The Rediscovery of the Carmenere Grape

Wine has always been appreciated throughout the world and the traditional wine producing regions of France are well-known. However, many are unaware of the story behind the Carmenere grape, an elusive and difficult grape that was largely forgotten until the twentieth century. The story of the Carmenere grape is quite a fascinating one. This grape was initially grown in the Bordeaux region of France. However it proved to be a very difficult grape to cultivate as it required a lot more heat before it could ripen. Compared to the other grapes grown in the region, the Carmenere grape was an imperfect fit. Moreover, it was also susceptible to attacks of Coulure, a disease which caused the grapes to fall off the vine before they were ready to do so. This meant that the Carmenere grape did not really hold its ground amongst the other varietals in France.

The Transfer to Chile

In the nineteenth century Chile began to import several varieties of Bordeaux rootstock including cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. The Carmenere plant was also introduced but the local growers believed it to be merlot and treated it as such for around one hundred and fifty years. The grape was planted alongside merlot grapes and cultivated for a long time without anyone noticing a difference. In 1994, Jean-Michel Boursiquot, a renowned expert in the field of identifying and distinguishing wines, visited Chile and realized the huge mistake. He noticed that the grape was growing perfectly in the Chilean climate. This was a revolutionary discovery that really reintroduced the Carmenere grape to the world. Prior to this time the grape had been ignored thanks to failures in its cultivation. The forgotten grape was able to reclaim its spot in the wine hierarchy thanks to the benefits offered by the glaringly different Chilean climate.

The Chilean Climate

Chile is blessed with a fantastic climate that is ideal for wine production. Thanks to the presence of the Andes mountain range, Chile’s wine producing areas receive a steady flow of water for irrigation and this is definitely useful. What’s more, the large Pacific Ocean helps to maintain a hot and sunny environment for a long summer season. Interestingly, the weather cools down significantly in the night and this is extremely advantageous for grape production. This change in climate makes the grapes taste fantastic and this obviously makes all the difference in the quality of the wine.

Another important element is the quality of soil available in the wine-producing areas of the country. In Chile the soil is very rich in nutrients thanks to either alluvial or volcanic features. This means that grape vines are treated to a vast amount of essential nutrients and this really makes a huge difference to the end result.

Today the Carmenere grape is greatly appreciated in every corner of the world. After being forgotten for so many years it is certainly enjoying a fitting revival. Thanks to Chile’s fabulous climate this elusive grape has come to the forefront and more and more people are beginning to taste its magical flavors. This definitely represents a significant change from the past.