Enrique Tirado, Winemaker, Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon
image courtesy of Viña Don Melchor
With so much turmoil in the world, I am grateful that I get to escape for a bit and travel virtually through wine. I don't take it for granted. I recently had the pleasure of tasting on Instagram Live with the esteemed and extremely talented Enrique Tirado, winemaker for Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon (Puente Alto Vineyard, Chile).
When I met Enrique last year, the world was a very different place. Thank goodness for the elegant consistency of Don Melchor. First created in 1987, the second vintage of Don Melchor (1988) was the first Chilean wine to be named to Wine Spectator's Top 100. It has since placed nine times on this prestigious ranking of wines from around the world, including three placements in the Top 10.image courtesy of Viña Don Melchor
Don Melchor’s historic Puente Alto Vineyard at the foot of the Andes Mountains is grouped into seven blocks that are further divided into more than 150 parcels. Each parcel offers a unique expression that varies from year to year. Enrique methodically selects from these parcels to create a complex but harmonious tapestry of wine. As Enrique said, “Don Melchor is not a single Cabernet Sauvignon, but multiple expressions.”
During my chat with Enrique, we tasted the 30th vintage release Don Melchor 2017 and the 2016 vintage – both retail for about $120. You can watch our conversation by clicking the video above, on IGTV, or YouTube.
Beautiful red fruit flavors, soft tannins, and impressive balance are Don Melchor trademarks. 2017 is a bigger wine with riper fruit flavors and some hints of black fruit, espresso, and spice. 2016 is not as bold, but its precision and purity of expression make it absolutely spectacular – it sings in the glass.
