The Lost Grape of Bordeaux

For a wine as drinkable as a Merlot, but surprisingly more complex, I recommend the Carménère. I recently discovered the Daedalian history of this vino and decided to give it a go.

The Carménère grape

From Whence It Came...

Carménère has a compelling narrative. A member of the Cabernet/Merlot family, it was originally harvested mainly in the Bordeaux region of France.

In the late nineteenth century, due to the combination of unsuitable soil and climate (Carménère is notoriously difficult to grow and slow to ripen) and the epidemic of a pesky little root bug called the phylloxera, the Carménère was virtually wiped out of Europe. As luck would have it, several Carménère vines were transplanted to Chilean vineyards in the mid to late 1800's and the varietal thrived.

This serendipitous occurrence, however, wouldn’t be realized until over one-hundred years later. In the mid-1990's, Jean- Michel Boursiquot, a visiting French ampelographer, discovered that the grapes believed to be Merlot were actually Carménère all the while. Chilean vintners, it turns out, were mis-labeling their Carménère, which had been indiscriminately planted among the Merlot vines, as Merlot. Thus, the once key player of the great Bordeaux wine blend, Carménère, is now considered Chile's signature grape. However, in part because of its fickle growing patterns, some would argue that the grape is beginning to fall out of favor with Chilean winemakers.  

Casa Julia Carménère 2005 - Chile

Casa Julia Carménère 2005

With its deep crimson color, medium body and soft tannins the Carménère is still often confused with the Merlot. But with a more attentive palate, the mellow, earthy herbal-ness and slightly exotic undertones that characterize this Chilean gem will distinguish it from the pedestrian Merlot. 

So, if you enjoy a soft Merlot or a spicy Cabernet, you should definitely try the Carménère. This 2005 Casa Julia Carménère, from the Maipo Valley Region, has a dark chocolaty smooth palate, mild tannins, and a smokey finish.