Chilean Carménère: The Most Wonderful Wine “Mistake” Ever Made

When the infamous, root-destroying insect phylloxera wiped out most of France’s vineyards in the 1860s, it was presumed that it had rendered extinct the native Carménère grapevine.

Carménère had factored heavily in Bordeaux’s red wines, but when the time came to replant post-phylloxera, French growers opted instead for the much-easier-to-work-with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

The supposed extinction of Carménère didn’t result in any national days of mourning, but it was certainly a sad moment in wine history.

Thanks to the Chileans, however, the moment didn’t stay sad for long.

Carménère cuttings had been imported from Bordeaux to Chile during the nineteenth century, but growers almost universally confused it with Merlot. The vine thrived in Chile’s dry Mediterranean climate, and it was frequently blended with other red grapes.

It wasn’t until 1994 that Carménère was officially identified by French ampelographist Jean Boursiquot, and it was later determined that vast swaths of vineyard supposedly planted to Merlot were actually, yes, the thought-to-be-extinct Carménère.

Carménère didn’t exactly become the national grape of Chile, but since so little was planted elsewhere in the world, many growers began to release varietally labeled Carménère bottlings. The wine world quickly took notice, and the perception of Chilean wine has only been enhanced by the quality of its Carménère wines.

When grown with the care it demands, Chilean Carménère produces a spicy, medium-bodied red wine with hints of menthol and red fruit. It is deliciously distinct from its more widely marketed siblings, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

GVI Wines is fortunate to carry some of Chile’s most coveted Carménère wines. If you’re hoping to give Carménère a try, start here:

2018 Maquis Carménère, Colchagua Valley, 92 points, $18.95.

Few producers understand Chile’s Colchagua Valley better than Maquis. Their vineyards are perfect for Carménère, as they are located between two rivers that flow through the area. The rivers moderate the warm summer growing season, giving Carménère all the tools it needs to flourish. The wine is savory and fresh, at a price that is difficult to beat.

2017 Apaltagua Grial Carmenere, Apalta Valley, 93 points, $64.95.

Carménère doesn’t get much better than this. Apaltagua’s Grial Carménère is a stunner, with notes of plum and blackberry complimented by a subtle hint of toasted oak. It’s rich and supple, and can certainly stand up to a decade of aging, if you have the patience. (We don’t.)