VIÑA DON MELCHOR, CABERNET SAUVIGNON, PUENTE ALTO
MAIPO VALLEY, CHILE 2019
Calling all Cabernet collectors … this one’s for you:
Don Melchor has been a transcendent star ever since its second vintage, in 1988. With that historic bottling, it became the first Chilean wine to earn its way onto Wine Spectator's prestigious Top 100 List. Since then it has made the list an astonishing 8 times, recorded a 100-point score, and joined the conversation as one of the finest producers of Bordeaux varietals not just in Chile but in the world. Simply put, no discussion of the glories of New World winemaking can be had without a mention of Don Melchor.
The '19 Don Melchor only burnishes the luster of this legendary estate. James Suckling hailed it for being "very perfumed and aromatic," with "ultra fine tannins" and an "endless finish," and awarded a rare 98 points!
We are thrilled to have obtained a small allocation of this exceptional wine, and just as thrilled to be able to extend a limited-time price to our Concierge Family!
To understand the extraordinary success of this estate over three decades, all it takes is one glimpse of its vineyards.
Situated in the Puente Alto D.O., at the foot of the Andes Mountains, the eponymous Don Melchor vineyard sits at more than 2,000 feet above sea level. High elevation is essential, as we all know, to the production of any wine that has ambitions of becoming world-class. But the Don Melchor vineyard has more that altitude going for it. The 30+ year old Cabernet Sauvignon vines are from a pre-phylloxera selection brought to Chile from Bordeaux in the late 19th century. The Bordeaux connection extends beyond the vines. Operations at the estate are overseen by the renowned Bordeaux consultants Jacques and Eric Boissenot, in conjunction with award-winning winemaker Enrique Tirado.
There's a reason, in other words, that every sip seems to be an almost perfect balancing act between Old World and New.
Composed of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, and aged in French oak, the '19 offers a marvelous blend of elegance and energy. Suckling wrote that its drinking window will begin in 2023, an assessment that was more than borne out in our tastings. We saw a wine that is thisclose to being ready, classical and structured, but also bursting with red fruits, dried herbs, soft spices, graphite, and earth.
Don't miss your chance to fill your cellar with a pedigreed Cab as crowd-pleasing as they come — order now!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Spring/Summer 2022. 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 IN, MI, NM, NY, or TN. This offer is for ONE WEEK, or until sold out, and will expire on Wednesday, March 16, 2022.
