Concha y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Blackcurrants, cassis and graphite on the nose. Pure and fragrant. Full-bodied with superb density and tannins that are so polished. The texture is like touching a silk ball. Its finish is very long and compact with slightly chewy tannins, but it will come together beautifully with time in the bottle. Try after 2028.

The Don Melchor Vineyard lies at the foot of the Andes on the northern bank of the Maipo River, over 2,000 feet above sea level; this wine reflects that dramatic terrain. The velvetlined curtains open with streamlined notes of black coffee before plum and chocolate take center stage with spice and cedar. A magnificent performance featuring kirsch on the finish and cameos by Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot.

The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Don Melchor originates from a vineyard planted in the heart of the Puente Alto region in 1979. This is renowned Cabernet Sauvignon terroir, characterized by the perfect balance of temperatures and poor gravel soils. The 2022 was aged in French oak barrels, with 78% of them being new. Garnet-hued with a purplish sheen, it offers complex aromas of currant, blackberry, ash, mint and a subtle floral tone that can be attributed to the cold vintage. Dry, rich and moderately juicy, the precisely calibrated tannins of Maipo Valley and the clear fruit impart the palate with intensity and agility. This is a more nuanced and energetic edition of Don Melchor, closing with a fairly compact finish.

Elegant, nuanced and concentrated, with a loamy-clay cast to the fresh thyme and subtle tuberose aromas, which give way to a rich yet balanced core of blackberry and cassis notes lifted by saline-edged acidity. Wonderfully fresh while moving toward the finish, where the flavors come together and linger harmoniously around well-formed tannins. Drink now through 2040. 17,800 cases made, 3,500 cases imported.

Puente Alto, located in the highest part of the Maipo Valley, is a renowned appellation for producing some of Chile's finest wines. This elegant Cabernet opens with sweet blackberry aromas and subtle hints of licorice. Sip it slowly allowing its flavorful profile to fully unfold, offering ripe red berries intertwined with delicate oak spices. Energized acidity enhances the wine's structure, carrying through to a finish highlighted by a touch of peppercorn.

There is a little more ripeness in the 2019 Don Melchor, which in warmer years shows notes of ripe plums and is subtly balsamic. The palate is round and powerful, with good balance and nice integration of the oak. As usual, there is a combination of elegance and power, with subtle mintiness and harmony.