When Aurelio Montes Jr. crossed the border from Chile to Argentina to manage Kaiken Wines, he thought that he would throw a barbeque with the aim of getting to know his new neighbours. So he budgeted according to a typical meal in his native country; with some empanadas, side dishes and 250gm of meat per person. Within half an hour of his guests arriving however, all the meat was gone, and that was when he learnt; “If you want to invite someone home, you have to prepare one kilo of meat per person. Doesn’t matter if it’s man, woman, or child. And forget about salad.”
Voracious carnivorism aside, it would appear that Argentina was a perfect match for Aurelio. He described the country as “a land of contrasts”, with crazy passionate people, rampant corruption and great soccer players. The Andes Mountains provide a spectacular backdrop to arid, desert-like growing conditions. “There is no other place in the world that looks like Argentina”, he claimed. Contrast this with Chile, with its safe, slightly stuffy image and it is easy to see why Aurelio, whose hobbies include skydiving and off-road motorcycling, speaks about Argentina with such warmth.
Kaiken was established in 2002 by Aurelio’s father, a founder of Montes Wines and now one of Chile’s most recognisable producers. It’s named symbolically after the wild geese that fly between Chile and Argentina. There are certain similarities between the two wineries – both are designed according to feng shui principles for example. That and the prominence of angels on the Montes wine labels came from the late Douglas Murray, another founder of Montes and a deeply spiritual man. Aurelio also highlighted the sustainable growing practices of both wineries. He cited a case where vineyards in Apalta were being plagued by birds eating the grape berries, and after some research they discovered that the problem was due to a lack of rabbits. The rabbits had deserted the area because vineyards had replaced bushes which used to shelter them. In turn eagles, which had depended on the rabbits as a food source, had flown away, allowing smaller birds to infest the vineyards. When corridors were built between the vineyards to attract rabbits back to the area, the eagles came back as well, scaring away the birds. “Being organic is very simple – you don’t use pesticides,” says Aurelio. “To be sustainable is much more complicated. You have to take care about the environment, community, water… everything. So sometimes, it’s the longer road, but the result is better.” This holistic approach is not just for show – it has allowed Montes and Kaiken to produce some of the best wines coming out from Chile and Argentina today. Apart from more common varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, these two countries are known for their iconic reds made from transplanted Bordeaux grapes. People are now more likely to associate Carmenere with Chile and Malbec with Argentina than with France. I’ve tasted more consistently good Argentinian Malbec than Chilean Carmenere though. Aurelio explained that, “Carmenere is the most challenging variety to produce. It is the last variety to be harvested in the vineyard. If you harvest earlier, you get a green, very undrinkable wine but once you get the correct ripeness it is your best friend. So elegant and spicy, but at the correct level. If you wait too long you lose acidity and tannin so the wine is too soft and doesn't last.”
Aurelio has his eye on the future, specifically the challenges that climate change will pose to winemaking. Already he has attempted to reduce the amount of water used in the vineyards – a practice known as dry-farming. “Nowadays the weather is going from one extreme to another – from very dry to very wet, one year to another. The only way to prepare for this change is to prepare the vine. That’s why we’re going into biodynamics (at Kaiken)… working in the vineyards in a more natural way so the vine can protect itself.” The first dry-farming trials, in the Apalta and Marchigüe vineyards, yielded a reduction of water consumption by 65%, at the expense of a smaller crop. “We decreased not only the amount of grape clusters, but also the size of the berry. So the ratio between juice, pulp and skin is much better. Now we are getting less yield per hectare, but much more quality in the wine, because of the concentration.”
Tasting notes:
Montes Outer Limits Sauvignon Blanc 2015 - From coastal Zapallar vineyards located 120-150m above sea level. The “Outer Limits” range is so-called because of the extreme growing conditions of its vineyards. Cold soaked for 12-24 hours and left on lees for 6-8 months. Low temperature fermentation over 30 days. The wine shows pronounced aromas of starfruit, lime, guava and tomato leaf. A medium level of acidity, boldly flavoured with well-defined fruit and a long, herbal-tinged finish.
Montes Alpha M 2004 – Bordeaux blend from Apalta in Cochagua. A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Aged 18 months in French oak. Chosen specifically to provide a comparison with the next wine and demonstrate aging potential. Deep ruby showing a bit of garnet at the rim. Elegant, plush aromas of milk chocolate, mature black fruits, some leather and sweet spice. The palate reflects polished tannins, high alcohol, lots of sweet ripe fruit and spice. Well-maintained structure with mellow flavours.
Montes Alpha M 2012 – The exact same blend and aging treatment as the Montes Alpha M 2004. Deep ruby. Youthful and reserved with formidable tannins, sweet ripe fruit and vanilla accents. Mouthwatering acidity, built for the long term.
Montes Folly 2012 – The 2012 vintage saw little rain due to the La Niña weather effect. Aged 18 months in new French oak. Vivid purple, with ripe jammy fruit and lovely depth and richness. High tannins, full bodied; a very big wine. I see in the technical notes that it clocks in at 15.8% abv. Savoury tannins and profound finish.
Montes Purple Angel 2013 – A blend of 92% Carmenere with 8% Petit Verdot for acidity. Aged 18 months in new French oak. 2013 was a cooler than normal vintage. The fruit for this wine comes from two vineyards, with the Marchigüe component contributing savoury tannins and black fruit, and the Apalta component providing aromatic complexity. The wine shows varietal characteristics, with the tell-tale note of bell pepper spiciness mixed with dark chocolate. The finish is long, plush and somewhat viscous.
Kaiken Mai 2009 – 100% Malbec from old vines in the Vistalba zone of Mendoza. Aged in new French oak barrels for 18 months. “Mai” means first and this is Kaiken’s first icon wine. Deep purple. Aromatic with notes of baking spices, oak grain, and plum. Impressively complex with a firm backbone, great freshness and a full figure. This has ambition written all over.
Montes Taita 2009 – “Taita” means grandfather and this is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest up to the discretion of the winemaker. The grapes from an area of the Marchigüe vineyard that has large quantities of alluvial sediments deposited from an ancient glacier. Aged 2 years in French oak and a further 4 in bottle. Dry-farmed, resulting in a tiny yield of 20hl/ha. Dark tobacco spice and rich black fruit on the nose. Very sweet, almost caramel-like initial impression, high acidity and alcohol, with smoky and roasted notes. Extremely concentrated with a bitter edginess.
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