Aurelio Montes is celebrating his 50th harvest this year, and to mark the occasion, he is returning to his own winemaking origins in the Maipo Valley, with all the knowledge and experience he’s built up along the way. Today, his Muse is born, a super-icon wine that is a homage to all the women in his family who have inspired him throughout his career.
“This is my fiftieth harvest, and it has me looking back to my winemaking roots, where I learned for the first time what it was to work as a viticulturist and winemaker. It was at a traditional Chilean winery in the Maipo Valley. Five decades later, I wanted to return to the same valley, and make wine there again, but from a different perspective; one you can only have after an entire life working with wine.
Returning to my beginnings, I was inspired to pay homage to all the women in my family who have helped me become who I am. Drawing inspiration from these important figures in my life, I decided to make a wine for them. A very significant wine. An inspiring wine, made for celebrating. This is, well, a wine inspired by my muses, and I’ve tried to create supreme elegance and subtle distinction.”
Aurelio Montes Badesen
This Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 has a characteristic deep ruby-red colour, with very delicate and elegant aromas dominated by ripe red berries, such as strawberry and plum, with some red currant , as well as crème de cassis and cherry syrup. Its time spent in oak barrels adds notes of tobacco, dulce de leche, and mocha, all well balanced with the fruit profile. The tannins are very smooth and in line with the purity of the aromas. The wine is vibrant and broad, but balanced at the same time, showing complexity and a long finish.
Montes Muse was made with love and passion, using hand-selected grapes from a very special origin, in one of the most renowned grape-growing areas in Chile, Alto Maipo, in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, 460 metres above sea level, on the southern bank of the Maipo River.
The vineyard is planted on an alluvial terrace of sediment from the Maipo River that has accumulated over millions of years. The soils have low fertility and very good drainage, thanks to the presence of alluvial stones and a mix of clay, sediment, and sand, which allows us to control the vigour of the Cabernet Sauvignon vines, delivering a wine of subtle elegance and finesse.