VIÑA DON MELCHOR
MAIPO VALLEY, CHILE 2017-2022
WHY BUY: This exceptional library release from Don Melchor — including a 100-pointer that James Suckling hailed as “amazing” and “breathtaking”; two 99-pointers, including one that he anointed “perhaps the greatest Don Melchor ever made”; and a 98-pointer — is Cabernet heaven. The estate's legion of fans around the world know the math that makes these wines special: high-altitude magic (2,000 feet above the Andes) + 30+ year-old pre-phylloxera vines from Bordeaux + renowned Bordeaux consultants Jacques and Eric Boissenot = authority and grace in the glass and a perfect balancing act of Old World and New.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: “Amazing.” That's James Suckling's ultimate assessment of the 100-point 2018, which he praised for its stunning vibrancy and energy” and “breathtaking complexity of aromas” with “impeccable texture and beauty” that creates “a testimony to balance, harmony and transparency in a great red.” The 2017 vintage earned his mind-blowing testimonial: “perhaps the greatest Don Melchor ever made”; his 99-point paean went on to praise its “fantastic aromas of blackcurrants and other dark fruit with crushed stone, iron and oysters” and “incredible energy and depth.” The 2022 vintage was right there with it: Suckling awarded it 99 points for its tannins (“like touching a silk ball”) and a ‘very long and compact” finish. The 2019 vintage was just a tick off in his assessment, at 98 points, but he extolled it for being “more refined than the perfect 2018 and almost as compelling.”
OUR TASTING NOTES: Two characteristics stood out, above all, in our recent tasting: one, an altitude-driven intensity that gives these wines energy and a sense of purpose, and two, the way power, structure, and length are made to seem so inevitable, and so seamless. The 2018 delivers aromatics so complex they feel orchestrated. Layers build and shift like a symphony that refuses to resolve into simple themes. The 2017 carries a wonderful mineral weight that speaks directly to its Andean origins, while still bringing the weight, the plushness, that Cabernet needs. The 2022 shows remarkable polish for such a young wine, with tannins that provide structure without declaring themselves and fruit concentration that builds slowly rather than wallops you right away. The 2019 opens with savory complexity that feels more like walking into a well-appointed library than tasting wine, all leather and wood and books aging with stately authority. The 2020 takes a more austere path, revealing its character slowly through earthy undertones and spice notes that suggest serious cellar potential.
THE STORY: Situated at the foot of the Andes Mountains, in a town called Puente Alto, the Don Melchor vineyard sits at more than 2,000 feet above sea level: exactly the kind of vertiginous elevation that's essential to producing any wine with world-class ambitions. But altitude alone doesn't explain Don Melchor's three-decade track record of world-class success. The 30+ year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines descend from pre-phylloxera selections brought from Bordeaux in the late 19th century, while operations are blessed with the oversight of renowned Bordeaux consultants Jacques and Eric Boissenot, working together with Don Melchor’s award-winning winemaker Enrique Tirado. Historical genetics, high-altitude terroir, and international expertise: it all adds up to wines of unusual character and command, that have both the power to capture your attention and the precision to steal your heart.
WHAT TO PAIR THEM WITH: These wines call for meats of equal heartiness — an Argentine asado, say, or a plate of Peruvian anticuchos, or a sizzling skillet of Korean galbi. The more austere vintages work beautifully with aged Manchego or Parmigiano-Reggiano.
FUN FACT: In the late 1880s, according to Wine Enthusiast, Don Melchor found himself the frequent victim of attack, with robbers sneaking into his cellar and filching his wines. So he put out a rumor — that his wines were protected by the devil.
OUR GUARANTEE: As always, we only source directly from the estate to ensure that your wines arrive as they should, and as you deserve: with perfect provenance guaranteed. Secure yours today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Winter 2026 (Dec. 21st - Mar. 20th, 2027). With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in KS, MI, NE, NY, OK & TN. This offer will expire on Thursday, May 21st, 2026.