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Initiated in 1997, MontGras’ Ninquén Project was born of an appreciation for the unique properties of the specific terroir on Ninquén Mountain in Chile’s Colchagua Valley, and an ambition to forge a name for MontGras in the elite ultra-premium category. 222 acres atop Ninquén were dedicated to the venture and planted with a range of red grape varieties. With this move, MontGras became Chile’s first winery to plant atop the plateau of a mountain (Ninquén means “plateau on a mountain” in ancient local dialect).

Owner Hernán Gras and winemaker Santiago Margozzini craft the limited production Antu wines from the Ninquén Mountain Estate vineyard. The range takes its name from the word for “sun” in the language of the ancient Mapuche people who once inhabited this part of Chile.

“Now that the Ninquen vineyard is in a more mature phase, our selection of grapes has been taken to a higher level. This wine is made from Cabernet lots that, while they don’t make it into the final Ninquen blend, are so good we allocate them to our new Antu Ninquen range of wines. Rich and powerful, this is a wine that delivers a lot. It’s like the brother to the heir to the throne: while he won’t be king, he will still be treated like royalty.”

--Santiago Margozzini, Lead Winemaker, MontGras

Production Area
Blocks 180, 187 and 178 in the Ninquén vineyard in Colchagua Valley, between Chile’s Coastal Range and the Andes. Soil here is rich in clay, strewn with rocks and stones. Five-year-old vines are trellised using vertical shoot positioning

Grape Varieties
88% Syrah; 12% Cabernet Sauvignon

Vinification
Grapes were handpicked in the third week of April 2003. After de-stemming, whole berries underwent maceration and fermentation, the juice remaining in contact with the skins for 25-28 days. The resulting wine was aged approximately 18 months in new French oak barrels, then bottled unfined and unfiltered to preserve fruit concentration, color and intense aromas

Color
Opulent, rich purple

Bouquet
Very spicy; notes of black and white pepper mingle with leather, clove and ripe black fruit supported by oak

Taste
Full-bodied, harmonious and expressive. Mellow tannins and a structured mid-palate. Intense fruit leading to a long finish

Alcohol
14.4%

Serving Suggestions
Red meats, poultry, rich stews, hearty pasta dishes and hard cheeses