Thursday Virtual Happy Hour: Carmenere

The often overlooked sixth red grape of Bordeaux, Carmenère has since found a new least of life in South America – and Chile in particular, where it can make a strong case as the country's flagship red wine grape. The dark-skinned red wine grape variety originally hails from the vineyards of Bordeaux but has found a particularly suitable home in Chile. The first accent of Carménère is omitted in some countries, including Chile, both are in others. A late ripening variety, Carménère needs high levels of sunshine and a warm summer to reach its full potential, but in the right environment it can produce fine, deeply colored red wines, with the attractive meaty plumpness of Merlot and the gently herbaceous, cedary notes of Cabernet Sauvignon.

In pre-phylloxera 19th Century Bordeaux, enterprising Chilean vignerons had taken cuttings from the region's vineyards. However, a high proportion of what they believed to be Merlot, a grape variety in the early days of its fame, turned out to be the similar looking Carménère.

Though long established, the variety's popularity had waned considerably. This unconscious mistake probably saved Carménère from extinction. It is now Chile's flagship USP grape.

The leaves of Merlot and Carménère vines are so alike that the error was not uncovered until 1994, after DNA research was conducted in Montpellier. (A search for Chilean Carmenère on Wine-Searcher will confirm just how rapidly the variety has taken off since its "discovery".)

Chile has capitalized on its status as the savior of the grape variety and has incorporated the vine's memorable story into its famously efficient wine marketing. Montes' Purple Angel, Concha y Toro's Carmin de Peumo Carmenere, and the Errazuriz Kai Carmenere are all examples of prestige wines, all competing for the status of Chile's first iconic Carmenère.

## We have a choice of videos to watch including:

1. https://youtu.be/QglnMv9O00c?si=lJE6v6Q9H31uHHd6 - Carmen Gran Reserva Carmenère: Rediscovery of Carmenère - Total Wine & More (2:56)
2. https://youtu.be/CmbxbMZg5aE?si=TWubHl2eaPKupg7w - Wine Grapes 101: CARMENERE - No Sediment (5:47)
3. https://youtu.be/dqqJcb2ZzC0?si=Bae_fSbcN_7jw6lE - Carmenere - Know Wine In No Time (6:14)

So, pick up a bottle and watch a couple of videos. Let us know what you’re drinking and eating, and, if possible, the region from which your wine comes. Do you have any comments (positive or negative) about the videos? And, as always, tell us what’s going on in your life - what's happening with you, how you're feeling about things, updates, successes, challenges - as much or as little as you’re willing to disclose. We are in this together. And - thank goodness - we have wine!

Cheers!!