Montes
According to Robert Parker, Montes has figured out how to produce terrific red wines at bargain prices.

Maybe it’s their famous night harvests or the sounds of Gregorian chants played in the cellars as the wine is aging. (See Twisting Vines April 23, 2009) Montes has brought wine production in Chile to the forefront of world class wines. Since the country freed itself from a dictatorship and embraced a free market economy, money and expertise has poured into Chile’s wine industry.

With state of the art technology and equipment, Montes focuses on innovation. With a natural fruitiness of Chilean grapes, winemakers have learned how to bring out the best of the fruit in their wines.  There’s no need to try and imitate the styles of Bordeaux or California. Chilean wine has a style of it’s own.

Montes Alpha 2007 Syrah Colchagua Valley
A blend of 90% Syrah, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Viognier, the wine has an intense ruby red color. Lots of dark fruit up front on the nose with hints of leather, pepper and coffee. Flavors of black cherry, blueberry, black pepper hints of cassis, chocolate and tobacco with the slightest hint of oak. Complex. We enjoyed the way the wine continued to evolve in the glass – a good thing.

Good structure. Medium to full-bodied. Nice balance of acid/tannins. Love the long, smooth finish. Will cellar well for 6-8 years. Perfect for drinking by itself, but very food-friendly. Pair with grilled meats or sausage. A great value. We found it at – where else, Costco for $16.

2005 Celler de Capcanes “Mas Donis” Barrica Montsant
Wine from old vines grapes grown on volcanic slopes in north eastern Spain. The life span of a grape vine is about 120 years, and the Granache and Syrah used in this wine come from vines that are over 80 years old and over 30 years old, respectively. The region is known for producing high quality red wines at affordable prices.

Dark ruby color. Aromas of black cherries and dark berries with a hint of smoked meat, licorice and clove. This is a medium bodied wine with rich flavors of dark cherries and berries and hints of mineral, spice and oak. Good balance of acidity and tannins. A long, fruit forward finish. Robert Parker gave it 91 points. Drink now or hold a year or two. A great value at $10

Pairs well with grilled, marinated, thin cut pork chops.

2007 Wine
One of the best vintage years for wine – worldwide, was 2007. These wines are now coming to market and with wine prices dropping, there are bargains to be had!

California reds have been slow to come down, but winemakers will have to start discounting in order to reduce inventory. Buyers that once spent $20 – $30 are now buying the $9 – $12 bottles. The $10 – $14 buyer is now in the $3 – $6 dollar category. This is quite a shift to a much lower price point.

In restaurants, we’ve started to see some of the higher end wines being sold by the glass. This is a great opportunity to sample better wines without having to buy the whole bottle.

Some of the best buys recently have been Zinfandel and Syrah from California, Malbecs from Argentina and French Rhône wines.

Fall Wines Under $25 from Dreyfus Ashby & Co.
By Jared Paul Stern – Luxist

New York-based Dreyfus, Ashby & Co., a national independent importer and marketer of fine wine and spirits, has put together a list of great fall wines from around the globe, ideal for various cuisines and all priced under $25.

France’s Château de Campuget “1753″ stems from an 18th century document mentioning the historic property. The 100% Syrah is aged in stainless steel, seeing no oak. Deep purple in color, it is elegant and herbal with nice tannin and a crisp finish, paring nicely with spicy foods as well as hearty cold weather dishes like beef and pastas in red sauce. $12.99.

Under the discerning eye of consulting winemaker Véronique Drouhin-Boss, the light, fruity quality of Cloudline Pinot Noir (2007) from Oregon never waivers and pairs perfectly with everything from a fatty fish, such as salmon, to lamb. $14.99.

Nederburg Cabernet Sauvignon (2007) from South Africa is a full-bodied, mouth-filling and rich wine with ripe fruit, delicate spice, firm tannins and a lasting aftertaste, pairing perfectly with robust winter stews, roasts and mature cheeses. $10.99.

Italy’s Renato Ratti Barbera D’Alba Torriglione (2007) is structured and rich with a pleasing and harmonious bouquet. The result is a full- bodied wine with an excellent balance between acidity and tannin that lends itself particularly well to pastas with lean protein, such as pork or chicken. $18.99.

Tedeschi Valpolicella Capitel Dei Nicalò (2006) is made from local Veronese grape varieties including Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara in the traditional style of the region. It is complex and elegant with lively acidity and an alcohol content that is balanced nicely by its tannins. $17.99.

Argentina’s Enrique Foster Reserva Malbec (2006) is made of selected grapes from old vines and production is limited to 5,000 lbs per acre. The wine is then aged in French and American oak for 12 months and in bottles for an additional six months. It’s a huge wine with fruity aroma and berry flavors perfectly suited to richly spiced dishes and roasted or grilled meats. $19.99.

Many in the wine industry are always experimenting to find the perfect atmosphere that provides the ultimate wine tasting experience. This is the first of a 3-part report.

Part 1:  Can Music Influence the Taste of Wine?

Adrian North, a university professor from Edinburgh, working with Chilean winemaker, Aurelio Montes have published a “psuedo-scientific” study which concludes that different types of music stimulate different parts of the brain to change the way we taste wine.

The Idea:
The idea for the study was triggered by winemaker Montes, who already uses music in the production process, playing monastic chants to his maturing casks of wine in his Feng Shui-optimised barrel room.

The Study:
The study consisted of 250 college students who were offered a free glass of wine in return for answering questions about its taste.They drank the wine in one of five rooms, each of which played a different style of music – or no music – and were then asked to rate the wine’s taste according to set parameters.

The Results:
When a powerful piece of music such as O Fortuna from Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana was played, the Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon was perceived as being 60% richer and more robust than when no music was heard.

Similarly, the Montes Alpha Chardonnay seemed 40% bolder and fresher when it was accompanied by pop.

The study recommends Blondie singing “Atomic.” I like listening to Blondie when I’m driving in the car, but Diana Krall singing “Peal Me a Grape” is so much nicer while sitting and enjoying a good Chardonnay. Below are some recommendations from the study. You decide.

MUSIC RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE STUDY

Cabernet Sauvignon:
All Along The Watchtower (Jimi Hendrix), Honky Tonk Woman (Rolling Stones), Live And Let Die (Paul McCartney and Wings), Won’t Get Fooled Again (The Who)

Chardonnay:
Atomic (Blondie), Rock DJ (Robbie Williams), What’s Love Got To Do With It (Tina Turner), Spinning Around (Kylie Minogue)

Syrah:
Nessun Dorma (Puccini),
Orinoco Flow Celtic Woman, Chariots Of Fire (Vangelis), Canon (Johann Pachelbel)

Merlot:
Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay (Otis Redding), Easy (Lionel Ritchie), Over The Rainbow (Eva Cassidy), Heartbeats (Jose Gonzalez)

The color is dark garnet in the glass. Plum and berries on the nose, with a hint of spice. Not-quite-ripe berry taste with a hint of chocolate, smoky tannins and hot spice, probably due to the 14 1/2% alcohol. After about an hour in the glass, the tannins softened and the flavors balanced to produce a nice structured wine with a long finish. Pair with spice-rubbed, grilled lamb chops. $20