Melchor de Concha y Toro (October 10, 1833 – July 21, 1892) was a Chilean businessman, lawyer, and politician, and the Marquis of Casa Concha by the Spanish Crown.

Early life

Son of

Melchor Santiago de Concha y Cerda Melchor may refer to: * Melchor (name) * Melchor Island in Chile *Melchor Ocampo, Nuevo León, a municipality in Mexico *Melchor Ocampo, State of Mexico, a town and municipality in Mexico *Villa de Tututepec de Melchor Ocampo, a town and municipalit ...

and of Damiana de Toro Guzmán. Studied at the Instituto Nacional (''National Institute'') and at the faculty of law of the University of Chile, receiving his law degree on January 17, 1857. When he entered the University of Chile Faculty of Law, he presented a historical book commended by the university titled ''Chile during the years 1824 through 1828''

Politics

Between 1861 and 1871 he belonged to the Conservative Party, but soon became a moderate liberal. He entered politics in 1864 after being elected representative of Melipilla. He was reelected as representative until 1886, when he was elected to the Senate representing Santiago. In 1869 he was nominated Minister of Finance by Chilean President José Joaquín Pérez, until August 2, 1870. In 1891 he resigned his post in support of the congressional side of the

1891 Chilean Civil War The Chilean Civil War of 1891 (also known as Revolution of 1891) was a civil war in Chile fought between forces supporting Congress and forces supporting the President, José Manuel Balmaceda from 16 January 1891 to 18 September 1891. The war ...

against then president José Manuel Balmaceda.

Business career

His passion being business, he became the manager of Banco Garantizador. In 1879 he was president of the Bolivian Huanchaca Company.

Concha y Toro Winery

In 1883, the Marquis Melchor de Concha y Toro entered the wine-making industry by deciding to plant grapevines in the Maipo River valley. He brought seeds to Chilé from the Bordeaux region of France and hired a French ethnologist Monsieur Labouchere. From this personal project, the

Concha y Toro Concha y Toro is the largest producer and exporter of wines from Latin America and one of the 10 largest wine companies in the world,

winery was born.

Personal life

He married Emiliana Subercaseaux. Their children included

Emiliana Concha de Ossa Emiliana is a feminine name of Italian origin. It can refer to: As a given name * Emiliana of Trasilla and Emiliana, Catholic saints * Emilíana Torrini (born 1977), Icelandic singer As a surname * Cesare Emiliani (1922–1995), Italian-Ame ...

. He constructed a mansion in 1875 in Pirque. The mansion stands out by its extensive gardens and its rural Chilean style as well as some French touches. He died in Santiago on July 21, 1892.

References

External links

1833 births 1892 deaths Chilean Ministers of Finance Members of the Senate of Chile Members of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile Chilean businesspeople Conservative Party (Chile) politicians {{Chile-politician-stub