A few weeks ago, I happened upon a wine that I hadn’t tried before. I like to venture into the unknown now and then so I tried it. To my delight and surprise, it was a wine that I could totally get behind! Its name was Carménère.
This grape has an interesting history that takes it from one continent to another half-way around the world! Carménère wine is made from a black grape that originated in Bordeaux, France. After phylloxera (a microscopic aphid, that lives on and eats the roots of grapes) destroyed many of the vines in the area in the 1800’s, this grape was thought to be extinct. But, lucky for us, the explorers from Europe ventured to Chile and brought grape vines with them. They were first thought to be Merlot vines but discovered that they were actually Carménère! Today, the majority of Carménère wine is from the Central Valley zone of Chile. Within the Central Valley, best examples are from Maipo Valley, Cachapoal Valley and Colchagua Valley.
Carménère is similar to Merlot with some distinctive differences. I am personally not a huge fan of Merlot but I can get behind a nice Carménère. The name of the wine gives a hint of its color…crimson. It’s a beautiful, deep red! Looking at it through a clear wine glass will tease you into trying it. I don’t know about you but something about a beautiful, lush red wine beckons to me. The aroma is of black raspberries, cherries, and plums together with the spiciness of cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to that the herbal aroma of green pepper and a dash of black pepper and I’m all about it. This is quite a noseful!
Carménère is a medium to full bodied, high acid wine with high tannins. The high tannins can be softened by maturing the wine in oak barrels. This can add more nuance to the wine…with coffee and cocoa aromas and flavors. I especially enjoy the green pepper aspect of this wine. For me, the herbaceousness of it brings a freshness and savoriness through the wine.
Okay, let’s taste. Well, you definitely taste all the aromas working together to bring this wine into its own. You might want to let it breathe a bit in the bottle or decanter prior to drinking. It will help to mellow out and equalize the flavor profile of the wine. Upon your first sip, you will definitely taste the black fruit and spice. A perfect wine to enjoy with a charcuterie board!
So, here are some food pairing notes: Carménère is very easily paired with many different foods due to its high acidity. So spicy or high acid foods work well. Roasted chicken and/or beef can benefit from its green peppercorn flavor.
Some good combos are listed below from our friends at winefolly.com:
Meat:
Chicken Mole, Carne Asada, Cuban-style Roast Pork, Roast Dark Meat Turkey, Beef Brisket, Beef Stew, Filet Mignon, Lamb w/ Mint, Lamb Stew
Cheese:
Goat Cheese, Mozzarella, Pepper Jack, Farmer’s Cheese, Cotija Cheese, Feta Cheese
Herb/Spice:
Green Peppercorn, Black Pepper, Red Chili Flake, Chipotle, Garlic, Cumin, Coriander, Thyme, Oregano, Chives, Lemon
Vegetable:
Olives, Stuffed Peppers, Roasted Peppers, Capers, Sautéed Garlic Kale, Black-eyed Peas, Black Beans, White Bean and Kale Soup, Pinto Bean Chile, Lentils
Price points for a good to excellent Carménère are between $17 to $40.
If you are a red wine drinker or just want to experiment, try a Carménère from the Central Valley. You will locate it in the ‘Chilean wines’ section of your neighborhood wine shop. The label on the bottle will designate the location along with the grape, Carménère.
Enjoy your “trip” to Chile and savor the taste of its country’s treasured wine, Carménère!
Cheers!