La Montesa Rioja Crianza 2013

La Montesa Rioja Crianza 2013 (US$12.10 tax included, WS91 pts)

I was shopping for wine at the Alderwood Costco and missed this economical offering. Luckily my daughter caught the fine print and pointed it out to me that is was Wine Spectator's No. 52 Wine of the Year in 2016. At US$10.99 plus tax, I could not resist. I brought it back home and immediately opened it while enjoying some sushi. It was amazingly approachable and went well with the food. The nose was fragrant and the palate had taste of vanilla and juicy berry. Being a Tempranillo, it was a bit dry but there was lots of fruit. Even though the wine had a 14.5% alcohol content, it was very easy drinking. Two of us finished three quarters of a bottle without feeling any of the effects of the alcohol. Crianza meant that it was aged for at least two years. Wine Spectator indicated it was good from 2017 to 2023. I would drink it now if you can get your hands on some. I apologize for introducing a wine that is not locally available but this was such an exciting wine that I have to tell you about it. At this price, it is a great deal. It is also available at the Kirkland Costco, so I assume that it is available throughout the Costco chain in the U.S.

Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley 2013

Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley 2013 (SKU 322586, $27.59 tax included, WS90 pts)

This was a Christmas gift for me and I opened it to drink while having a pork tenderloin roast. The nose was light and the body was thin. It still had some tannins but the finish was short. The wine was overpowered by the meat. My tasting panel was not impressed on the first night. I drank the leftover the next night with some home-cooked Chinese food and take-out barbeque duck. It tasted more full and went well with the food. I guess this would be a nice everyday dinner wine. Compared to the Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon that I tasted last month, this Chilean offering was definitely one step behind. Wine Spectator gave it 90 points and I thought that was a bit generous. I would place it between 86 to 88 points. Although Wine Spectator indicated that this wine could be cellared until 2020, I would mark it for immediate consumption. At this price, this would be a good daily dinner wine. There is ample stock in the LDB system.