Hello my dear friends! It's almost Thanksgiving Day! Have you already bought the wine for the big family dinner? If not, let us help and get you inspired! Since 2014, every November 24, World Carménère Day is celebrated. This variety of grape for quite a long time was believed to be extinct in the 19th century, but thanks to the meteorological and geographical conditions of Chile it was able to be preserved, highlighting the country around the world thanks to its unique characteristics. Actually, most 95% of the planted area of this lineage in the world is concentrated in Chile, all thanks to a glorious "confusion".
For tomorrow's dinner go for Carménère, a red-berried, herb-scented, full-bodied red wine which will complement traditional Thanksgiving dishes and stuffing with a modern twist. Having a fuller-bodied wine on the table adds an extra layer of richness and indulgence to the festivities.
If you aren’t acquainted with this grape variety, you’re not alone. In Chile, Carménère has long been overshadowed by Cabernet Sauvignon, despite having both been imported from Bordeaux (they’re from the same grape family, in fact) sometime in the mid-19th century. Whereas Chilean Cab went on to find an international following, Carménère remained in relative obscurity (and at the same time nearly went extinct in France, thanks to phylloxera). For many years, Chilean growers of Carménère thought that they were growing Merlot, a version of it that had pronouncedly green and herbaceous flavors. But in the 1990s, a French ampelographer (a.k.a. an expert in the study and classification of cultivated grape varieties) conducted a study in Chile that showed that most of these so-called Merlot vines were actually Carménère. Thus, It’s been officially recognized by Chile as its own variety since 1998. Let's dive in!
Origins
The variety, whose name comes from the word carmine due to the intense red color of its leaves before they fall, is native to Bordeaux in France, where until the 19th century it was widely cultivated in the Médoc region.
In this period, after maritime and commercial exchanges, a plague called phylloxera entered Europe and wiped out most of the continent's vineyards. After the difficult period in which the Carménère vineyards disappeared from the area, it was thought that the variety had become completely extinct.
However, some time later it would arrive in Chile, finding optimal soil for its growth. When the vineyards were replanted, grafted on American vines, Carménère was not cultivated again since in the cold and humid Bordeaux climate it showed low fertility, slow maturation and susceptibility. Therefore, practically became extinct on French soil.
When Carménère was first transplanted from Bordeaux into Chile, it was thought to be Merlot and often planted alongside Merlot vines and blended together with the other varietal. Then, in 1994, the French ampelographer (grape botany expert), Jean-Michel Boursiquot, noticed how some of the “Merlot” vines took a much longer time to ripen. Boursiquot carried out research to determine that somewhere close to 50% of the Merlot planted in Chile was actually the long lost Carménère variety of Bordeaux. Finally in 1998, it was concluded that Carménère is a half-sibling of Merlot, Hondarribi Beltza and Cabernet Sauvignon. The four grape varieties share the same parent, Cabernet Franc. Perhaps this helps explain why Carménère and Cabernet Franc taste relatively similar!
In 1996, Viña Carmen was the first winery in Chile to release a Carménère wine, but did so under the name of Grande Vidure, since the Carménère variety was not inscribed at the Ministry of Agriculture or approved by law until 1998. Carménère is known for producing wines with red fruit flavors, along with an unmistakable pepper note. This is due to the presence of compounds called pyrazines, which give wines like Carménère, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon subtle flavors of bell pepper, green peppercorn, eucalyptus, and even cocoa powder.
Today, Chile grows most of the world’s Carménère in more than 8,800 hectares, particularly in the Colchagua region, a province in Chile’s warm Central Valley, tucked between the Pacific and the mighty Andes mountains. Within Colchagua is the sub-region of Apalta, which has proven to be an outstanding place for Carménère. The region’s dry climate, especially during the ripening months when grapes are developing sugar and flavor, is what makes it prime for this late-season grape variety. Other optimal regions in and around the Central Valley include the Maipo, Cachapoal, and Rapel valleys.
Carménère is a very slow ripening grape, best suited for long indian summers. It ripens usually about 4–5 weeks after Merlot, which means the grape needs ample hang-time (and good weather) to properly mature. When it does, it produces small bunches of deep blue-black grapes and in the fall, when the leaves turn brilliant shades of red and orange. The overall production of a Carménère vine is naturally quite low, which could be considered a positive for highly concentrated, high quality grapes. Overall, the grape is said to be moderately difficult to grow well, but has been noted to perform promisingly in sandy soils (where it produces elegant, aromatic wines) and clay-based soils (where it makes richer, more structured wines).
Just so you know, in Chile, a single-varietal wine is allowed to have up to 15% other grape varieties blended in with it. With Carménère, winemakers have discovered that a small percentage of Syrah or Petit Verdot makes the wine more lush.
PAIRING & RECOMMENDATIONS
Generally speaking, Carménère pairs exceptionally well with roast pork and lamb. The lighter tannin and higher acidity in Carménère wine make it quite an easy red to pair with a great variety of dishes. Ideally, leaner grilled meats with savory sauces like Chimichurri, green salsas, mint, or parsley pesto will complement the herbal qualities of the wine and make it taste more fruity. Carménère will even do well alongside darker white meats, including turkey and duck. In my opinion it pairs very well with mushrooms, pork Tacos, turkey, beef stew, pasta with meat sauce, tuna steak or grilled chicken. Herbal, smoky, earthy and savoury, Carménère is also excellent with veggies such as grilled eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms and bell peppers.
Carménère smells like smoke, earth, black pepper and blood as it’s not often an aromatic wine. Blood may seem like a weird description, however, Carménère has a stony minerality and bitterness that reminds me of blood. Carménère’s fruitiness of plums, black cherries, and blackberries comes out more in each sip, but the fruitiness is balanced by the savouriness of the herbal, mocha, tar, earth and gaminess of this wine.
We would like to recomend you exceptional wines for tomorrow:
From Ventisquero, Vértice. A blend of Carménère (50%) and Syrah (50%) of deep red color and violet hues. The nose reveals black fruit, such as blackberries, intermingled with gentle spices, such as black pepper, damp earth, notes of native forest and a hint of graphite and soft spices. This wine has a firm structure and silky tannins. Its black fruit and spicy flavors, together with medium to high acidity lend it balance in the mouth and persistence in the finish. You can also go for Obliqua. This Carménère (100%) reflects Apalta’s higher-elevation vineyards and is atypical of Chilean Carménère because its origin in a high-altitude mountain vineyard has made it a nervous wine with great tension in the mouth. This is definitely a Carménère worth cellaring.
From Korta Wines, an outstanding boutique winery in Chile, we recommend Korta Barrel Selection Gran Reserva. This is a very elegant wine, with intense and deep red color. It exhibits varietal aromas such as pepper, black fruit and a hint of chocolate provided by the barrel. Korta Barrel Selection has an easy and smooth entry into the mouth, with rich notes of evolution, liquorice and smoke. You can also try Korta Selected Carménère, this is soft and balanced on the palate with an elegant touch of wood that gives complexity and structure, with and aftertaste of syrup and ripe, persistent fruit.
And that's a wrap for today my friends! Have a lovely Thanksgiving celebration in the company of your loved ones, and enjoy the delicious food and wine. And don't forget to meet me here again next Wednesday! Until then... Santé!
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