My wife, son, his wife, and I enjoyed a memorable evening at Killen’s Steakhouse in The Woodlands for a tasting of Wine Spectator’s #1 Wine of the Year, Don Melchor’s 2021 Cabernet Blend. Hosted by Vina Concha Y Toro, we were treated to some wonderful food paired with the #1 Wine in the World. Winemaker extraordinaire Enrique Tirado had flown in with business partners to Texas from Chile for the week, where they spoke at this event as well as similar events in Austin and San Antonio before flying back to Santiago, Chile.
I was lucky to sit next to Enrique for the evening, and had a wonderful time learning about his family, his home country of Chile, and his love story with winemaking on the slopes of the Andes in Chile. He even showed me pictures of fabulous Patagonia in southern Chile, where he had vacationed with family earlier in the year. Enrique has served as the exclusive winemaker for Don Melchor since 1997, and has spearheaded the brand to the upper echelon of fine wines. The entire audience was enthralled by Enrique’s passion, knowledge, modesty, and charm throughout the evening.
My wife and I truly enjoy sampling great wines from around the world. We have been blessed to visit many special wineries in places in Italy, France, Slovenia, Croatia, Germany, and the United States. My son, Jacob, and his wife, Kiersten, also joined us on this night. They are also wine aficianados, and have enjoyed several trips to some of the great wineries of Italy, including Antinori and Tignanello. This was our first sojourn into sampling wine from Chile.
The long intriguing history of these wonderful South American wines we sampled began in 1883 when Don Melchor Concha y Toro brought vines over to Chile from Bordeaux, France. Over the years, Don Melchor has consistently garnered top reviews for its quality wines. These world-class wines were planted in the fertile Maipo Valley at the foot of the Andes. The excellent stock and the ideal terroir have produced quality grapes for years, and starting in the 1990s, Don Melchor has taken great strides in being recognized as one of the world’s great wines.
Another important landmark in Don Melchor’s storied history took place in 1998. The prestigious Baron Philippe de Rothschild formed an alliance with Concha y Toro to work on a collection of varieties of Bordeaux origin. The selection of the 2021 Don Melchor Cabernet Blend as the #1 Wine in the World by Wine Spectator tops off over ten appearances by Don Melchor wines in the top 100, and several in the top 10, since the early 1990s. The winery is positioned to stay at the forefront of great wines of the world for years to come.
Our special evening started with an introduction by Laura Vadillo, the Regional Manager for the Central Division – Origins Collection of Viña Concha y Toro. Enrique gave a captivating presentation explaining what makes Don Melchor so special, including a description of the exciting Sundial Project, using the latest advanced scientific techniques and processes to research how to grow the best grapes for the best wines.
The Chardonnay started things off with an Oysters and Caviar pairing. Tender oysters served with Pear and Jasmine Mingoaetie, Crisp Pickled Pear, and Kaluga Hybrid Caviar set the stage. I’m not normally a fan of raw oysters, but these were excellent! They were much more enjoyable than my first attempt at eating raw oysters with Champagne at a Parisian cafe in La Marais a few years ago.
We were served three vintages of the award-winning Don Melchor Cabernet Blend – 2018, 2020, and 2021. The 2020 earned 97 points from James Suckling, the famed wine critic, and the 2018 earned an amazing 100 points! Very few wines have achieved this pinnacle. To top it off, the 2021 vintage was named the #1 Wine of the Year in 2024 by Wine Spectator!
Each of the three vintages of the Cabernet Blend were paired with an innovative dish to complement the full-bodied flavors of the wines. The first course paired with the 2021 was a delicious Focaccia Tartine topped with Prosciutto, Candied Nuts, Honey Labneh, and a Balsamic Drizzle. The 2018 followed with a perfectly Smoked and Braised Pork Cheek with Smoked Gouda Grits, Pot Likker Ju, and Crispy Shallots. Yum! Our final pairing with the 2021 #1 Wine of the Year was the Dry-Aged Long Island Strip with Braised Mushrooms and Currant Demi-Glace. It was the perfect dish to close out a wonderful evening.
Check out other PlayStayEat.com articles covering our travels to great wine regions in:
- Napa Valley
- Northern Willamette Valley
- Tuscany
- Wagner Vineyards in the Finger Lakes
- Yates County in the Finger Lakes
- Carter Creek Resort and Winery in the Texas Hill Country
- Livermore and Tri-Valley area
- and more at PlayStayEat.com
And stay tuned for our upcoming visits to sample more great wines from the United States and around the world. We have Spring trips planned for European vineyards in Portugal, Reims, and Epernay. Julie and I are especially excited about these upcoming trips, and will be touring Moet Chandon, Mumm, Pommery, Mercier, Taittinger, Veuve Clicquot, Ruinart, Arthur Gratien, Jacquinot, and others in the Champagne Region of northeastern France.
Cheers!
