VIÑA DON MELCHOR DM/01
CHILE 2022
This powerful and dazzling 98-pointer, made from the oldest block in the Don Melchor vineyard (planted in 1979 with pre-phylloxera massal selection from Bordeaux), is a Total Wine debut: we’re proud to be able to bring you this stellar bottling for less than $110.
After three-and-a-half decades spent perfecting a single wine — one that earned Wine Spectator's #1 Wine of the Year in 2024 — Don Melchor has taken the unprecedented step of releasing a new one: DM/01 is the inaugural release in Don Melchor’s The Parcels, a limited-edition series showcasing individual vineyard blocks.
That should tell you something right there.
And so should this:
It’s up there with the best wines they’ve ever made.
James Suckling praised its “depth,” its “fine-grained tannins,” and “long” finish.
To that we’d just add that its aromatics are broad and well-developed, its mid-palate is rich and meaty, and, texturally speaking, it manages somehow to be both satiny and steely.
As I mentioned, this is a new release, but the story of its birth dates back to at least 1997.
That’s when Don Melchor’s winemaker, Enrique Tirado, divided the vineyard into sub-parcels in 1997, vinifying each independently. In 2022, he realized that Parcel #01 was special enough, distinctive enough, to be bottled separately.
"Wines from this parcel,” Tirado notes, "are characterized by intense aromas of red fruits, floral notes, and a fresh, vibrant expression. They stand out for their elegance, smoothness, and fine tannins."
The vineyard sits at 2,000 feet in Puente Alto at the foot of the Andes, and that high-altitude terroir is essential to the character of these world-class wines: the foundation, but also the soul.
Add in those pre-phylloxera vines from 19th-century Bordeaux stock, the guidance of legendary consultants Jacques and Eric Boissenot, and Tirado's 25+ vintages of experience, and it’s no secret why Don Melchor has produced four vintages among Wine Spectator's Top 10 and ten vintages in their Top 100.
For this debut release, Tirado blended Cabernet Sauvignon with a small but not insignificant portion of Cabernet Franc, for softening and dimensionality, and aged the wine for 15 months in French oak.
We can’t wait for you to dive in and taste.
We’re sure you’ll agree with us that this is both one for today and tomorrow … an indulgence as well as an investment.
Secure your allocation today before it's gone.
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Spring 2026. 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 Sunday, January 25th, 2026.