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.

Richly textured and layered in tangy red fruit, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is from a cooler year than the 2023, made in a similar way, blending from some 151 parcels planted at different densities and in different time periods, from 1979 through 2022. The 95% Cabernet Sauvignon is joined by 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% each of Merlot and Petit Verdot, aged 15 months in French oak barrels, 72% new. Ripening was even and relatively slow, allowing the flavors, aromas, and acidity to meld seamlessly across a full-bodied palate of lovely red and black fruit and floral tones. The tannins are melded within the breadth of the wine, textured to a delicate degree, well-balanced throughout. This is simply a gorgeous wine.

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.