Viña Don Melchor

Owners: Viña Concha y Toro S.A.
Chief Winemaker: Enrique Tirado
Website: conchaytoro.cl
Commercial Contact: maria.moscoso@conchaytoro.cl



History
In 1883, Don Melchor Concha y Toro planted the first vinifera vines—originating from the renowned Bordeaux region in France—at the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Pirque, located just 27 kilometres from Santiago. At the same time, he built the iconic Casona de Pirque, as well as the wine-making and storage cellars of the time.

A hundred years later, Eduardo Guilisasti Tagle, then president of Viña Concha y Toro, urged his son Rafael and the winemaker of the time, Goetz Von Gersdorff, to visit the renowned French master Emile Peynaud in Bordeaux, France, to present the Cabernet Sauvignon from the Puente Alto vineyard, situated on the northern bank of the Maipo River, 4 kilometres from the traditional Casona de Pirque. Peynaud immediately recognised the excellence of the wines from this terroir and suggested that the notable Bordeaux consultant Jacques Boissenot lead the project, which took shape under the name of the winery's founder, Don Melchor, with the first wine being the 1987 vintage.

Don Melchor is considered the first iconic wine of the Chilean industry and a true benchmark among high-end wines worldwide.

Vineyard
Located at the foothills of the Andes Mountains, the Don Melchor vineyard is situated on the northern bank of the Maipo River, at an altitude of 650 metres above sea level. After some plantings carried out in 2022 and the construction of a reservoir as a water reserve, the vineyard currently comprises 125 hectares: 93% dedicated to Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% to Cabernet Franc, 1% to Merlot, and 1% to Petit Verdot. At present, the oldest vines are 45 years old, with an average age of 38 years in the older part of the vineyard.

Wines from Viña Don Melchor