Carmenère: Chile’s signature grape & wine You would not be surprised to learn that Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and other well-known grape varieties are popular search terms on the Wines With Attitude website. However, one of the most searched-for varieties is Carmenère (pronounced car-mun-air), a rather more obscure, though distinctive, black grape variety. Part of the reason for its low profile is that Carmenère accounts for only a tiny proportion of the total world wine grape production. In addition it has long been the source of mystery and misidentification. In fact the grape was almost extinct and was only rediscovered many years later, in the late 20th century, on a different continent having long been mistaken for another grape. So why is Carmenère such a popular search term? Let’s delve into the mysterious Carménère and find out where it is grown, what kind of wines it produces, what it tastes like and why you should make it a part of your wine repertoire. The Carmenère grape and its Origins Despite Chile being considered the “home” of Carmenère, it may surprise you to learn that the grape actually originated in Bordeaux. It was held in such high esteem that in the 18th and 19th centuries, it was widely grown in the region alongside Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Carmenère contributed deep colour and spice characteristics to Bordeaux blends up until phylloxera hit France. Phylloxera is a pest which obliterated many European vineyards during the 19th century The solution to phylloxera, eventually and widely adopted by the European wine industry, was to plant European grapes onto American rootstock but Carmenère did not adapt well to grafting. Other varieties fared better and, as a result, Carmenère fell out of favour and in fact was presumed to be extinct. Confusion over Carmenère It was only relatively recently found that Carmenère is directly related to Cabernet Franc and indirectly to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This fact goes some way to explaining why the Carmenère grape was lost for so long and the problems that many have had identifying it over the years. According to the wine industry “grape bible”, ‘Wine Grapes’ (Robinson, Harding, Vouillamoz), cuttings of Carmenère and other Bordeaux native grapes were sent to Chile in the 1850s but it is believed that some Chilean growers did not distinguish Carmenère from Merlot and planted the two (and maybe more varieties) together in the same vineyards. Others who may have noticed a difference and dubbed Carmenère ‘Merlot Chileno’ did not produce varietal (100%) wine from it. It was only in 1998 that Chile recognised its beloved black grape variety as Carmenère after thorough DNA profiling. Before that (and probably since) much of the Chilean Merlot that was produced was undoubtedly Carmenère. Just to add to the confusion Carmenère is also known as Carménère, Merlot Chileno, Black Bordeaux, Old Cabernet, Grand Vidure, Cabernet Gernischt and Shelongzhu. Where Carmenère is grown  The Carmenère grape is a late-ripening variety and so requires a warm, sunny climate and a long-growing season to thrive. This limits where it can be successfully grown. The grape is most planted in Chile although this was not by design as described above. In fact, it is now considered to be Chile’s signature grape variety even though it accounts for less than 10% of Chilean vineyards. One of the reasons for this is that Chile was untouched by phylloxera. In addition, being blessed with long, dry summers, Chile, in particular the Central Valley region, provides a very suitable environment in which the grape can thrive. The areas of Chile which have long hot days and cool nights produce the best wine because the grapes can ripen slowly and mature fully whilst retaining good acidity and developing a panoply of aromas and flavours including fruity rather than the green flavours that can come from under-ripe grapes. Whilst growers have tended to find the sunniest, warmest spots for Carmenère in order to get round the ripening problem, now they are looking for areas with a warm climates and moderating breezes in order to exhibit the grape’s best varietal characteristics in its wines. Carmenère is a variety that is being planted increasingly elsewhere but reliable figures on the number of hectares in each country planted with it are hard to come by because there of the confusion about the grape. Carménère is grown in small quantities in countries such as China, Italy, Argentina and the USA, largely in California. In fact, it is argued by some that China now grows more Carmenère than Chile but it is difficult currently to establish how true this is.  A few vines exist in Bordeaux and Carmenere is still named as one of the six permitted black grape varieties in that region. Styles of Carmenère wine Though at relatively low levels compared to the big-gun black grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, production of Carmenère is increasing slowly. More importantly perhaps is that its wines are improving as winegrowers now recognise the grape and the need to ripen it fully to show it at its best. But there are a number of styles and price points worth considering. Entry-level Carmenère is still dominant. These basic, easy-drinking wines can be juicy and fruit-forward – but be careful at the lower price points of one-dimensional, commercial style wines. As mentioned above, if not given sufficient time to ripen, Carmenère grapes produce wine that can taste green or stalky with strong herbaceous characteristics. Reserva and Gran Reserva Carmenere wines like Von Siebenthal Carmenère below are aged in oak and, whilst still fruity, develop spicy characteristics, a smoother mouth-feel and structured tannins. Some caution is required because, without careful management in the winery, wines can be too high in oak, alcohol and tannins making the wines more rustic than they need to be. Well-made Carmenère should be more complex and show a good balance between sweet fruit, savoury and spice flavours, alcohol, tannins and acidity. The best wines will also be age-worthy. What Carmenère