Imagine the surprise of Chilean winemakers when, after decades of labeling Carménère grapes as Merlot, they discovered the truth! The story of Carménère in Chile is one of the most fascinating tales in the world of wine.
It starts with a mistake. Brought by European winemakers who migrated to Chile around 1850, Carménère was planted next to Merlot and Cabernet plants. For some reason, it was confused with them until 1994 when a French winemaker, after some DNA tests, revealed the truth to the world!
But what is Carménère? Originally from France, Carménère is also known as “Grand Vidour”, became extinct in Europe after the phylloxera epidemic of the 19th century. The name comes from “carmine,” a type of red nuance. It’s in fact a red grape variety, with aromas of raspberry and plum, bell pepper, paprika and vanilla in its oaked version.
Carménère wines are typically medium-bodied, fresh, and fruity with moderate acidity, tannins, and alcohol. With Cabernet shares its green, spice and peppery notes, with Merlot the red fruit notes. With age, they develop earthy and leathery notes. Today, Chile produces 85% of the world’s Carménère, representing about 10% of its national wine output. A fun fact is that the second producing country of this grape variety is China, where it is named “Cabernet Gernischt”.
When I traveled through Chile in 2023, I had the chance to visit the two main wine regions where Carménère is grown: Colchagua Valley and Maipo Valley. In general, the wines from Calchagua Valley are greener and with more spices thanks to the altitude whereas the Maipo wines are fruitier.
When in Maipo, I went to one of the oldest wineries in the country, Viña Santa Rita, and after a short carriage ride among the vineyards, we got to the plaque that marks the place where Carménère was re-discovered.
I then tasted 4 different kinds of Carménère, mostly from their premium collections (including their top notch Pewën).
I personally feel that, wine speaking, Chile is a misunderstood country. The country is the 4th largest wine exporter in the world but what they export is definitely not their best expression. Chile is often misunderstood in the wine world. Despite being the fourth-largest wine exporter, its best wines rarely leave the country.
If you’re planning a wine trip to Chile and you are interested in knowing where to find the best wines in Chile, email me at sipwithcarlotta@gmail.com: I’ll tell you where to find the best Carménère tastings and authentic Chilean wine experiences.
[All photos were taken during my Carménère tour at Viña Santa Rita in September 2023. For more information about the tour: https://santaritaonline.com/tour/carmenere/]