2008 William Fèvre, Don Victor, Merlot, Reserva, Maipo Valley, Chile

William Fèvre was one of the first in a now long list of European vignerons attracted to the benevolent climate and pure soils of Chile. Don Victor comes from panoramic vineyards in the high Maipo Valley, in the enclave of Pirque to be precise. The grapes have been hand-harvested and matured for four months in both French and American barrels.

Chilean Merlot is quite hard to get right; sometimes it can be too grassy, sometimes too jammy and sometimes it takes on an almost charcoaly burnt texture, which is something of an acquired taste, to put it kindly. Fevre’s wines eschews all such pit-falls and excells, the purity of its fruit combining notes of plums and damsons with a gentle mineral under-current which steers it pleasingly through the palate.
(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer)