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Montes Limited Selection Cabernet Sauvignon–Carmenère 2017
RedChile2017
By Daniel Min · Tasted 2019-12-05 · Published 2026-09-14 · Updated 2026-09-14
At a glance
Natalie MacLean 87 · none listed on Vivino
Market note: Limited Selection is Montes's value line below Alpha; two of the four bottles I logged this same day were Alpha-tier. Cabernet–Carmenère is a well-known pairing within Limited Selection, and it has held steady on Vivino between 3.4 and 3.9 for two decades.
What this wine is
This magazine's Montes Alpha Merlot 2015 piece covers the house's history and its outsized presence in Korea — the 1988 founding, the angel on the label, cumulative Korean sales past 17 million bottles as of July 2025 — so see that piece for the background. Here the focus is on this specific bottle.
Limited Selection sits a tier below the Montes Alpha series as the house's value line. Cabernet Sauvignon–Carmenère is one of the better-known pairings within it; the 2017 vintage blends 70% Cabernet Sauvignon with 30% Carmenère, Chile's signature grape (per Vivino's listed composition), at 14.5% alcohol, from Colchagua Valley. Carmenère was originally a Bordeaux variety that nearly vanished from Europe after 19th-century phylloxera, then grew for decades in Chile mistaken for Merlot until its true identity was confirmed in 1994 — it's known for green bell pepper and pepper notes. The producer's note: "Deep, beautiful ruby red. Butterscotch and subtle spiciness give it an appealing, distinctive character. Well-integrated vanilla from oak aging adds complexity and elegance."
What the world says
Canadian wine critic Natalie MacLean scored the 2017 vintage 87, noting "minty, lavender, ripe blackberry and blueberry aromas" with a medium-plus body and "dark plum, blueberry and baking spice flavours," recommending it with grilled bavette steak. No outlet-named score is listed on Vivino.
The Vivino community of 1,705 averages 3.8, with 62% at 4 stars or above. The label overall (18,728 ratings) matches at 3.8 — a wine that doesn't swing much by vintage. Keywords lead with chocolate, oak, vanilla and coffee (710 mentions) ahead of fruit (439), echoing the Montes Alpha Merlot's profile, but with a small vegetal signature — green bell pepper (27 mentions) — that marks the Carmenère in the blend. Structurally, intensity is 4.6 and tannin 3.5, considerably firmer than the Montes Alpha Merlot's tannin of 2.0.
"Very good blend and very enjoyable to drink. Has depth, some complexity and a pleasant flavor. Drink straight from the bottle and be happy." — Vivino review, Aug 2019, 4 stars
"Lots of cassis and oak on the nose. Bold, dry, good balance of the tannins and acidity. Dark fruit, oak and vanilla on the palate." — Vivino review, Jun 2021, 4 stars
How I drank it
December 5, 2019, 3.5 stars. The note is "Good balanced."
Four bottles that day: Napa by N.A.P.A. Michael's Red 2015 (4), Stag's Leap ARTEMIS 2016 (4.5), this wine (3.5), and Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 (3.5) — all four covered together in this magazine. Both Montes bottles got exactly the same 3.5.
My 3.5 is 0.3 below the community's 3.8; it's not directly comparable to Natalie MacLean's 87, but the two point the same way — my "balanced" note echoes her "plushy." I scored it half a point above the Montes Alpha Merlot (my score 3, community 3.8) — within the Limited Selection tier, this Carmenère blend got the more generous score from me. No re-tasting is on record.
Vivino community data
2017 vintage rating distribution (1705 ratings, average 3.8)
| 5★ | 107 (6%) | |
| 4★ | 957 (56%) | |
| 3★ | 601 (35%) | |
| 2★ | 32 (2%) | |
| 1★ | 8 (0%) |
Most-mentioned aromas
| Family | Mentions | Top keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Oak | 710 | chocolate 175 · oak 170 · vanilla 155 · coffee 83 · tobacco 50 |
| Black fruit | 439 | blackberry 136 · plum 87 · black fruit 57 · blackcurrant 47 · cassis 28 |
| Earth & leather | 208 | leather 72 · earthy 62 · smoke 43 · cocoa 4 · tar 4 |
| Spice | 149 | pepper 82 · licorice 17 · mint 12 · cinnamon 6 · menthol 6 |
| Red fruit | 134 | cherry 68 · red fruit 21 · strawberry 20 · raspberry 11 · cranberry 7 |
| Vegetal | 27 | green bell pepper 11 · bell pepper 9 · grass 2 |
| Microbio | 20 | cheese 10 · cream 7 · oil 2 · yogurt 1 |
Structure: Acidity 3.0/5 · Intensity 4.6/5 · Tannin 3.5/5 · Sweetness 1.7/5
Average by vintage (all vintages: 18728 ratings, average 3.8)
| Vintage | Average | Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 3.7 | 35 |
| 2005 | 3.5 | 45 |
| 2006 | 3.7 | 53 |
| 2007 | 3.6 | 68 |
| 2008 | 3.6 | 264 |
| 2009 | 3.4 | 178 |
| 2010 | 3.5 | 597 |
| 2011 | 3.6 | 2092 |
| 2012 | 3.6 | 1226 |
| 2013 | 3.7 | 1579 |
| 2014 | 3.8 | 1203 |
| 2015 | 3.8 | 1213 |
| 2016 | 3.8 | 978 |
| 2017 | 3.8 | 1705 |
| 2018 | 3.8 | 742 |
| 2019 | 3.8 | 1608 |
| 2020 | 3.9 | 1070 |
| 2021 | 3.9 | 1284 |
| 2022 | 3.9 | 1444 |
| 2023 | 3.7 | 148 |
My original note (Vivino, 2019-12-05)
“Good balanced.”
Frequently asked questions
What kind of wine is Montes Limited Selection Cabernet Sauvignon–Carmenère?
A medium-bodied red from Montes in Chile's Colchagua Valley. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon blended with 30% Carmenère, Chile's signature grape, at 14.5% alcohol. A style of blackberry and plum led by chocolate and oak; Vivino 3.8 (2017 vintage, 1,705 ratings), Natalie MacLean 87.
How does it differ from Montes Alpha?
Limited Selection sits a tier below Montes Alpha as the value line. Compared with the Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 covered alongside it in this magazine, it's positioned lower in price, with a slightly lower community score (3.8 vs 3.9).
How much does it cost?
US$19 per 750ml ex-tax (Wine-Searcher, Aug 2026).
What is Carmenère?
Originally one of Bordeaux's six red varieties, it nearly disappeared from Europe after 19th-century phylloxera. It survived in Chile, long mistaken for Merlot, until its true identity was confirmed in 1994. Known for green bell pepper and pepper notes, it's now considered Chile's signature grape.