“A delicacy”. Thus you can define the experience of trying Don Melchor, one of the most internationally recognized Chilean wines. And it is not coincidental, because it is indeed a creaminess with character and presence that awakens the senses of this Cabernet Sauvignon that gains followers that even gather in clubs in different parts of the world.
2018: A perfect harvest
The recent vintage of Puente Alto’s icon red wine was given in ideal climatic conditions, allowing an unprecedented harvest and a final wine that obtained the highest recognition – 100 points – of the international critic James Suckling, marking a real milestone for the brand and for the Chilean wine industry.
“This is mind-blowing. The vitality and energy in this wine is dazzling. The complexity of the aromas is impressive with ores, blackcurrants, raspberries, and peaches. Wide body, although very refined and polished with impeccable texture and beauty. The length is wonderful. This is a testament to balance, harmony and transparency in a great red,” the American said.
The favorable conditions allowed to obtain a wine that rescues the maximum expression of the fruit and maturity of the tannins and faithfully respects its origin.
“Perseverance in the search for the best expression and quality, has allowed us to obtain in the harvest 2018 what we call a perfect harvest. The wines are very expressive, with precise maturity, rescuing all the expression of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc fruit. Concentrated wines, but with very soft and elegant tannins, wines that show different layers of aromas and flavors that when putting them together in the butt mix, manage to produce that unique emotion that is only perceived in the great wines and the great harvests”, notes his winemaker, Enrique Tirado.
Obtaining these historic 100 points from James Suckling, Don Melchor consolidates his position as one of the world’s great high-end Cabernet Sauvignon and also positions, by terroir of Puente Alto as a unique place and able to show the world the great potential of Chile to produce great wines.
With more than 30 years of history, the brand continues to reap the highest international recognitions, such as when the international medium Wine Spectator produced an article called “El Cabernet collectible de Chile”, which was based on the retroactive tasting of the 30 harvests of Don Melchor.
The instance was attended by renowned senior critic and editor Kim Marcus, who catalogued the crops with “a remarkable consistency and depth of flavor”.
The wine specialist also highlighted the “distinctive and powerful” of this Cabernet Sauvignon, highlighting the “rich and earthy aromas, flavors of dried red fruits, pork and spices that reflect a remarkable combination of Bordeaux-style finesse and purity granted for its fruits”.
30-year tradition and quality
Wine Spectator highlights the history of the terroir of Puente Alto, located in the Maipo Valley, told by Enrique Tirado, who has been involved in the production of Don Melchor since 1995. However, the history of this wine was born in 1987 when it was named after the founder of Concha y Toro.
The article highlights that the vineyard was originally planted 100 years ago, and has an area that reaches 127 hectares, where 90% correspond to Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.1% to Cabernet Franc, 1.9% to Merlot and 1% to Petit Verdot.
On the other hand, the specialized magazine notes that this wine can age for more than 20 years and preserve its “freshness and vitality”. Among the oldest harvests, the publication stands out, are those of 1997, 2003 and 2008, which are characterized by a deep flavor, with a great grip on the components of ripe fruit, and backed by agile tannins.
