This year's Decanter World Wine Awards Regional Trophy for Argentinian Chardonnay over £15 went to Montechez, Reserva Chardonnay, Mendoza 2013 (13.8%)
Tasted against:
- Salentein, Pr1mus Chardonnay, Uco Valley, Mendoza 2012,
- Trapiche, Finca Las Palmas, Gran Reserva Chardonnay, Uco Valley, Mendoza 2013
Profile:
Four businessmen founded Montechez in 2006. With an agricultural background dealing in products such as cotton, meat, corn, sunflowers and wood, they banded together to realise their dream of owning a vineyard, and in doing so added grapes to the list.
Its first vineyard was in La Consulta at just over 1,000m, where they planted Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Chardonnay. From here Montechez went on to explore the other terroirs of Mendoza, acquiring vineyards in Ugarteche and Altamira between 2009 and 2011.
The fruit for this Trophy comes from its San Carlos vineyard in Uco Valley where the soil is rocky and well drained. Moderate daytime temperatures and cool nights allow winemaker Carlos Cid (and consultant Roberto de la Mota) to craft floral, complex Chardonnays with elegance, freshness and natural acidity.
The goal for Montechez, is to ‘express the richness and typicity of its exceptional terroirs’, and with the Chardonnay in particular to demonstrate that Mendozais the home of Argentina’s white wines, which are capable of competing with the region’s reds. 2013 heralded the third vintage of this wine, and Montechez produced 5,500 bottles.
Written by Decanter
