Download Complete Production Notes

From the outset in 1997, the aim of MontGras’ Ninquén Project was straightforward: to produce the finest red wines in Chile. This bold mission was born out of an appreciation for the influence of terroir and an ambition to forge a name for MontGras in the elite ultra-premium category. 222 acres of prime vineyard atop Ninquén Hill in the heart of the Colchagua Valley were selected for this venture and planted with a range of indigenous and international red varietals. With this pioneering move into hilltop viticulture, MontGras became the first winery in Chile to plant on the plateau of a hill (Ninquen = “plateau on a hill” in ancient local dialect). Owner Hernán Gras and Santiago Margozzini craft the limited production wine from this special vineyard.

“Elegance and power are two wine descriptives that usually head in opposing directions. In this case, both are present in the same wine, something that doesn’t arise too often. On the one hand, the wine displays subtle, balanced components and on the other hand, it is full-bodied, with an underlying concentration and intensity. What I would call a really sensual wine, smooth and strong.”

-- Winemaker, Santiago Margozzini

Production Area
Colchagua Valley, Chile Blocks 178 and 185 at the MontGras Ninquén Hill vineyard in Chile’s Colchagua Valley, between Chile’s Coastal Range and the Andes. The soil here is rich in clay, strewn with rocks and stones.

Grape Varieties
50% Cabernet Sauvignon; 50% Syrah

Vinification
Grapes are handpicked at the end of April and subjected to a cold soak over 4 days. Whole berries are fermented on the skins and remain in contact with the skins for 25 days. The wine is aged 20 months in new French (90%) and American (10%) oak barrels before bottling.

Color
Deep ruby red

Bouquet
Aromas of blackberries, cherries, and currants framed in roasted notes of coffee, vanilla, and cedar.

Taste
Deep, structured, and concentrated with intense flavors of black cherry, black olive, and currant with integrated, subtle oak on the long finish.

Alcohol
14.5%

Serving Suggestions
Complements red meats, poultry, pork and hard cheeses.