Looking back to the day of this trip. February felt like a long time ago in our current state - CB.. The gorgeous late afternoon sun was shining and we were out on a yacht with bottles of wine in hand. As soon as we docked, our session kicked off with 4 bottles from The Winemaker's lot.
Y'know here at boundbywine we LOVE our oaky and buttery whites, and this Chilean Chard did not disappoint at all. Strong notes of apricots and melon upon our first whiff. Turned to a different ballgame on the palate. Buttery, buttery, buttery! We love the oak finish and the cheese pairing on board definitely helped. Should have brought parma ham though...
Lot 128 Cabernet Sauvignon
Slightly sweet with notes of cherries and red berries, dry tannins. A tad young IMO, aeration helps but it would have been better if opened later in the year.
Lot 124 Syrah and Lot 67 Carmenere
Our third and second place on the list (respectively). For a full bodied lover like me, it was a yes with smooth tannins, dark berries & oak.
With even better mouthfeel is the Carmenere. Strong notes of blueberries, plum with a slight hint of spice. Fruity yet rich, this came a very close second to the Chardonnay. If it wasn't so hot that afternoon, we probably would have picked the Carmenere to pair with our bbq onboard.
Don Melchor 2017
Over the course of its more than 30 years of history, Don Melchor has always focused on seeking the expression of a Cabernet Sauvignon from an exceptional terroir like Puente Alto’s in the Alto Maipo Valley. Its objective has been to find the perfect balance, always trying to reach the highest quality in each and every vintage. Since its beginnings, Don Melchor has aimed to compete with the greatest wines in the world and show Chile’s tremendous potential as a producer of high-end wines and eventually becoming a true benchmark for the variety on a global level.
“Don Melchor is a wine that represents the respect for the past with a strong focus on the future and that expresses the admiration for the vineyard and the search for perfection. This wine is the culmination of 30 years of listening to the Puente Alto terroir, the perfect expression of what we call the beauty of balance,” says Don Melchor technical director Enrique Tirado.
Had our first go with the 2016 vintage. 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Merlot. 14 months in French oak barrels, 55% were new and 45% were second use. and it was luscious x10000, smooth & elegant - Think Diana Ross! (definitely on the top of my list for my next ME day)
The U.S. magazine Wine Spectator recently recognized Don Melchor 2017 with a score of 95 points. This vintage–which is the iconic Cabernet Sauvignon’s 31st–, represents a great harvest for Don Melchor, with extraordinary elegance and balance. It is composed of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc.
This new score adds to the Don Melchor’s past achievements in Wine Spectator, where it has been recognized nine times among the 100 Top Wines of the World –and three times among the top 10–, confirming its position among the top Cabernet Sauvignons in Chile and the world.
“Suave, complex and elegant, with fine-grained tannins supporting the dried cherry, red plum and currant flavors. Cedar and forest floor notes show midpalate, leading to a long finish of cocoa powder and baker’s chocolate details, accented by hints of apple wood smoke and white pepper.”
Acclaimed English wine Critic, Tim Atkin, assigned an outstanding 94 points to the 2017 vintage of Don Melchor. During his most recent visit to Chile, on December 18th, the prestigious British Master of Wine scored the 31st vintage of the icon Cabernet Sauvignon from Alto Maipo with an excellent 94 points.