The beauty of the composition of Don Melchor is to intertwine the flavours, aromas and emotions produced by the different plots of Cabernet Sauvignon.
It’s purpose is to unite, in a balanced way, each expression of the plots, finding the balance that allows the expression of a place, of a soil, of the Andes mountain range in a single wine.
Don Melchor’s winemaker Enrique Tirado is one of the most influential figures on the international wine scene.
For more than 20 years he has been in charge of Don Melchor, the first Chilean icon Fine Wine and a true benchmark for the variety worldwide.
This deep purple-coloured wine is aromatically very expressive, complex and intense with red fruit and berry aromas and floral notes of violets. It fills the mouth, displaying depth throughout, with a smooth entry, great energy and breadth and a long, expressive finish. With its elegant mouthfeel, this wine showcases harmony,depth and elegance.
James Suckling
Vinous
Deep violet in color, intense, and with a great aromatic complexity of red fruits together with oral notes of violets and roses. On the palate, it is a tasty wine with a so spell and a superb freshness, along with the elegance and power so characteristic of Puente Alto. It is a wine with a velvety texture, lush body, and a very long and persistent nish.
Wine Spectator
James Suckling
Vinous
Decanter
Tim Atkin
Descorchados
JancisRobinson.com
Deep purplish-red in color. The wine from this vintage shows an extraordinary elegance with an abundance of fresh red fruit and notes of blackcurrants and flowers. On the palate it has an enormous wealth of flavours, with breadth from beginning to end, and plenty of energy in perfect balance with the elegance of the textures and flavours.
James Suckling
Tim Atkin
La CAV
Descorchados 2022
Wine Spectator
Jancis Robinson
2018 is one of the greatest vintages in the history of Don Melchor. A highly expressive wine, with great personality and complexity.
The wine shows lots of expression and complexity of small red fruits, as well as floral notes displayed as a whole. On the palate, the wine is full of flavor and dominated by elegance and balance, as well as a great texture of the tannins, with a long, refined finish.
James Suckling
Tim Atkin
Descorchados 2021
Jancis Robinson
Adega
Wine & Spirits
Vinous
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Wine Enthusiast
Deep cherry red in color. Don Melchor 2017 is a wine with extraordinary elegance. Full of aromas and flavors and a marked presence of red berries. On the palate, ther are strong notes of Cabernet Sauvignon from Puente Alto, with fine and delicate tannins, while also providing a good density and long-lasting finish.
Wine Enthusiast
Wine & Spirits
Vinous
Robert Parker’s
Wine Spectator
James Suckling
Descorchados 2020
Tim Atkin
Jancis Robinson
This very elegant wine presents tremendous aromatic expression with a predominance of small red fruit notes. It starts smooth and is friendly on the palate and continues with perfectly balanced flavours and a long finish, where the balance and delicacy of the tannins reappear with great expression of this vintage’s lively fruit.
James Suckling
Descorchados 2019
Wine & Spirits
Wine Spectator
Tim Atkin
Robert Parker’s
Wine Enthusiast
Decanter
Jancis Robinson
Deep cherry red in color, this wine captivates with its balanced, depth, and complexity. The aromas of red fruits delicately intermingle with mineral notes that recall cold ashes and pencil lead. Fine, delicate textures appear on the palate and show this to be an ample, deep wine with a smooth, fine attack followed by an intense, mouth-lling evolution. Concentrated, expressive, and generous in flavors and aromas with a long nish dominated by the balance and elegance of the various layers of flavors.
Wine & Spirits
James Suckling
Decanter
Tim Atkin
Wine Spectator
Descorchados 2018
Wine Enthusiast
Robert Parker’s
Jancis Robinson
Jancis Robinson
Excellent expression of Cabernet Sauvignon’s characteristic red fruit aromas followed by mineral notes of ash and pencil lead. Great complexity on the palate with outstanding concentration and freshness accompanied by velvety tannins.
Wine & Spirits
James Suckling
Wine Spectator
Descorchados 2018
Decanter
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Wine.com
Jancis Robinson
Deep cherry red. A wine with tremendous aromatic complexity and a heightened expression of Cabernet fruit. Highly concentrated and persistent on the palate. Fresh, with smooth, fine, and delicate tannins and excellent balance.
Tim Atkin
Descorchados 2017
James Suckling
La CAV
Wine & Spirits
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Wine Enthusiast
Jancis Robinson
This deep cherry red wine is very expressive in red fruits. e smooth attack leads to good structure with an evolution that shows fresh aromas and flavors. Red berry fruit and spicy notes stand out on the long finish.
James Suckling
Wine Spectator
La CAV
Jeannie Cho Lee
Decanter
Evan Saviolidis
Anthony Gismondi
Wine & Spirits
Wine Enthusiast
Descorchados 2016
Descorchados 2016
Wine Align
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Jancis Robinson
A complex and elegant wine with notes of pencil lead, red fruits, and chocolate on the nose. The palate presents soft tannins and a silky, well-balanced texture, opening to layers of aromas and flavors that provide the wine tremendous concentration, depth, and final complexity.
Wine100 2016 (China)
TastingPanelMag.com
Adega
TastingPanelMag.com
Decanter
Descorchados 2015
James Suckling
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Anthony Gismondi
Wine Enthusiast
Wine Align
A very complex and elegant wine with notes of pencil lead and red fruit. Deep dark color and balanced palate, with a long finish. e texture of smooth, fine, elegant tannins lend great concentration and density, forming layers of flavors and aromas.
James Suckling
La CAV
Wine Spectator
Descorchados 2014
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Adega
Wine Align
Wine & Spirits
Wine Enthusiast
Decanter
Jancis Robinson
Deep cherry red in color with outstanding blackcurrant and blackberry aromas with chocolate notes. e palate starts with a mild attack, followed by a dense evolution with silky tannins and a growing sensation of freshness and intense acidity that lead to a crisp and lively long finish.
James Suckling
Wine Spectator
Le Pan Media
Descorchados 2013
Wine & Spirits
Wine Enthusiast
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Jancis Robinson
Deep cherry red. Elegant and complex, with aromas of red fruits and notes of cedar, tobacco, and chocolate. the well- structured palate has good body and is pleasingly concentrated and firm, and the finish is long and well balanced.
Vinous
Wine Spectator
Wine Enthusiast
Wine Align
Wine & Spirits
Descorchados 2012
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Anthony Gismondi
Decanter
Jancis Robinson
Intense ruby red. Very expressive and intense. Tremendous complexity with notes of fruit, graphite, and spices followed by blueberries,blackcurrant, coffee, and chocolate. Dense, smooth, and lush at the onset followed by a concentrated, meaty, dense evolution with potency and elegance at the same time. Very well balanced with a persistent finish that shows tremendous fruit intensity.
Decanter
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Wine Enthusiast
James Suckling
Wine Align
Wine Align
Le Pan Media
Wine Spectator
Stephentanzer.com
Intense ruby red. Expressive and complex with notes of chocolate, black cherries, and ripe plums that intermingle with aromas of coffee and blackcurrants. The expression of red fruits continues on the palate in a dense and mouth-lling wine with fine, ripe tannins that lend tremendous concentration and lead to a long, expansive finish.
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Wine Enthusiast
Wine Align
Vinous
Adega
Descorchados 2010
Wine & Spirits
Decanter
Jancis Robinson
Jancis Robinson
Intense ruby red in color. The first aromas recall sweet red fruits, such as cherries and blackcurrants, followed by notes of graphite, pencil lead, and chocolate. The expression of red fruits continues on the palate in this dense and mouth-lling wine with outstanding fine, ripe tannins.
Decanter
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Wine Enthusiast
Wine & Spirits
Wine Align
Jancis Robinson
Deep red cherry. Complex and elegant with red fruit, prunes, spices and cassis mingle with hints of chocolate, tobacco and cedar. Red fruits are also prominent on the palate. Striking tannin ripeness adds to the wine’s concentration and body, and also contributes its elegance and harmony.
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Descorchados 2008
Wine & Spirits
Wine Enthusiast
Vinous
Anthony Gismondi
Jancis Robinson
Deep cherry red with tremendous complexity and elegance. Notes of blackcurrant and other ripe black fruits that meld with blackberry jam and blueberries and followed by notes of cedar, spices, chocolate, and tobacco. Generous and elegant with good harmony. Well structured with firm, ripe tannins. A lush and dense wine with good volume. Seductive from beginning to end.
Wine Spectator
Decanter
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Wine & Spirits
Descorchados 2007
Wine Enthusiast
Jancis Robinson
Intense ruby red in color with tremendous expression of black fruits, plums, chocolate, and blackcurrants, with notes of coffee that lend great complexity to the wine. The palate is well structured very balanced, with smooth, ripe tannins that lead to a very good and lingering finish.
Decanter
Wine & Spirits
Wine Spectator
Wine Enthusiast
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Anthony Gismondi
Jancis Robinson
Intense ruby red with tremendous aromatic expression and complexity recalling fruits, pencil lead, and ash. Smooth attack with very-integrated tannins in their evolution. Highly concentrated with controlled potential and a long, mouth-lling finish. Great personality and expression in this vintage.
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Wine & Spirits
Descorchados 2005
James Suckling
Decanter
Jancis Robinson
The intense ruby red color prepares us for the tremendous expression of red fruits and the notes of Cabernet Sauvignon from Puente Alto that this wine exudes. Ripe young tannins on the palate lend the wine great balance and a pleasing finish. Like every vintage of Don Melchor, this one stands out for its elegance and the complexity of aromas and avors accompanied by good concentration and results in a wine that will evolve very well over time.
Wine Spectator
Decanter
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Guía de Vinos de Chile 2004
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Jancis Robinson
Intense ruby red with outstanding aromatic elegance. Notes of ripe fruits and berries are the first step in the tremendous complexity that appears in the glass, followed by notes of tobacco, coffee, and chocolate, all very well melded with vanilla. The palate shines for its ripe and friendly tannins and a pleasingly long finish with great harmony and balance. The elegance of this vintage speaks of Puente Alto in all its glory.
Vinous
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Decanter
Wine Enthusiast
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Anthony Gismondi
Wine & Spirits
Jancis Robinson
Deep ruby red. Aromas of chocolate, ripe plums, and menthol are all immediately perceptible in the wine, followed by notes of blackcurrant, berries, and vanilla, which lend great aromatic complexity. Well balanced and pleasing on the palate with great harmony and elegance, while the ripe tannins deliver concentration and persistence.
Decanter
Anthony Gismondi
Wine Spectator
Wine & Spirits
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Wine Enthusiast
Jancis Robinson
Deep ruby red with aromas of ripe plums, blackcurrant, chocolate, and tobacco accompanied by menthol and vanilla notes. Fine, elegant, and complex with ripe tannins that lend great volume and persistence.
Decanter
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Wine & Spirits
Anthony Gismondi
Wine Spectator
Wine Enthusiast
Jancis Robinson
Decanter
Deep ruby-red, the nose recalled red fruit, chocolate, tobacco and hints of vanilla. The palate is fine, elegant, full-bodied, with firm tannins and a complex and pleasant finish.
Decanter
Wine & Spirits
Adega
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Jancis Robinson
Dark and intense garnet red with aromas of plums, vanilla, chocolate, and tobacco with a light menthol note. A very complex, round, mouth-filling wine with firm tannins that deliver volume and persistence.
Wine & Spirits
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Anthony Gismondi
Wine Spectator
Decanter
Jancis Robinson
Fresh fruit, dried plums, berries, cinnamon, and a touch of menthol on the nose. Voluminous and complex on the palate with firm tannins and a lingering finish.
Decanter
Wine Spectator
Anthony Gismondi
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Jancis Robinson
Intense, deep red with aromas of red fruits, chocolate, and tobacco intermingled with notes of vanilla on the nose. Smooth, deep, and balanced on the palate with tremendous elegance.
Wine & Spirits
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Decanter
Jancis Robinson
Dark red in color, with plums and cherries on the nose and a bit of menthol and chocolate, all melded with elegant aromas of vanilla. Smooth, round, and balanced on the elegant palate with tremendous persistence.
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Jancis Robinson
Deep red. Dried plums, vanilla, chocolate, tobacco, and light menthol notes. Great complexity and expression on the palate. Ripe tannins lend tremendous volume, elegance, and a persistent finish.
Decanter
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Jancis Robinson
Orangish red in color with ochre notes, Aromas of coffee, herbs, and spices with balsamic notes. The palate starts fresh with a certain presence of tannins. The evolution is concentrated and the tannins appear firmer than they did initially. The finish is long and very persistent.
Decanter
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Jancis Robinson
Red with an orangish hue. Fine, complex aromas of red fruits such as blackcurrant on the nose with a touch of menthol and vanilla. A splendid expression of elegance and complexity with a lovely and persistent finish.
Adega
Wine Spectator
Decanter
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Jancis Robinson
Orangish red with notes of red fruits, coffee, chocolate, smoke, and spices. On the palate, the attack is smooth, followed by firm tannins that lend life and nerve to the wine, ending with a long and pleasing finish.
Decanter
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Wine & Spirits
Jancis Robinson
Wine Spectator
Deep cherry red. A wine with tremendous aromatic complexity and a heightened expression of Cabernet fruit. Highly concentrated and persistent on the palate. Fresh, with smooth, fine, and delicate tannins and excellent balance.
Decanter
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Jancis Robinson
Only ripe, intact, and healthy grapes are selected to continue on to the following stage, which takes place in small stainless steel fermentation tanks. Special care is taken at all times with temperatures and pumpovers in each tank. The color and tannins come from the skins and seeds through a delicate maceration.
After fermentation, the skins and seeds are pressed to conserve the maximum quality of the tannins.
A new vintage of Don Melchor begins when the percentages of the many lots of Cabernet Sauvignon from the different parcels in the vineyard are defined to go into the final blend. Any given lot may make up only 60–65% of the final.
The Boissenot family has been involved in this process since Don Melchor began and work closely with winemaker Enrique Tirado. Originally it was through Jacques Boissenot, the renowned French advisor and consultant to the most celebrated châteaux in Bordeaux, and now it is through his son, Eric Boissenot, who has continued his father’s legacy. Every year, Enrique Tirado and Eric Boissenot meet in the small town of Lamarque, in Bordeaux, France, to taste approximately 125 lots from the vineyard to select the ones they will use—and the precise percentage of each—that will define a new vintage of Don Melchor.
Once the final blend has been determined, the new vintage of Don Melchor is placed into oak barrels from the Allier, Tronçais, and Nevers forests in France. Nearly two-thirds of the barrels are new, and the remaining third have had one previous use. After a period of 12–15 months, the wine is bottled and continues to age for another year to develop the complexity and elegance characteristic of Don Melchor.