98pts James Suckling

A consistent Purple Angel that really delivers the carmenere’s plushness when ripened well. Dark olives, blackberries and red chili chocolate with a splash of spice and cigar box. Fleshy and concentrated with plenty of fine-grained tannins that extend to a very creamy finish. 92% carmenere, around half from Marchigue and half from Apalta, with 8% petit verdot. Better from 2025.

Winemaker Notes

With this new vintage, Purple Angel shows a deep, carmine-red colour, typical of Carmenere. The aromas are complex, with pronounced black fruit, like blackberry and ripe blueberry. There is also dried plum, cooked cherry and candied fruit. Its 18 months in French oak gives a complex nose of toasted aromas, nuts, sweet spice and touches of dairy and vanilla. On the palate, the flavours follow on from the aromas, with sensations of dark fruit and dairy well balanced with the toast. It is finely balanced, with good body and a long finish.

Food pairings: veal roast, slow-cooked brisket of beef, rabbit fricassee

Winery Notes

With the release of the first Montes Alpha wine back in 1988, Montes became one of the first premium wineries of Chile. Their premise, a clear belief that Chile had an untapped potential as a producer of quality wines, made them a benchmark for other wineries to follow. Its original four partners' total involvement and the continuous help of the angels that decorate their labels was key to their success. Two decades later, Montes is the fifth most important winery of Chile where Aurelio Montes continues leading the winemaking area with the same passion as the first day. Hard work and total focus on quality has led Montes to be one of the most successful and respected quality-driven wineries in Chile as they continue pioneering and breaking new grounds in wine.