Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/221505
PHOTO COURTESY OF CONCHA Y TORO A veritable celebrity in the wine world, Enrique Tirado himself is quietly unassuming and soft-spoken. His life is the vine and the wine. He started with Concha y Toro in 1993 and became head winemaker for Don Melchor in 1997. As Tirado speaks of the painstaking process of creating Concha y Toro's flagship, from the careful selection of the growing sites to the prudent vinification, it is perfectly clear that Tirado is an artist, with his final canvas being the precious contents of each bottle of Don Melchor. Don Melchor is grown in Puente Alto, in the Maipo Valley, just south of Santiago. The cold mountain winds blowing off the nearby Andes preserve the acidity in the grapes and the abundant sunshine ensures perfect ripeness. The wine is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, seasoned with Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Up to 150 different wines are created and blended to create the final cuvée. The evening's tasting included the vintages 1989, 1993, 2006 and the recently released 2009, each telling the story of its own particular year—a walk through history, if you will, with Don Melchor. Released in April, the 2009 vintage is currently available and retails for about $125. Historically, this wine is beautifully drinkable upon release, becoming only more expressive and refined with age—a worthy investment whether the intention is to enjoy now or to hold for 30 years. Tirado puts his heart and soul into his work and truly looks forward to "creating something new and special each year." The impeccable quality of Don Melchor is beyond question. Such precision and artistry are not without reward. A portrait of founder Don Melchor Concha y Toro, who first planted grapevines from Bordeaux in Chile in 1883. Tasting Notes 1989 Most immediately striking about the 1989 vintage is the abundant fruit on the palate. Rich black currants envelope the palate followed by cloves, cinnamon and tobacco. So much upfront fruit in a 24-year-old bottle is an unexpected pleasure and speaks to the quality of the craftsmanship. The wine continued to open and develop throughout the evening, revealing black licorice, coffee and dried leaves. 1993 This was a cooler and rainier year than 1989, and as a result this vintage is more earthy and its fruit more subdued. The elegant nose includes notes of dried roses and violets with rich black currants and a hint of graphite. The palate is smooth and velvety with slightly chalky tannins and a superb blend of blackberries, melted chocolate and gravel—a powerful, yet graceful wine. 2006 A slow-ripening season, and this vintage is intense and brooding with both black and blue fruit on the nose, as well as peppercorn and dried orange peels. The palate had a bright, searing acidity that beautifully balanced the soft, rounded tannins. The intensity and concentration hinted at a ripasso-style wine such as Amarone. PHOTO COURTESY OF CONCHA Y TORO 2009 Deepest ruby with a nearly opaque core, the 2009 vintage enjoyed a warmer than normal year with great diurnal temperature differences. It has a sweet attack on the palate, redolent with ripe blackberries and cassis, bittersweet chocolate and baking spice with a lovely freshness and persistence. The flavors are concentrated and pure with firm tannins and a grippingly strong acid backbone—a wine designed to age for decades. Concha y Toro is imported by Excelsior Wines. december 2013 / the tasting panel / 115 TP1213_104-148.indd 115 11/23/13 8:36 PM