Viña Concha y Toro's icon wine, Don Melchor 2021, obtained this year the #1 place in the ranking of the Top 100 Wines of the World 2024, by the prestigious publication Wine Spectator.

Santiago, Chile, November 19, 2024 – It was a great day for the Chilean wine industry when Don Melchor 2021 was crowned the #1 wine in the Top 100 Wines of the World 2024 ranking by the renowned US magazine Wine Spectator. This icon Cabernet Sauvignon is produced by one of Viña Cocha y Toro’s subsidiaries, Viña Don Melchor.

Wine Spectator, the world’s leading wine magazine, reviewed nearly 10,500 wines this year -from all wine-producing countries around the world-, from which the editorial team selected only the most attractive wines. The Top 100 wines were chosen on the basis of their outstanding quality – based on scores from official blind tastings conducted by Wine Spectator – excellent value, availability and role in the wine industry.

In its official release announcing its Top 10 Wines of 2024, Wine Spectator states that Don Melchor has positioned itself as a benchmark of excellence, both in Chile and the world, with its 2021 vintage being the winner of this great recognition: “Chilean wine has been setting new standards in recent years. Don Melchor meticulous approach across three-plus decades has cemented its legacy as a benchmark for the country and made Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon Puente Alto Vineyard one of Chile’s most sought-after Cabs. It now is honored as Wine Spectator´s 2024 Wine of the Year.”

This year, Don Melchor 2021 celebrates the anniversary of its 35th vintage. Throughout this successful trajectory, Don Melchor has been characterized by its extraordinary quality and consistency, obtaining the highest recognitions granted by specialized media to a Chilean wine, positioning itself as an icon and true benchmark in the global wine industry. At the same time, with this notable distinction, its Puente Alto vineyard is crowned as one of the world’s great terroirs for the production of great wines.

“It is a source of pride and gratitude that Don Melchor 2021 has been chosen number 1 by the prestigious Wine Spectator magazine. For me, this is undoubtedly the highest distinction received by Don Melchor in its remarkable trajectory. This, on the one hand, is a consequence of having the Puente Alto terroir, one of the best origins in the world for the production of the Cabernet Sauvignon variety, as well as the undisputed consistency that this wine has demonstrated over the years, this being the fourth time that our icon Cabernet Sauvignon has been ranked among the top ten wines in this publication”, says Eduardo Guilisasti, CEO of Viña Concha y Toro.

“It is a great honor to receive this recognition. I personally believe that, in order to produce a great wine, it is necessary to have a clear vision of where we want to go, staying true to the essence of the terroir, because it is the terroir that truly guides us. We are aware of this, and that is why in each of its vintages we seek to express the beauty of the perfect balance of the Puente Alto terroir. Don Melchor is born from the stony soil of this origin, the cold wind coming down from the Andes Mountains, its old vines and the careful work of man in the vineyard, making it a unique place in the world to produce a great Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon of Andean character. This important recognition, therefore, not only crowns this exceptional terroir, but also the dedicated, meticulous and committed work of so many people who have sought the excellence of Don Melchor year after year”, explains Enrique Tirado, General Manager and Technical Director of Viña Don Melchor since 1997.

“On his shoulders, Don Melchor has been able to carry with pride, excellence and elegance a great Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, whose origin and legacy dates back more than 150 years of history, and whose vines were brought from Bordeaux, France. Its genetic material has been guarded for generations, representing a unique value within the global wine industry,” explains Isabel Guilisasti, Vice President of Fine Wines at Viña Concha y Toro.

She adds: “We receive this prestigious recognition with the responsibility to continue to deliver in each new vintage of Don Melchor, our deep and historic vocation for excellence, and the strong commitment to preserve, through diverse agroecological practices and innovations, this precious place for future generations. We would like to thank all our customers and distributors for their great commitment in bringing Don Melchor to our consumers around the world”.

The complete list of Wine Spectator’s 100 Best Wines of the Year 2024 is posted at www.winespectator.com, and will also appear in the December 31, 2024 print edition.