Chilean Carménère
If you are like me, the first wine you think of when you think of Chile is Carménère. This French grape came into its own here in South America on the West side of the Andes Mountains.
Carménère came to Chile in the mid-1800s from Bordeaux, where, at the time, it was often used in Bordeaux blends. The variety thrived here but was mistaken for Merlot. It was 1994 before it was discovered that about 1/3 of what had been thought to be Merlot in Chile was actually Carménère.
Surprisingly, it is not Chile’s most planted grape! It ranks 4th on the list after Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pais. Cabernet is the most popular grape, and Chile makes some fine Cabernet, but Carménère is the flagship. You’ll find more Carménère in Chile than anywhere else on the globe.
Primarily, this grape is found thriving in the Central Valley Region of the Country. You will find the greatest concentration in the Cachapoal area of the Rappel Valley, followed by Maule to the South, as well as bits scattered in other regions in the Central Valley.
Join us!
The writers at #WorldWineTravel are diving into these wines to celebrate International Carménère Day, which is celebrated on November 24th.
We will be posting articles and pairings on these wines on November 24th and 25th!
If you are interested in joining us, find a Carménère from Chile and write about it! Add a pairing, and tell us about the winery!
A couple of ground rules:
- Sponsored posts and sample wines are okay. Just be sure to mention this in your article clearly.
- Let me know if you would like to participate! You can comment below or send me an email to Robin@42aspens.com. Or head to the #WorldWineTravel Facebook group and comment in the event thread.
- Get your title to me by end of day, Tuesday, November 21st, so that I can publish a preview post with titles.
- Publish your article on Friday, November 24th, or Saturday, November 25th, and be sure to add a section to your article that includes all the writers’ articles with links (there will be HTML for this provided on the Facebook event thread. Make sure to update these links when the final HTML is provided).
- Make sure to read the articles by your fellow writers and comment on them. Share them on any social media channels that you participate in!
Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine and WSET 3 Certified. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.
When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.
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