAL, for favouring MONTES wines for several years now, to the TAJ GROUP of HOTELS, who were our first clients, and very especially to our importer, Mr. SANJAY MENON of SANSULA.
IRELAND IRISH INDEPENDENT (November 1, 1998) A half-page photo of Aurelio Montes is featured.
CHILE Exceptional MERIT AWARD and MEDAL to MONTES S.A. as an exporter of superior wines, awarded in the Annual Meeting of SOFOFA (Sociedad de Fomento Fabril de Chile) which is the largest Business Association in Chile. Santiago, November 4, 1998.
U.S.A. The U.S.A. is our #1 country of destination for MONTES and MONTES ALPHA and MONTES ALPHA M wines and our importer, TGIC IMPORTERS INC., swiftly sent us a list of some of their better-known clients, where our wines can be found. Our apologies for the many more omitted by the rush of printing and our gratitude to one and all, especially to TGIC IMPORTERS for their efforts and success.
RESTAURANTS
Spago (California & Illinois)
Tanino's (Beverly Hills, CA)
Scalla's Bistro (San Francisco, CA)
American Yacht Club (New York, NY)
Bolivar (New York, NY)
Circus (New York, NY)
Acqua (Honolulu, HI)
Ca'del Sole (Univeral City, CA)
Churrasco's (Houston, TX)
Boulevard Bistro (Houston, TX)
Samba Room (Dallas, TX)
Pappa Bros. Steak House (Dallas, TX)
Mezzaluna (Austin, TX)
Valentino (Santa Mónica, CA)
Dal Baffo (Menlo Park, CA)
Café Atlantico (Washington, DC)
Bistro 315 (Santa Fé, NM)
Jack's Restaurant (Santa Fé, NM)
Sabor (Santa Monica, CA)
Crossroads (New York, NY)
Gramercy Park (New York, NY)
Indigo (Honolulu, HI)
Casa di Amici (Honolulu, HI)
Big Canyon Country Club (Laguna Beach, CA)
Morton's of Chicago (Houston, TX)
Morton's of Chicago (Miami,FL)
Aqua Knox (Dallas, TX)
Commander's Palace (New Orleans, LA)*
Norman's (Coral Gables, FL)**
Ruth's Chris Steak House (Honolulu, HI)
The Chart House (Honolulu,HI)
Hy's Steak House (Honolulu,HI)
The Capital Grill (Miami, FL)
Giacosa Ristorante (Coral Gables,FL)
Lawry's (Beverly Hills, CA)
Zuni Restaurant (New York, NY)
Fitzpatrick Grand Central (New York,NY)
Pogo's (Dallas, TX)
Le Dome (Beverly Hills, CA)
Granite Café (Austin, TX)
The Pacific Club (Honolulu, HI)
Christopher & Paula's (Phoenix, AZ)
Monty's (Woodland Hills, CA)
Pamela's Delicatessen (Miami,FL)
Nicky Brennan's Steak House (New Orleans, LA)
Roy's Nicolina (Maui, HI)
Sam Choy's (La Haina, Maui, HI)
Jameson's (Kapalua, Maui, HI)
Palace Caffe (New Orleans, LA)
Red Room (New Orleans, LA)
Baleen (Coconutgrove, FL)
Le Vallaraise (Palm Springs, CA)
Canyon Bistro (Palm Springs, CA)
Café Boulud (New York, NY)
Café Capriccio (New York, NY)
*Voted Best Restaurant in America
**Best Restaurant in South Florida by New York Times.
Also: A great number of these have received Awards from the WINE SPECTATOR for their
Wine Lists.
RETAILERS OF HIGH PRESTIGE
Morrell & Co. (New York, NY)
Best Cellars (New York, NY)
Lukas Liquor (Colorado & Texas)
Vendome (Tolula Lake+3, CA)
Spec's (Houston, TX)*
Boulder Liquor Mart (Boulder, CO)
Gulf (Miami, West Kendall & Hialeah, FL)
Leon's (Perhaps oldest in Miami, FL)
Sokolin & Co. (New York, NY)
Vintage Wine Cellar (Honolulu, HI)
Mr. Wine (Maui, HI)
Beverage & More (Nationwide)
Beltramo's (Menlo Park, CA)
Brookline Liquor (Boston, MA)
Argonauts (Denver, CO)
Apple Jack (Denver, CO)
Armonkin Wine & Spirits (New York,NY)
Wine of the Month Clubs (Santa,
San Francisco, Santa Clara, CA)
Wines of America (Houston, TX)
Wine of the Month Club (Southern California)
Prime Wines & Spirits (New York, NY)
Crown Liquors (Miami, FL, 24 stores)
Sam's (Chicago, IL)
Hi-Time Cellars (Los Angeles, CA)
Wine Cellars-Millburn (New York, NY)
Centennial (Dallas, TX)
* Retailer of the Year 1998, MARKET WATCH Magazine.
HOTELS
The Lodge (Vail, CO)
Ritz-Carlton (Laguna Niquel, CA)
Marriott Hotels (several)
Adolphus (Dallas, TX)
Kahala Mandarin Oriental (Honolulu, HI)
The Biltmore Hotel (Miami, FL)
Outrigger Hotel (Maui, HI)
Ritz-Carlton (Pasadena, CA)
Ritz-Carlton (Maui, HI)
The Phoenician (Phoenix, AZ)
The Plaza Hotel (New York, NY)
Hotel Carlyle (New York, NY)
Rainbow Lodge (Houston, TX)
The Biltmore (Phoenix, AZ) (where every U.S. President since Hoover have stayed.)
Hawaii Prince Hotel (Waikiki, HI)
CHILE CARAS (Nº 284, February 19, 1999) GASTRONOMY SECTION. WINES by R. LEON. “Comments on our MONTES Fumé Blanc 1998, with large photo of the bottle”... it has the seal of the reputed winemaker Aurelio Montes, who has maintained high standards of quality in all his vintages, a fact recognized by wine critics here and abroad. The 1998 version of this wine is no exception and is one of the best whites available...it has an elegant taste with reminiscence of vanilla and cinamon”.
JAPAN NHK TV Station recorded in Chile a 100 minutes program about Chilean wine called “The Last Paradise” on which only four Chilean wineries were mentioned, three for volume exported to Japan and Montes; as the leader of the modern quality revolution, was shown for more time than any other winery and all four partners were interviewed separately, with the intervention of the Noº1 Japanese actress as interviewer. This appearance underlines the recognition by the Japanese wine trade of Montes as one of the top Chilean wines and a leader in the Japanese quality wine market. This program was aired on NHK TV station on Sunday, February 20th, 1999 and was so successful that it will be screened again in the near future.
U.K. GOOD WINE GUIDE 1999 (Book, Revised annually) by ROBERT JOSEPH.
We get 3 mentions:
(p.124) Chile: MONTES is mentioned as one of only seven wineries mentioned as top producers.
(p.136) Curicó: “sill one of Chile’s best wine areas for red and white”. MONTES one of only top three mentioned.
(p.188) “Viña MONTES”: Go-ahead winery with improving reds (including the flagship ALPHA “M”) and improved Sauvignon.
(4 stars) to 1996 MONTES ALPHA “M” Reserve Red $$$$.
(3 stars) to 1995 Reserve oak aged Sauvignon $$
ITALY VINITALY 1999 had a nice surprise for MONTES and awarded our winery their
VINITALY 1999 TROPHY (one per deserving country, seven were given to seven countries out of 22 countries attending) which is based on overall prestige and not in a given wine. Montes now is -as far as we know- the only Chilean winery to have both the VINEXPO and the VINITALY TROPHIES.
FRANCE Before VINEXPO 1999 we informed all our importers and clients that they could find MONTES and MONTES ALPHA wines in the following Bordeaux restaurants, thanks to the good work of DIVA, our French importer:
RESTAURANT ADDRESS
"LE BISTROT GOURMAND" 6, Rue Gambetta, F-17400 ST JEAN D'AUGELY
"LE CAFÉ GOURMAND" 3, Rue Buffon, F-33000 BORDEAUX
"LE DORIS" 52, Quai de Bacalan, F-33300 BORDEAUX
"L'IGUANE" 127, Avenue de Magudas, F-33700 MERIGNAC
"LA MAISON DU FLEUVE" 20, Chemin Seguin, F-33360 CAMBLANES
"LE PORT DE LA LUNE" 59, Quai de Paludate, F-33032 BORDEAUX CEDEX
"LE COMPTOIR DU JAZZ" 58, Quai de Paludate, F-33032 BORDEAUX CEDEX
"WARF ZAZATE" Le Port de la Lune, F-33970 LE CAP-FERRET
Since then, we understand you can now find our wines in 25 restaurants in BORDEAUX, a matter of intense pride for all the MONTES partners.
UK NEW WORLD WINES, The Complete Guide (Book, The Orion Publishing Group 1999) by Julie Arkell. "MONTES (HHH) Premier producer Aurelio Montes seems to have the knack of infusing his wines with freshness and flavour, well removed from the old rustic style of traditional Chilean wines. Established in 1988 by 4 partners with years of experience in winemaking, their philosophy was to produce the best wines in the country, a goal which has defined MONTES since its inception. Its high standards have set the pace for Chile in the international market. Best wines: Montes Alpha range and Late Harvest Gewúrstraminer/Riesling."
