Latin Grande | Carménère
Chilean Carménère
The Carménère is a grape variety grown most notably in Chile, Italy, and in the U.S. in California and the state of Washington.
It was originally planted in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, France, where it was used to produce deep red wines and occasionally used for blending purposes.
A member of the Cabernet family of grapes the name ‘Carménère’ originates from the French word for crimson (carmin) which refers to the brilliant crimson color of the autumn foliage prior to leaf-fall.
Along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot, Carménère is considered part of the original six red grapes of Bordeaux, France.
Carménère, however, is thought to be the antecedent of other better-known varieties; some even consider the grape to be "a long-established clone of Cabernet Sauvignon."
The Carménère grape is also known as Grande Vidure, an historic Bordeaux synonym. It is possible that the variety name is an alias for what is actually the Vidure, a local Bordeaux name for a Cabernet Sauvignon clone once thought to be the grape from which all red Bordeaux varieties originated.
Now, it is rarely found in France. Chile is the world's largest area planted with this variety, with more than 8,000 hectares cultivated--mostly in the Central Valley—but it is also grown in the mountains.
Interestingly, from its introduction into Chile in the late 1800s until the early 1990s, the Chilean wine industry mistakenly sold large quantities of wine made from the Carménère grape as Merlot. Genetic studies of the grapes discovered the mistake and the designation was changed from Merlot to Carménère. Merlot and Carménère vines, leaves and grapes look very similar, but both grapes produce wines with distinctly different characteristics — Carménère being more strongly flavored with notes of green pepper and a deep, smoky finish, while Merlot has a softer, fruitier quality with notes of chocolate.
Chile produces the vast majority of Carménère wines available today and as the Chilean wine industry has grown, more experimentation is being carried out on Carménère's potential as a blending grape, especially with Cabernet Sauvignon.
Now, as for our selection this evening…
This Carménère is 100% Chilean, single varietal with some Australian Pinto Verdot skins added for a sharper flavor on the palette. It is a medium-bodied wine leaning toward heavy. It is oaky and on the drier side with rich berries in the nose and a peppery, spicy finish.
Put a little in the glass and swirl it around several times before tasting.
