Wines of Chile Grand Tasting

From the Morande table

Carménère is one of my favorite grapes in the entire world. I am so happy that it was rediscovered in Chile after many assumed it died out in Bordeaux. To those awful European settlers who plundered through Chile in the sixteenth and seventeenth century, I salute you (well sorta, what you did was still terrible even if you did unbeknownst to yourself safe an entire grape varietal).

Last week I actually went to a Grand Tasting of Chile’s Wines in Chelsea. It was a great big show with about sixty vineyards and all the scrumptious ceviche you could down. Let’s take a look at some of the standout Carménère.

From Geo Wines in the Maipo Valley is the Chono San Lorenzo 2007. This is a great wine to pair with steak. And because it’s actually a blend with 20% Syrah it would work well with lamb too. There’s a great earthy vibe to this that balances out the pleasant fruit and floral flavors with the Carménère. Bonus points because it’s biodynamic. 

Much farther south in the Maule Valley is where J. Bouchon makes the Mingre 2008. This is a blend of 32% Syrah, 30% Malbec, 20% Carménère, and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a little pricey at $50.00 a bottle (retail), but it is totally worth it. There’s a most divine bouquet of blackberry and raspberry with just a hint of an earthy tobacco. Again, this is another great wine to pair with steak.

For a more affordable bottle of Carménère let’s take a look at the Pionero Carménère 2010 from Morandé in the Rapel Valley. This is 100% Carménère (with grapes actually from Maipo) that has a very nice finish, with that same bouquet of blackberries, vanilla, and a whiff of honeysuckle (in my opinion). This has been aged for about four to five months in French oak. Divine.

So let’s raise a glass to Carménère, the lost Bordeaux grape re-discovered