Every year, Winemaker Enrique Tirado travels to the small town of Lamarque, Bordeaux, France, to meet with renowned Bordeaux consultant Eric Boissenot, to taste approximately 150 lots from the vineyard and determine which lots, and in which proportions, will go into the new vintage of Don Melchor. Once the final blend has been defined, the new vintage of Don Melchor is transferred to French oak barrels from the Allier, Tronçois, and Nevers forests. Nearly two-thirds of the barrels are new, and the remaining third have had one prior use. After 14–15 months, the wine is bottled and aged for another year to develop the complexity and elegance that Don Melchor is known for.
The signature wine of Don Melchor from the exquisitely tended Puente Alto vineyard, set at the foot of the Andes Mountains on the northern banks of the Maipo River in the Upper Maipo Valley, 650 meters above sea level. The vineyard dates back to the mid-19th century, when the first pre-phylloxera French varieties were brought to Chile. Today, the vineyard consists of 127 hectares, divided into seven parcels, 90% of which are Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.1% are Cabernet Franc, 1.9% are Merlot, and 1% are Petit Verdot. Each parcel has been subdivided in order for very specific, detailed work that responds to the particular needs of each plant, row by row, to achieve the perfect balance with the weather characteristics of each year. Average age of the vines is 40 years. The vineyards are sustainably grown and biodynamic, even the winery practices a minimalist approach to the production of this fantastic juice.
Tasting Notes: More refined than even the previous vintage which got perfect 100 scores! Very perfumed and aromatic with blackcurrant, sweet tobacco, and Spanish-cedar character. Full-bodied with ultra-fine tannins that build on the palate and take the fruit and other flavors to an endless finish. Intrigingly complex yet elegant, this wine will go head to head with anything else in its price range and even blow some even higher priced wines out of the water!
Don Melchor has quickly become the finest producer of Cabernet Sauvignon in Chile, and with extremely high scores, you know you are putting something in your cellar worthy of putting some age to the bottle.