MONTGRAS | Intriga | Cabernet Sauvignon | 2019
cabernet sauvignon | petit verdot | cabernet franc

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 Founded in 1993 by three friends, Viña MontGras has grown to become one of the largest chilean wineries, famous for its commitment to innovative winemaking practices. The winery specializes in producing high-end cabernet sauvignon at the foothills of the Andes Mountains, thus maximizing the region’s unique terroir. The focus is on minimal intervention, ensuring that the character of each vineyard is expressed in the glass.
Today, we are going to review a quite exceptional wine from Maipo Valley, which is one of Chile’s most famous wine regions – Intriga Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 by Viña MontGras. Even though the label says that this is a single-varietal cabernet sauvignon wine, technically it is a blend, made of 85% cabernet sauvignon, 9% petit verdot, and 6% cabernet franc grape varieties, where cabernet sauvignon forms the wine’s main body and structure, petit verdot adds extra tannin extract and enhances the wine’s color depth, whereas cabernet franc builds a more refined mid-palate and offers a more dynamic finish.

The grapes are sourced from the Alto Maipo area, famous for its cabernet sauvignon-based wines, grown on ancient alluvial soils that echo the left bank of Bordeaux.  In order to soften the tannins and add a layer of extra complexity to the final blend, the wine has been aged for 24 months in a selection of french oak barrels (from small, 225 liters barriques, to big, 2000 liters foudres), with additional bottle ageing before it is deemed ready for the market release.

Cabernet Sauvignon is grown all over the world in a wide range of climates and regions and it can produce wines that are very high in tannins and acidity, that can mature and develop for many years in the bottle. Cabernet Sauvignon is also a late ripening grape variety, which means that it is best suited for warm climates, where it is capable to produce wines that can reach into realms of perfection, where they are rarely followed.

Valle de Maipo is characterized by ancient and deep alluvial soils, formed of rocks from the Maipo River and the Andes Mountains, which is rich in minerals and well drained, thus contributing to the wine’s concentration of flavours and overall complexity. The proximity to the mountains creates an unique microclimate, allowing for high variability in diurnal temperatures, thus promoting balanced grape ripening and the preservation of high natural acidity in the berries. These natural conditions allows for the development of complex flavors in the resulting wines, due to the low fertility of the soil that induces natural vine stress, making them equal with those from the highly-esteemed wine regions, such as Bordeaux, while still maintaining that distinctive, savory-dusty character that make chilean wines unique.

color: deep & opaque ruby color
clarity: hazy ruby shades at the rim

In the glass, the wine exhibits a deep and opaque ruby color, with hazy ruby shades at the rim, that demonstrate its richness.

intensity: pronounced & oaky
fruit character: overripe & dehydrated

On the first nose this is a captivating wine, starting with pronounced aromas of ripe blackberries, dark cherries, and black plums. These fruity notes are complemented by a rich foundation of tobacco and toasted oakwood that derive from elegant oak aging, interlaced with hints of baking spice that add depth to the wine’s aromatic profile.

sweetness: dry | acidity: high | alcohol: high | tannin: high | balance: good
finish: long | aftertaste: pleasantly-seedy

On the palate, the wine feels full-bodied, boasting a harmonious balance between ripe fruit, mouth-watering acidity, and velvety-ripe tannins. The palate echoes the nose, featuring luscious flavors of dark fruits, along with subtle hints of cedar and graphite that enhance its overall complexity. The mouthfeel is voluptuous and rich, leading to a long and elegant finish that showcases the wine’s potential for longevity.

maturity: developing | almost there | drink or age for another 3 to 4 years
verdict: great | a must try wine | a wine that has all the traits to become legendary

Overall, this is a textbook, chilean cabernet sauvignon-based wine, boasting a well-structured and complex profile – a wine that delivers that elegance and finesse that only the best of Bordeaux-blends can bring into your glass. This wine speaks the language of harmony and finesse, making it enjoyable to drink today or age over the next 3 to 4 years.

MONTGRAS | Intriga | Cabernet Sauvignon | 2019
variety: cabernet sauvignon | petit verdot | cabernet franc
country: Chile | Alto Maipo
region: Valle de Maipo
rating: 95.5

This wine pairs beautifully with rich grilled-based meats, hearty stews, or aged cheese. The richness and layered complexity of the wine would complement lovely the rich flavours and textures in the dish, thus enhancing the overall wine tasting experience to the domains of excellence.

Viña MontGras was founded in 1993 by Hernán Gras, Eduardo Gras, and Cristián Hartwig, evolving into one of the largest wine groups in Chile. The original vineyard was planted in 1864, exploring an extensive history in high-quality viticulture that speaks to the area’s rich winemaking heritage.

© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation. Cheers!