Concha y Toro

Concha y Toro is Latin America's largest wine producer and one of the world's top ten wine companies, founded in 1883 by Don Melchor de Santiago Concha y Toro, an ex-Minister of Finance, and his wife Emiliana Subercaseaux in Pirque, at the foot of the Andes on the southern edge of Santiago. Don Melchor imported Bordeaux grape varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Merlot, and Carmenere from France to establish the estate, bringing in a French oenologist to oversee planting. What began as a single aristocratic family estate has evolved over 140 years into a vertically integrated, multi-brand portfolio spanning three countries and dozens of distinct wine ranges.

• Founded 1883 in Pirque, Santiago by Don Melchor de Santiago Concha y Toro, who inherited the Marques de Casa Concha title; company incorporated as a stock company in 1923
• Became the first winery in the world to trade shares on the New York Stock Exchange in 1994, cementing its status as a global wine business
• The Casillero del Diablo legend traces to Don Melchor spreading rumors of a devil guarding his best cellar, deterring theft; the brand launched commercially in 1966
• Expanded through acquisitions and ventures: Vina Maipo (1968), Cono Sur (1993), Trivento Bodegas in Argentina (1996), Almaviva joint venture (1997), Fetzer Vineyards USA (2011 for $238 million)

Concha y Toro's rise fundamentally shifted perceptions of Chilean wine quality and accessibility. By demonstrating that premium, age-worthy wines could be produced at scale in Chile and marketed globally, the house legitimized the country's viticultural credentials on the world stage. Their simultaneous investment in luxury bottlings like Almaviva and Don Melchor proved that Chilean terroir could compete with Bordeaux and Napa Valley at the highest critical level. The company was named World's Most Admired Wine Brand by Drinks International in 2011, 2012, and 2013, and the Americas Most Admired Wine Brand consecutively from 2011 to 2019.

• Largest producer and exporter of wines from Latin America, distributing across 140 countries with consolidated 2024 revenue of approximately $958.6 million
• World's Most Admired Wine Brand (Drinks International) 2011, 2012, and 2013; World's Most Powerful Wine Brand (Intangible Business) 2014 and 2015
• Almaviva became the first non-Bordeaux wine to be sold via La Place de Bordeaux, introducing Chilean fine wine to the world's most prestigious distribution channel
• Don Melchor 2021 named Wine Spectator's #1 Wine of 2024, the fourth time the wine appeared in the publication's Top 10 and the highest distinction in its 35-vintage history

Concha y Toro holds vineyard assets across Chile's latitudinal spectrum, from the warm, historic benchlands of Maipo Valley and the fruit-rich warmth of Colchagua to the cool, marine-influenced slopes of Casablanca and Limari. This geographic diversity allows the house to produce diverse varietal expressions: powerful, structured Cabernets from Puente Alto's stony alluvial soils at 650 meters altitude; elegant Pinot Noirs and Sauvignon Blancs from Cono Sur's cool-climate holdings; and polished Carmenere from Colchagua's Peumo appellation. Cono Sur operates 1,246 hectares across ten estates spanning eight Chilean valleys, demonstrating the portfolio's breadth.

• Maipo Valley, Puente Alto: stony, alluvial soils at 650 meters altitude with Andean cold winds; source of Don Melchor and Almaviva; vines trace to pre-phylloxera Bordeaux cuttings
• Colchagua Valley: warm, gravelly soils producing ripe, structured reds including Carmenere under Carmin de Peumo and Marques de Casa Concha labels
• Casablanca and Limari Valleys: cool, fog-influenced coastal and northern regions ideal for Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir; source of Amelia Chardonnay
• Cono Sur subsidiary manages 1,246 hectares across ten estates and eight valleys, pioneering organic viticulture with over 300 hectares under certified organic management

Concha y Toro wines span a clearly defined quality pyramid. Entry-level Casillero del Diablo displays consistent, fruit-forward profiles with smooth tannins, aged in both French and American oak. Marques de Casa Concha occupies the mid-tier with enhanced structure and terroir expression. At the top, Don Melchor is aged 14 to 15 months in French oak barrels from Allier, Tronçais, and Nevers forests, with approximately two-thirds new oak, then bottle-aged for a further year before release. Almaviva, a 50/50 joint venture, is aged around 18 months in French oak and reflects the Chateau concept with single-origin, single-wine production from 65 productive hectares in Puente Alto.

• Entry level ($10-15): Casillero del Diablo range; fruit-driven, consistent, designed for immediate enjoyment; over 5.5 million cases produced annually
• Mid-tier ($20-40): Marques de Casa Concha, Cono Sur Reserva Especial; better aging structure, mineral complexity, 5-8 year potential
• Premium ($100-160): Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon; 14-15 months French oak, additional year bottle age, sourced from 127-hectare Puente Alto vineyard divided into seven parcels
• Luxury ($150+): Almaviva; 50/50 Rothschild joint venture, chateau-concept single wine, aged approximately 18 months French oak, consistent 95+ point critical recognition

Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon is Chile's most decorated icon wine. Launched with the 1987 vintage under winemaker Enrique Tirado, who has led the project since 1997 with Bordeaux consultant Eric Boissenot, it has appeared in Wine Spectator's Top 100 four times. The 2021 vintage, a blend of 93 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 4 percent Cabernet Franc, and 3 percent Merlot aged 15 months in 68 percent new French oak, was named Wine Spectator's #1 Wine of 2024 with 96 points; James Suckling awarded it 99 points and Vinous 97 points. Almaviva, launched from the 1996 vintage, is a Bordeaux blend led by Cabernet Sauvignon with Carmenere, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, and was the first non-Bordeaux wine sold via La Place de Bordeaux.

• Don Melchor 2021: Wine Spectator #1 Wine of 2024 at 96 points; 99 points James Suckling, 97 points Vinous; 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot
• Don Melchor vineyard: 127 hectares at 650 meters altitude, north bank of Maipo River; divided into seven primary parcels; vines average over 35 years old
• Almaviva: first vintage 1996, launched 1998; first Chilean wine sold via La Place de Bordeaux; chateau-concept production from 65 hectares in Puente Alto
• Casillero del Diablo: launched 1966; leading Chilean wine export in over 145 countries; approximately 5.5 million cases of Cabernet Sauvignon alone produced annually

Concha y Toro balances large-scale commercial production with serious sustainability commitments, led by its Cono Sur subsidiary. Cono Sur was founded in 1993 with a focus on organic viticulture and now has over 300 hectares under certified organic management in San Antonio and Colchagua Valleys. The company was the first South American winery to receive double ISO certification (ISO 9001 and ISO 14001) and achieved CarbonNeutral delivery status. Cono Sur was named Green Company of the Year 2011 by Drinks Business. At the premium end, Don Melchor's vineyard is managed under an agroecological approach to promote biodiversity, preserving Andean flora and fauna.

• Cono Sur: founded 1993, over 300 hectares certified organic in San Antonio and Colchagua Valleys; first South American winery with double ISO certification (9001 and 14001)
• Cono Sur achieved CarbonNeutral delivery status and was named Green Company of the Year 2011 by Drinks Business Green Awards
• Don Melchor vineyard managed under agroecological principles; seven parcels studied individually for precision viticulture; hand-harvested into 10-kg bins with double berry selection
• Fetzer/Bonterra (USA): acquired 2011; Bonterra is a leading US organic producer, named American Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast in 2016