CONCHA Y TORO Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon - Puente Alto 2019 Bottle (los)

Description

Don Melchor 2019 among the best wines from Chile according to James Suckling.

Concha y Toro’s Don Melchor brand has added another accolade to its consistent trajectory. In his latest report, prominent wine critic James Suckling gave the Don Melchor 2019 vintage a 98-point score after tasting over 1,000 wines from Chile.

“Very scented and aromatic with black currant, sweet tobacco, and a Spanish cedar character. Full-bodied with ultra-fine tannins give it structure on the palate and bring fruit and other flavours for a lasting finish. More refined than the perfect 2018 and almost as convincing,” details Suckling.

This recognition reaffirms the solid trajectory already carved by Chile’s first iconic wine. Don Melchor’s 2019, 2018, and 2017 vintages have the three highest scores ever given by James Suckling to a bottle of Chilean wine.

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 colour 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.

Last week Kasia was privileged to taste the 2019 and this is what she had to say about it. “This is the second amazing vintage of Don Melchor in a row. 'Finesse' is a great way of describing the 2019 I think! It is more aromatic than the excellent 2018 with an excellent mouthfeel, more weight and better phenolic maturity due to the particularity of the weather.” 18/20

Vintage
Drought conditions of the 2019 lowered the yields and as a result, smaller bunches aided concentration offering generous fruit and a gorgeous mouthfeel. With high altitude of the Don Melchor vineyards, those cooler nights during the ripening season preserved excellent acidity, rich body and deeper colour. The wine is incredibly charming with layered notes of black fruit and roses, followed by sweet tobacco, roasted coffee and refreshing cedar and eucalyptus notes on the long finish. It is full bodied yet refined with fine, integrated tannins giving structure and backbone to the wine. The addition of 5% Cabernet Franc adds a refreshing lift and balance to richness of Cabernet Sauvignon fruit.