Ratings & Tasting Notes:

99 points James Suckling
Review Date: 04/2019
Fantastic aromas of blackcurrants and other dark fruit with crushed stone, iron and oysters, following through to a full body that shows incredible energy and depth, offering ripe yet fresh fruit, together with bright herbs and earth. Precision and balance of the intensity of the vintage. Layered. Perhaps the greatest Don Melchor ever made. Try after 2022.

95 points Wine Enthusiast
Review Date: 05/2020
#6 Top 100 Cellar Selections 2020 Wine Enthusiast! A full, spicy nose is packed to the brim with smoky, toasty oak and earthy black-fruit aromas. A ripe, full and chewy palate is smooth in feel, while this classic Cabernet from Puente Alto in the Maipo Valley tastes of coffee, rich chocolate, toasty spices and blackberry. A lush, bold finish runs long, indicating that this will age well. Hold through 2040.

95 points Wine Spectator
Review Date: 05/2020
Suave, complex and elegant, with fine-grained tannins supporting the dried cherry, red plum and currant flavors. Cedar and forest floor notes show midpalate, leading to a long finish of cocoa powder and baker’s chocolate details, accented by hints of apple wood smoke and white pepper. Drink now through 2032.

Cult Wines International Notes:

The Don Melchor is widely regarded as Chile’s first icon wine and is the ultra-premium flagship bottling of Concha y Toro, the country’s largest and most famous producer. Released in $1987$, it was created to demonstrate that Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon could stand alongside the greatest wines of the world.

The Puente Alto Terroir: The wine is sourced almost exclusively from the historic, highly prized Puente Alto Vineyard in the Alto Maipo Valley, a sub-region often referred to as the “Bordeaux of South America.” This vineyard benefits from its high elevation at the foot of the Andes Mountains and, crucially, the rocky, alluvial soils deposited by the Maipo River. These poor soils stress the vines, resulting in grapes with intense color, concentration, and fine, powerful structure.

Tasting Profile and Style: Unlike many powerful New World Cabernets, Don Melchor is famed for its elegance and freshness while maintaining concentration and depth. It showcases classic Cabernet notes of cassis, blackcurrant, and dark cherry, seamlessly integrated with tertiary notes of cedar, tobacco, and graphite derived from aging in French oak. It is built for the long haul, possessing firm structure and high-quality tannins that allow it to age beautifully for decades.

International Recognition: Don Melchor’s consistent critical acclaim, including multiple perfect scores from international critics, cemented its status as a “First Growth” of Chile. It successfully established a new category for Chilean wine—the $100$-plus collectible—and continues to be a benchmark for Cabernet Sauvignon outside of Bordeaux and Napa Valley.

Bottle Size:

750 mL

Storage History:

Always stored on its side in a climate-controlled cellar.

Condition:

Outstanding condition.

Please note: The condition of the bottle you will receive is accurately reflected by the one shown in the images.