Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon. Photos thanks to Don Melchor
Till recently, Chile has actually been the Rodney Dangerfield of the wine world. For the many part, wineries were more concentrated on making the most of success than gathering respect, and Chile became the beloved of the supermarket rack. Things are now turning around, as lots of manufacturers have focused their efforts on making a minimum of one top quality label: It’s fair to state that white wines such as Almaviva, Seña, Viñedo Chadwick and Clos Apalta rank with the best of Napa and Bordeaux.Near the top, if
not at the apex, is the Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon produced by Concha y Toro. Concha y Toro is the largest winery in Latin America and one of the 10 largest in the world (nearly 30 million cases exported to 135 countries). It was established in 1883 by Don Melchor Concha y Toro, a Chilean business person and politician, who brought in cuttings from Bordeaux. To honor his memory, the winery launched the very first vintage of Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon in 1987.
Don Melchor was the first ultra-premium wine for both Concha y Toro and Chile, and it led the way for the company’s joint venture with Château Mouton Rothschild to produce Almaviva. The 2018 vintage ($125), which got a perfect score from one white wine critic and near-perfect ratings from many others, is a blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. It is composed of grapes from 7 different parcels of vines set on the north bank of the Maipo River in the Puento Alto area and is crafted by veteran winemaker Enrique Tirado.Don Melcor’s 2018 Cabernet has a deep, brooding color and an aromatic nose with fragrances of roasted cocoa, fresh herbs and blackberry jam. It enters the mouth gracefully, displaying an abundant, unctuous texture and a supple tannin structure. The age of the vines( 30+years)is instantly obvious. The natural part is most visible in the mid taste buds, where it’s highlighted by great level of acidity and a panorama of reduced black fruit flavors. The surface is long and succulent. This is a profound red wine that will offer pleasurable drinking either by itself or with food.While it might seem ridiculous to some customers to explain a$125 bottle as a bargain, Don Melchor is
securely in that classification.$125 doesn’t buy much in the method of a high-end California Cabernet nowadays, and this one compares positively to famous names from the Golden State at two or 3 times the cost. The rate equivalent in Bordeaux would be a top-level Cru Bourgeois, but it’s doubtful those wines would provide the exact same satisfaction so right after release. Mark Spivak specializes in red wine, spirits, food, dining establishments and cooking travel. He is the author of a number of books on distilled spirits and
the cocktail culture, along with three novels. His very first book, Buddy of the Devil, has actually been re-released on Amazon in print, e-book and audio book formats. Has America’s biggest chef cut an offer with Satan for fame and fortune?
Source: https://www.palmbeachillustrated.com/the-rodney-dangerfield-of-wine/