In France, its demise was due to its sensitivity to phylloxera, the parasite that devastated European vineyards by attacking the vines’ roots. In South America, Carmenere became lost in field blends and forgotten for years – mistaken for the Merlot vines it was planted alongside – before being rediscovered on November 24, 1994, by French ampelographer, Jean-Michel Boursiquot. It made a comeback as Chile’s great red hope of a national grape by quickly winning prestigious awards.
It has also popped up in these pages as a winter warmer to serve alongside rib-sticking stews or pies, with its red, blue and black fruits framed by tobacco leaf, capsicum, chocolate and coffee notes.
You don’t come across a lot of single varietal Carmenere on the Irish market. When you do, you’ll often pay €20 upwards for solid reliables and more for the dazzlers. As a late-ripening grape with relatively low acidity, cheap Carmenere can be overly green and herbaceous or over-ripe and jammy, rather than hitting the sweet spot between the two.
It was welcome then to try a new arrival in Lidl’s winter wine cellar of a ripe and balanced Chilean Carmenere for just €10, as one of several limited-edition wines available from last week. Other highlights include a herbal, floral Origen Roussanne Reserva 2024 from Chile’s Valle de Maule (€8.99, 13.5pc) and the return of its zesty, tropical Australian Clare Valley Riesling (€9.99, 11.5pc).
Today, I’ve featured Lidl’s Carmenere alongside others that show the potential of this still-unsung grape. Also worth tracking down is the lush yet lively Carmen Delanz Carmenere 2022 (independents, €35, 14pc) from Apalta, Colchagua Valley. Viña Carmen was where Boursiquot first differentiated Carmenere from what had been called Chilean Merlot and put this grape back on the map.
Wines of the week
Montes Alpha Carmenère 2021
Montes Alpha Carmenère 2021, Colchagua, Chile, 14.5pc, €26.50
Carmenere blends well with other Bordeaux grapes, such as the 10pc Cabernet Sauvignon here. Half of it was aged in new French oak for 12 months, giving a full throttle winter warmer with rich dark fruits and herbal nettle and blackcurrant leaf aromas, hints of roasted coffee and grilled capsicum and soft and juicy tannins. The grapes come from Montes’ own dry-farmed vineyards from the slopes of Apalta and ocean-cooled Marchigüe. Or for a total splurge, try Montes big and mighty ‘Purple Angel’ (Terroirs, €89) with 8pc Petit Verdot Independents including Terroirs, Baggot Street Wines, The Corkscrew, wineonline.ie
Agua Santa Carmenère Gran Reserva 2022
Agua Santa Carmenère Gran Reserva 2022, Valle de Rapel, Chile, 14pc, €9.99
This new limited-edition wine offers vibrant aromas of red fruit (think raspberry, redcurrant and red plum meets rhubarb and red gooseberry) with hints of leafiness balanced by juicy ripeness on the palate. Lidl
Santa Rita Floresta Colchagua Carmenere 2021
Santa Rita Floresta Colchagua Carmenere 2021, Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile, 13pc, €40
Old-vine fruit (some from the 1800s) fermented and aged in concrete, this is worth the splurge for its vibrant blueberry and damson fruit, tomato leaf and floral notes, and juicy freshness. Jus de Vine, Redmonds of Ranelagh, Deveney’s; devenys.ie
La Poda Corta El Grano Carmenere
La Poda Corta El Grano Carmenere, Curico Valley, Chile, 12.5pc, €16.99
Produced sustainably from organic grapes grown at 450 metres and without any oak ageing to season the varietal character, this offers spiced blackcurrant and dark chocolate notes and soft ripe tannins. Mitchell and Son, Martins, 64 Wine, lecaveau.ie
Leyda Carmenere Reserva 2023
Leyda Carmenere Reserva 2023, Central Valley, Chile, 14pc, €11.96
An earthy, fresh and balanced meeting of ripe black and blue fruit with tobacco leaf and peppery and sweet spice, perfect for sweet-spicy pasta, hotpots, duck or lamb. Reduced from €15.95. O’Briens Wine; obrienswine.ie
Dining and Cooking