Carmenere

Carmenere is a red wine varietal originally planted in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, France, yet now predominantly grown in Chile, China and Italy, with small plantings elsewhere around the world. Today there are less than 20 acres left in France. It has many taste similarities to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and could have become extinct if it were not mistaken for Merlot and planted in Chile during the 19th century when Phylloxera devastated the vineyards of Bordeaux. Chile now dominates the plantings of Carmenere, with Colchagua being a well-known area for premium examples.

In Australia, three cuttings of Carménère were imported from Chile by viticultural expert Dr Richard Smart in the late 1990s. After two years in quarantine, only one cutting survived the heat treatment to eliminate viruses and was micro-propagated and field grown by Narromine Vine Nursery. The first vines from the nursery were planted in 2002 by Amietta Vineyard and Winery in the Moorabool Valley (Geelong, Victoria), which has since sadly closed, where they used the varietal in their Angels’ Share blend.

Carménère has also been established in small amounts in New Zealand. DNA testing confirmed in 2006 that plantings of Cabernet Franc in the Matakana region were, in fact, Carménère.

The classic profile tends to be medium-bodied, with moderate tannins with medium alcohol. Typical flavours are raspberry, green pepper, black plum and vanilla but flavours do vary depending on climate, with cooler climates showing more herbal and red fruit tones and warmer climates exhibiting deeper dark fruits like plum and blackberry.

Listed below are the wineries that produce Carmenere.

To find your perfect Carmenere at a winery with many other searchable features, click here.