Refined and elegant, with silky tannins behind the mineral, macerated cherry and damson plum flavors. Quite creamy, revealing hints of paprika and hoisin sauce. The long, lush finish is filled with notes of cocoa powder and dust. Drink now through 2020. – KM

I had the chance to revisit some older vintages of the top Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine from Puente Alto, including the 2010 Don Melchor from a cooler and drier than average year that resulted in a later harvest. It contains 3% Cabernet Franc and aged in 76% new French barriques for 15 months. 110,000 bottles were produced in 2010. This has to be one of the finest vintages of Don Melchor. It has absorbed the light lactic touch from its youth and is developing at what seems to be the pace of this bottling, extremely slowly. There is great balance and a combination of power and elegance that is unusual. This has to be one of the best zones in Chile for Cabernet Sauvignon, and this is a great example of it. It was bottled in November 2011. - Luis Gutiérrez

This classic Alto Maipo cabernet grows at Tocornal, on vines planted in the 1970s. It builds from scents of herbs and menthol toward a strong presence of red fruit and spice. The texture is soft and gentle while acidity marks the contours of the mouth with freshness. Drinking well now, this will improve with four to five years in bottle.

It offers a briary blend of aromas familiar to Chilean Cab: dry black fruits, olive, tobacco and oaky grit control the bouquet. In the mouth, this is ripe, tannic and lively. Flavors of raspberry, cassis, herbs, chocolate and baking spices finish firm and long. This is everything you’d want from Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink through 2024.