Sustainability matters. It’s something many wineries strive for, and it’s an important factor for many consumers. Of course, the concept of sustainability stretches further than just the wine industry: it’s a notion woven through agriculture and the sourcing of seafood and land animals, not to mention social and economic constructs.

So, really, what are we talking about when we discuss sustainability? Merriam-Webster defines the adjective sustainable as “capable of being sustained”, or “of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged”.

Wikipedia references sustainability as “the capacity to endure; it is how biological systems remain diverse and productive indefinitely,” following that up with a mention that “sustainability can also be defined as a socio-ecological process characterized by the pursuit of a common ideal.”

Further exploration into the term reveals many takes and perceptions, and nothing seems to be set in stone. It’s because of this that whenever I’m chatting with a winemaker or winery representative, I always take it with a grain of salt when they say that sustainability is important to them. Various regions and countries have several forms of sustainability certification, but it’s often a hollow term thrown around willy-nilly. Without a clear-cut definition or blanket global accreditation, it ends up being something that sounds awesome marketingwise but rather deprived of checks and balances.

I was considering this when I met up with Aurelio Montes Jr. of Montes, the renowned Chilean winery started by his father and a trio of partners 25 years ago. I’ve long admired the Colchagua Valley–based wines of Montes (and have had the privilege of visiting the winery twice over the past few years). When I caught up with Montes at the Yaletown office of Trialto, his British Columbian importer, one of the main things we chatted about was the winery’s sustainable initiatives.

“For us, we want to be a leader for Chile, the Americas, and the world in sustainability,” he told me. “And this also includes how we work with people, our employees, and community.”

Montes, however, is a winery that walks the walk. In fact, when you head to Montes Wines website and click on the Sustainability tab, you get redirected to an entire microsite that basically audits their philosophies and initiatives. These include everything from compost use, vineyard-grazing animals, and heritage-forest conservation on their land to increased recycling, a dwindling carbon footprint, a Study Completion Program for employee education, and self-funded research and development for furthering these programs. There are plenty of certifications, stats, and reports for the geeks out there, too.

It’s certainly inspiring to see Montes spearheading so many initiatives, and it’s also encouraging that all of this work and diligence translates to fantastic wines, too. I mean, that’s what we’re here for, right?

Although there are many tiers of Montes wines, I’m constantly impressed with the value of the Montes Alpha level, which is a premium category of theirs meant to stand among other international premium wines. I’d venture to say that Montes Alpha 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon ($23.99, B.C. Liquor Stores) is potentially the best New World Cabernet for the money. Notes of mocha, currants, and a few leaves of basil sail out of the glass upon the first few swirls, and then mighty enjoyable sips carry black fruit, a layer of earthiness, some tobacco notes, and a nice lashing of spearmint on the finish. Acid, alcohol, tannins: they’re all on point, and it all comes together at a medium weight that’s far from being a heavy fruit bomb.

The wine can age, too. I’d give it an easy six to eight years, and potentially many more. In fact, when we tasted together, we went through various vintages of many of their labels, which illustrated how age-friendly Montes wines can be.

A personal favourite series of theirs is their Purple Angel wines, made predominantly with Carménère and then a smallish splash of Petit Verdot. That Carménère brings loads of dark cocoa, bourbon-macerated cherries, espresso, and maybe a little sage, while the Petit Verdot offers opulent, juicy black and purple fruit. “That Petit Verdot also ensures the flavour and structure of the wine is retained as it ages,” Montes told me.

The current 2013 vintage of Purple Angel ain’t cheap: it sits on B.C. Liquor Stores shelves at $67.99. If you’re looking to splurge, however, this is absolutely a splurge-worthy wine. Although this vintage has all of those elements mentioned above, it also has a nice dusting of pepper and some firm tannins to keep everything in place. If you’re able to lay down a bottle or two, you’ll certainly be rewarded. A taste of the 2011 vintage showed similar characteristics, but all of ’em softening out nice and easy, while the 2004 is currently presenting a velvety nature, with more of those herbs gently floating to the surface.

Do visit Montes Wines website to learn more about the good work they do, and for current labels and availability in our market, check out their importer at the Trialto website.