2021 Concha y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon Vinedo Puente Alto Maipo Valley 750 ml

Don Melchor is the Southern Hemisphere’s most famous and lauded Cabernet—and the 2021 may be its best vintage ever.

The wine is the flagship bottling of Concha y Toro, the winery that put Chile on the international map. Like Robert Mondavi’s To Kalon Cabernet or Beringer’s Private Reserve, it shows what’s possible when a large winery flexes its muscles and pours its resources into crafting a smaller production, world-class Cabernet. Don Melchor was the first Chilean wine on Wine Spectator’s Top 100—and has placed in the Top 10 on three different occasions. It’s also been featured on the Top 100 lists of Wine & Spirits and James Suckling.

The 2021 earned a 99-point score from James Suckling and 97 points from Vinous, and both praised its suave sophistication and ageworthiness. This is a bottle to drink next to prized Classified Growth Bordeaux or Cult Napa wines. 

What sets Don Melchor apart begins with its exceptional terroir in the Puente Alto Vineyard at the foot of the Andes. The combination of poor, well-draining rocky soils, significant diurnal temperature variation, and the cooling influence of the Andes creates perfect conditions for slow, even ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon. Each vintage represents a careful selection from different parcels within the vineyard.

The 2021 saw 15 months of aging in 68% new French oak, allowing for integration and complexity while maintaining the purity of the fruit. The final blend achieves a beautiful balance between power and elegance, showing intense dark fruit flavors while retaining fresh acidity and refined tannins. Supremely ageworthy, it will develop additional layers of complexity while maintaining its fundamental character. A true icon.