Wine of the Week!
Concha y Toro “Don Melchor” Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 $46    

Here’s another terrific wine of the week choice.  It’s a hand crafted, single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon…and the pride of Chile.  Depart from the expected and try Concha y Toro Don Melchor 2004 Cabernet. 

This is the signature wine of this famous producer.  From the mature vines of the Puente Alto vineyard, matured in French oak and aged in the bottle at least a year before release, this is a Cabernet that stands with the best.

It’s deep and ruby colored, with the classic dark flavors of cassis and mocha along with the denseness of plum.  Hints of tobacco and a long supple finish complete the package. 

Sure it will age, but the extra bottle aging makes this truly ready to enjoy right away – no bite or bitterness, just rich, full bodied Cabernet.  The wine is ideal for steak and luscious with lamb.

Concha y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet is about forty-five dollars…and our wine of the week.

Pop the Cork™.

Wine on the Radio - April 25, 2008

Winemaker's Notes and Comments:

Don Melchor was hailed the best Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile by both the Wine Spectator and Robert Parker. Named after the founder of the winery, Don Melchor de Concha y Toro, the wine has become a symbol of the best the land and the winemaker's hand can produce in Chile

Region:  Puente Alto Vineyard, Maipo Valley, Chile.  Vines planted in 1979 are harvested by hand, and after fermentation, the wine is aged in French oak for 14 months (60% new, 40% used once). It is then bottle aged a further 12 months before release.  Color: Deep-ruby red. Bouquet: Ripe plums, cassis, chocolate and tobacco, accompanied with notes of vanilla. Taste: Elegant, full-bodied with mature tannins which make the wine complex and pleasant. Alcohol Content: 13.6% Total Acidity: 3.5 g/l

The Puente Alto Vineyard in the Maipo Valley has the perfect combination of climate and soils for producing world-class wine: the climate is ideal and predictable, and the soil is poor and gravelly to reduce yields and increase concentration naturally. After fermentation, the wine is matured in the finest French oak barriques for 14 months, followed by another year in the bottle before release.
Ripe fleshy fruit and berries lead off this highly aromatic wine. Later, the tobacco and chocolate come through and marry with the vanilla. Agreeable, mature tannins elegantly convey the best expression of the Puente Alto vines. The pleasant, long finish displays great harmony and balance.

The result is a rich, full-bodied wine with unmistakable [sic] character in the bouquet and on the finish. Drink with any hearty dish, lamb, steak, and strong cheeses.

Past Recommendations, Picks, and Wines of the Week

Notes on our Wines of the Week, Recommendations, and Picks:

When you read our thoughts, please remember that you may think differently.  A particular wine may be your favorite and not on our list.  Well, don't stop buying it because of that.  In fact, you may want to email us and let us know about it. These are our opinions but our FIRST recommendation is to go by your own palate.

A couple of other thoughts . . . first, prices are approximate.  They'll vary.  Second, different vintages mean different grapes and different tastes so our recommendation for a 2000 Merlot may not hold for 2001.

And lastly, we remind you to drink responsibly!  Now, all that said, here is a summary of links to our suggestions.  Find one (or more) and pop the cork!

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