# Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon (2024)

- **Producer:** Viña Don Melchor
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot
- **Region:** Maipo Valley, Chile
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.5%
- **Average price:** €135
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blackcurrant, blackberry, plum, violet, cedar, cloves

## About this wine

Don Melchor is named in homage to Don Melchor de Santiago Concha y Toro, who imported original pre-phylloxera Bordeaux vine cuttings to Chile in 1883. The wine originates from the 127-hectare Don Melchor Vineyard situated at 650 meters above sea level on the third alluvial terrace of the Maipo River in Puente Alto. In 2019, Viña Don Melchor was established as a dedicated standalone estate to preserve and highlight the unique identity of this historic terroir.

## Interesting facts

- Vines stem from 1880s pre-phylloxera French Bordeaux cuttings brought to Chile.
- Technical Director Enrique Tirado blends the wine in France each year with consultant Éric Boissenot.
- Don Melchor holds the record for the most Wine Spectator Top 100 appearances of any Chilean wine.

## Food pairing

A full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon blend with structured, refined tannins and high natural freshness requires rich, protein-dense meats and savory fats. Protein molecules bind to wine tannins, mitigating astringency and smoothing the texture, while vibrant acidity cuts through deep flavor profiles and cuts rich fat.

## Wine making process

Harvested by hand in small crates across 151 individual micro-parcels. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks for approximately nine days, followed by a post-fermentation maceration period. Winemaker Enrique Tirado collaborates annually in France with consultant Éric Boissenot to craft the final assemblage from roughly 50% to 70% of the vinified lots. The wine matures for 14 to 15 months in French oak barrels, with around 70% being new oak.