The 2006 Rose of Syrah “Cherub” is a delicious, dry-style Rose with plenty of body and juicy ripe fruit. It is an ideal picnic or barbecue wine. Drink it over the next 12-18 months. Over recent years, Montes has been one of the standard-bearers of quality wines from Chile under the leadership of Aurelio Montes. The lineup is top-notch from entry level to top-of-the-line.Importer: TGIC Importers, Woodland Hills, CA; tel. (800) 924-0030

Out of the ordinary projects such as Cherub are what we’ve come to expect from Montes, but how quickly winemaker Aurelio Montes has figured out the nuances of rose from Syrah. In just its second year, this wine has found its groove. More elegant than the inaugural 2005, this vintage is quite Mediterranean in style, with a vivid pink/red color and the freshest, purest fruit flavors. Who would have thought that a Chilean rose could be this nicely put together? ——M.S.(7/1/2007)—— 90