Montes Folly Syrah 2019

A folly is either a lack of good sense or an ornamental building with no practical purpose. There’s certainly nothing foolish about this Syrah. So, Montes must be challenging us to build a large tower of this exceptional wine. And we’re more than happy to oblige…

Montes Folly was one of the first ultra-premium Syrahs from Chile. It opened the flood gates, but few challengers have ever been able to compete. The grapes were harvested by hand from the steep hillsides of the Apalta vineyard, where the exposed and rocky soils encourage the roots of the vines to bury deep into the ground in search of water. This results in low yields, but fruit with immense concentration and character. Matured in French oak for 14-18 months, this vegan-friendly red tastes like a potent blend of juicy red and black fruit, black pepper, nutmeg, leather, caramel, tobacco, toast, vanilla, black olive and cherry liqueur chocolates. Imagine the Northern Rhône on steroids. Consider pairing this phenomenal Syrah with big roasts, red meat or a smoky black bean stew.

Colchagua is home to Chile’s finest and most famous wines. Montes was created by Aurelio Montes Baseden in 1987 with the ethos of crafting boutique wines. Aurelio was not only the winemaker, but he also marketed his wines abroad and consulted for the likes of Casa Lapostolle. His eponymous brand became a Chilean legend. In 2020, Aurelio Montes received a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ from the International Wine Challenge in honour of his illustrious career and his contribution to the world of fine wine.