CARMÉNÈRE: THE FORLORN GRAPE RISING

For the past two decades, the wine industry has accepted that Carménère is the de facto signature grape of Chile—like another Bordeaux variety, Malbec, in neighboring Argentina.

But you should know that this grape celebrated on November 24 went through all ups and downs before getting into the spotlight.

1. A star grape since the Romans

The Romans are said to have planted Carménère in Bordeaux wine vineyards. The original name for Bordeaux was Biturica, which some historians suggest was also an early name for what we now call Carménère. Originally the grape was meant to become a nation-wide signature, not just Bordeaux.

2. A drama queen with an excellent pedigree

Carménère is a half-sibling of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and a Basque country grape called Hondarribi Beltza, the “black grape of Hondarribia” a city at the border between Spain and France.

The four grapes have the same parent: Cabernet Franc. Carménère is particularly unique because Cabernet Franc is its parent, as well as its great great grandparent – perhaps this helps explain why Carménère and Cabernet Franc taste so similar!

However it is a rather complicated grape to grow, needing very specific conditions to shine: too much rain during harvest and winter makes the green and herbaceous notes too present. Too hot and the resulting wine will have a high alcohol level and overly ripe fruit character. Too cold and it doesn’t get enough time to ripen.

3. … which fell into oblivion in the 19th century

Before the 1870s Carménère was a prevalent blending grape in Bordeaux. However, due to the phylloxera infestation, nearly all the Carménère vines – along with most of the vineyards in Bordeaux and other wine regions – were wiped out. When vignerons in Bordeaux replanted however, they opted to plant the easier-to-grow Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot instead, and Carménère was thought to be on the verge of extinction, forsaken and forgotten by French vintners.

But in Chile, growers inadvertently preserved the grape variety during the last 150 years because it was mistaken for its half-brother: Merlot.

4. But in 1994 the irreducible grape made its come back with a bang!

When Carménère was first transplanted from Bordeaux into Chile, it was mistaken with Merlot and often planted alongside and blended with its half-brother. Because Carménère was mistaken as Merlot for so long, vintners initially continued to work with the two grapes in the same way. Ironically, they couldn’t be more different.

Merlot is an early-ripening variety that needs plenty of water and more shade due to its sensitive skins. And we saw earlier that when Carménère is treated this way, its sharp green notes stick out like a sore thumb.

Yet at the end of the last century, in an incredible twist of fate, French ampelographer and grape botany expert Jean-Michel Boursiquot carried out research to determine why this “Merlot” was so different and realized that somewhere close to 50% of the Merlot planted in Chile was actually the long lost Carménère variety of Bordeaux!

Carménère takes up today slightly more than 10% of all vineyard plantings in Chile today with close to 10,000 hectares of vines planted, making it the 5th most planted grape in Chile. Those 10,000 hectares represent 80% of the world’s plantings devoted to Carménère!

5. From forsaken, to rediscovered and now elevated to country emblem

Until then, most of the Chilean Carménère were not achieving its best quality. The wines were not very concentrated, and green notes and green tannins were predominant. Most producers thought that the only way to work those herbaceous flavours was to cover them with oak or harvest overripe grapes with mature, jammy fruit. In both cases, the varietal identity of Carménère was missing.

After realizing their mistake, and for the past 25 years, Chilean vintners have been experimenting with best practices in both vineyard and cellar.

Viña Casa Silva has been spearheading this effort with a comprehensive study on the various genomes of Carménère, how it adapted and thrived when the right vineyards sites were chosen. With the Genome Project, the winery has identified the best micro-terroirs to plant with Carménère, and in particular, Los Lingues DO in Colchagua Valley which achieves that coveted balance between power and finesse.

Rather than fighting or hiding the true identity of Carménère, Viña Casa Silva is, on the contrary, respectfully embracing it, and helping this misunderstood grape rise to its well-deserved Chilean wine status symbol.

6. Viña Casa Silva’s best Carménères to try

a. Microterroir – born from the actual Genome Project

Direct result of the Genome Project and their ongoing search for the maximum expression of quality, the Silva family has been a pioneer in the production of excellent Carménère from their Los Lingues Vineyard at the foot of the Andes Mountains. Only the finest sectors of this vineyard have been selected to produce this Carménère.

b. Quinta Generacion Red Blend – born from over 100 years’ worth of experience of the Silva family

The Silva family’s pioneering spirit and knowledge of their land has led them to establish, in a more artisanal way than the Genome Project, vineyards in the different corners of the valley to obtain the maximum potential for each variety.

Quinta Generación is a unique blend that commemorates the more than 100 years and 5 generations of the family’s never-ending quest for improvement.

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