04/20/2025
Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon is a vivid composition of its famed origins in the Puente Alto region.
Steeped in the rich heritage of Don Melchor Concho y Toro, who planted the first Bordeaux grapes in Maipo Valley in 1883, this namesake wine has remained a standard-bearer of luxury winemaking for three decades, paying tribute to the terroir of Puente Alto and the extraordinary Don Melchor Vineyard.
Don Melchor Vineyard
Resting at the foot of the Andes Mountain Range and soaring 2,100 feet above sea level on the north bank of the Maipo River, Don Melchor Vineyard is the apex of luxury winegrowing in Chile.
Cabernet Sauvignon vines, which account for more than 90 percent of the vineyard’s acreage, trace their origins to the first vines imported from Bordeaux in the late 19th Century.
The vineyard is divided into seven parcels, each with its own combination of soil, organic matter and sun exposure, creating a singular wine from an extraordinary place. (See picture).
A bio photo Enrique Tirado standing between a row of vines with a cloudy white sky in the background.
Enrique Tirado
For more than 20 years, Winemaker Enrique Tirado has carved a path as one of the most influential figures in Chilean winemaking, leading Don Melchor to new heights of excellence and prestige. His passion and commitment have propelled Don Melchor to the world stage, garnering recognition as the first Chilean icon wine and creating a reference for Cabernet Sauvignon worldwide.
Enrique seamlessly blends seven distinct parcels from Don Melchor Vineyard to craft a singular expression of an unparalleled place.
To help with the process,
Tirado enlists Bordelais consultant Eric Boissenot, son of the late Jacques Boissenot. Eric consults with hundreds of estates, including Bordeaux’s Château Mouton-Rothschild, Château Latour and Château Léoville Las Cases. “On the first day, we taste the parcels blind, looking only for quality,” Tirado explained.
Examining blind allows Tirado to respect each lot, looking for the right combination of concentration and tannin, with a singular focus on expressing the Don Melchor terroir.
