2021 Concha Y Toro Don Melchor 'Puente Alto' Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley

Winemaker Notes: Don Melchor winemaker and technical director Enrique Tirado made this vintage with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from the Puente Alto terroir in the Alto Maipo Valley, which is an intense cherry red color with tremendous aromatic complexity and a great expression of fruit. It is highly concentrated and persistent on the palate and fresh, with soft, fine, delicate tannins and an excellent balance.

Don Melchor, Chile’s first icon wine, has consistently received the highest praise and recognition throughout its entire history since the beginning. This confirms it as one of the maximum representatives of Cabernet Sauvignon and the Puente Alto terroir as Chile’s finest origin for producing this variety.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


James Suckling - "Ashy graphite, cassis, iron, blackberries and a hint of cigar box and chocolate. Lots of violets, too. Rich and intense with a full-bodied palate. Showing density and very fine but structured tannins. Long and intense finish with lots of flavors. 93% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc and 3% merlot. One of the best over the last few years. Drinkable now, but will fledge and hold very well in the next 20 years. "


Tim Atkin - "Right up there with the best-ever releases of Don Melchor, this showcases the quality of a top terroir in an exceptional vintage. Pairing Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Merlot (Enrique Tirado left out the Petit Verdot), this is fresh, poised and effortlessly concentrated, showing aromas of graphite and green herbs, lovely texture and weight, scented 68% new oak, caressing tannins and impressive underlying freshness. Exceptional stuff."


Vinous - "The 2021 Don Melchor is dark garnet red in the glass. The restrained nose offers pure fruity notes such as blackcurrant with hints of leaves and black tea, refined woody aromas, and gentle touches of plum and red bell pepper. In the mouth, it’s intense with mild juiciness and rounded tannins. The taut palate gradually grows more profound as it develops cedar flavors at the back of the throat before the long, rewarding finish. A wine that is more suggestive than explicit as it slowly envelops you in its different layers. The added freshness brings out the clarity of the fruity flavors."


Wine Spectator - "From its inaugural vintage in 1987, Viña Don Melchor aspired to demonstrate that Chilean terroir can produce world-class wines. Maintaining that credo, several years ago it became a stand-alone brand, separate from its parent company, Concha y Toro. The move signaled a shift to distinguish the flagship from Concha y Toro’s primarily large-volume and lower-priced labels. Now in its 35th vintage, the exemplary Viña Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon Puente Alto Vineyard has undoubtedly succeeded in its endeavor as a reference for excellence, both in Chile and worldwide, and its 2021 version earns Wine Spectator’s 2024 Wine of the Year honors." #1 of Wine Spectator's Top Wines of 2024


Wine Enthusiast - "This Cabernet exemplifies the elegance of wines from Puente Alto in the Maipo Valley. Aromas of graphite and perfectly ripe berries emerge from the glass. It offers depth, freshness and silky tannins, providing structure to a balanced mix of fruit and spice. Notes of licorice and rosemary add to its complexity. The savory finish is marked by a lingering hint of tobacco. Drink now through 2038 and beyond."


Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - "The 2021 Don Melchor is, to my palate, the most classic and timeless iteration presented in this vertical. It opens with a well-balanced, composed and textbook bouquet of cigar box, fresh herbs, blackberries and pencil shavings. On the palate, it is sumptuous yet elegant, combining a sleek, refined texture with the soft, gentle richness that is characteristic of this blend. It concludes with a graphite-driven, chiseled finish framed by chocolate-tinged tannins and lasting persistence. It's a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Merlot that spent 15 months in 68% new barrels, the rest second-use. 95+"