The Mistaken Grape

So as part of my attempt to "wine educate," and my friends' attempt to become "wine educated", they nominated me as their wine guru to run the weekly in-house wine tastings. I of course graciously accepted...probono.

The format is pretty relaxed, everyone brings a bottle or two of one specific varietal, from one particular region or country. The idea is to initially taste them all blind (wrapped and numbered in brown paper bags) and rate them according to liking. Then comes the big reveal, the labels along with their prices are exposed, and you find out if its the more expensive wine or the cheaper chicken that pleases your palate most.

Yesterday the group of us tasted 6 bottles, all 100% Carmenere, from different regions throughout Chile. There were actually 7 bottles, we accidentally ended up with 2 of the same. It happens.

For all of you that aren't that familiar with the red grape, Carmenere is considered the 6th "Bordeaux varietal" which on account of its difficulty to thrive in a cool climate, has been fased out of the Bordeaux blend we typically see today. Chile however has attained great celebrity in its ability to grow and produce beautiful, meaty, Carmenere and you'll be surprised at how little you need to spend. Here's another fun fact for ya, growers initially believed Carmenere was Merlot, as it's leaf shape and berry profile seemed almost identical to the naked eye. However after a series of genetic and apelographical analyses, they discovered that this grape was rather a distant relative of Merlot and in fact its own distict variety.

My ultimate food and wine pairing with this wine was, is, and will always be Lamb. There's something very symbiotic about the way the flavors, aromas, and mouthfeel harmonize with one and other. When I'm drinking Carmenere, I crave Lamb. The reverse is also true, a perfectly seared, grilled, stewed or barbecued piece of Lamb hasn't quite actualized its true potential, at least in my mind, until it's accompanied by a sultry glass of Carmenere. Don't call me crazy until you've tried it.

After tasting and careful evaluation, I ranked each of the wines and here are my top 5...moving from most favorite to least.

1. Carmen Gran Reserva '08 Carmenere, Apalta Chile. $25.90
As it turns out, by fault of my own tongue, the most expensive of the 6 wines unknowingly won me over. The nose was consumed by spicy nuances of Christmas cake and nutmeg shavings. Then came the luscious layer of black field berries and chocolate dipped cherries. It's moderate acid is beautifully balanced by notes of ripe raspberries which eventually falls into a seductive kiss of worn leather and the sweet return of dark chocolate. The fruit on this wine is superb, It screams lamb, and is worth every cent.

2. Antares '08 Carmenere. $9.00
A fantastic wine for the price. The nose is an amalgamation of spice, cedar, sweet cigar, and leather. A hint of varnish or finished wood lingers, but not enough to throw you off, it works well with the undertones of nuttiness and herbal qualities found on the palate. It's a complex wine for what you'd expect for under 10$. I found it intriguing.

3. Vina Chocolain '08 Carmenere, Maipo, Chile. $16.90
This wine has become a familiar shelf talker at your local wine or liquor store. It offers a slightly vegetal aroma of green pepper, along with sweet spices and nuances of black cherry. The palate thankfully delivers a more obvious blend of ripe fruit character, particularly red cherries and black berries. There is still that underlying note of herbaciousness but the medium acid, soft tannins and plumpness of fruit reminded me a lot of a Merlot; juicy and well rounded.

4. Mapu, Baron Phillipe de Rothchild '08 Reserva Carmenere. $15.10
I was not immediately struck by the nose on this wine, you almost have to dig, or else place your (clean) hand over your glass and slosh the hell out of it. It's a little tight upon opening but it does open up eventually, and when it does you're hit with overlapping waves of wild mushrooms, spice, leather, smoked cedar and a savory gaminess. The palate rings vivid of black cherry, cassis, and dried cranberry with a hint of black pepper which seems to linger. The bottle age on this wine is quite apparent, there is a quasi intricate bouquet as opposed to being a driven fruit bomb and evidence of some subtle development.


5. Casillero del Diablo '08 Reserva Carmenere, Rapel Valley, Chile $15.90
Yes I know, it's a major player on the shelf but it certainly didn't blow me away. I was actually surprised I had placed this wine so low on the totem pole. It wasn't terrible by any means but did lack the "Carmenere-ness" that I was expecting to find. The nose for me was consumed by a varnish-like aroma, along with olive brine, and cassis. On the palate I detected notes of peanut shell, leather, coffee and black cherry. I found it almost peaty with a very rustic profile. Not a loser but definitely not a winner in my books. That said, there were some tasters who rated it alot higher than I did. I'll let you be the judge.